Movia – Veliko belo, 2012

Some days simply call for the little pleasures. And tonight’s choice is something significant, a bottle of a great wine, vested in the cloak of Veliko belo (Great white) by Movia. A blend of Rebula, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris, which spent years in barrique barrels.

Grapes for this wine are coming from forty-five years old vines coming from the Veliko vineyard. South-facing slopes are planted in grassed Opoka soil and looked after following organic methods.

Hand-harvested bunches were produced separately and went through different maceration times. Rebula macerated for five days, while Sauvignon and Pinot Gris for a day. Still fermenting, most is racked on fine less into French oak barriques, where it matures for up to forty-two months. Finally, Aleš Kristančič assembles selected wines into this genuinely great wine – Veliko belo. Following bottling, it has to sit at least two years before finally coming to the market.

This results in a wine indicating greatness just by looking at it. It displays a deep, golden yellow colour with a thick texture. The swirl quickly stops, with drops slowly slipping on the glass’ walls.

Its bouquet is majestic, refined and full of richness. We detect dried apple and pineapple slices, yellow plum jam, candied citruses, honey, dried chamomile, cedar, vanilla, buttery notes and hints of liquorice root.

The taste is oily, with ripe and crisp freshness. Mineral salinity adds an elegant underpin and introduces a pleasant, slightly tannic imprint.

Aromas of dried fruit and wax reflect on the palate, and we notice a touch of marzipan and caramel.

A succulent wine that is showing complexity and a noble, intense character with a lasting aftertaste.

A wine that has tremendous ageing potential, you can easily forget of it for the next decennia, but it will be a pleasant, uplifting companion at a full table. A bottle will cost you approximately 28 Eur, and you can get it at Dobro vino, eVino, Koželj, vinoteka Sodček, The wine and more, 8 wines, Call me wine, Villa Viniteca and others.

You can also look for some impressions by The Exotic Wine Travel and Simon J. Woolf.