Pasji rep – Malva flysch, 2018

Today’s choice is Pasji rep‘s premiere called Malva flysch. And, as the name promises it has some special zing to it.

Imagine this. If you could plant a vineyard of Malvasia Istriana, on nothing but pure flysch … So poor with nutrients not even weed grows there. The vineyard is at 300 meters above sea level, it faces to the south, southeast. Approximately 2.000 vines are planted in this amphitheatrically shaped vineyard, which now counts 7 years.

Only the best grapes are used to produce 800 bottles of this speciality from upper Vipava Valley. Berries are initially cooled, they undergo a 9-day long maceration at uncontrolled temperatures. After approximately two days spontaneous fermentation kicks in, only to be then laid to mature for 20 months in used 500l barrels. The wood is used while 70 % consists of acacia and 30 % of oak.

What would be the results? Simply put it this way – stunning! This Malva flysch marks the start of something serious, something special that expresses the mineral essence of the soil in which vines are grown.

The glass is filled by a bright, golden yellow coloured, dense wine.

Aromas are intense, with overripe apricots, persimmon slices, yellow figs, grapes soaked in alcohol, followed by caramel, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and dry Mediterranean herbs.

We taste softness and warmth, vibrant freshness and above all mineral salinity, with slight astringency. A complexly structured wine of lasting, elegant persistency.

A real youthful expression of the mineral terrain which harmoniously encloses the expression of the variety, its young vines and markings of and exceptional terrain. We tasted this wine alone but I wouldn’t mind sipping it with gratinated scallops, or some seafood or chicken risotto.