Polič – Organic Malvazija, 2014

Polič - Organic Malvazija, 2014
Polič – Organic Malvazija, 2014

Time to head back to the hills of Truške. This time, we even managed to visit Peter Polič in person. Shortly we’ll also look at another wine challenging the impressions of a demanding vintage that 2014 proved to be, which is also Peter’s second vintage as a winemaker and owner.

Let’s get to this steadily. Peter, a young entrepreneur, acquired the estate on Truške’s peaks in 2013. The estate is graced by a fantastic view over the Gulf of Koper. Vineyards are expanding all over the property, from the highest point of 320 meters above sea level where vines of Refosco are planted towards the valley, where it forms an amphitheatrical shape.

The property is looked after following biodynamic principles. Grapes for this Organic Malvazija are coming from the southwest facing vines planted at an altitude of approximately 250 meters above sea level. They were planted between 2006 and 2008.

Peter tries to harvest grapes reaching as close to 100 Oechsle (23,4 Brix and above) as possible – this is when overripe. Bunches are hand-harvested and placed in crates that are transferred to the cellar. They are placed in a Pellenc destemmer which works on vibration. This means berries are shaken off the stem while staying intact. Then they fall through a regulated sieve which sorts and separates healthy ones from the rest.

Whole berries are then moved into 2.000-litre oak vinificators to ferment and macerate. A combination of intracellular and spontaneous fermentation occurs. The mash stays there for an entire year and is later gently pressed. The wine is then racked into barriques for two years. After oak maturation, it is decanted into bottles without filtration and left to bottle-age for the next three years. Peter would like to extend this timing to five years of bottle ageing before putting wines on the market.

This Mlavazija displays a hazy veil, with a deep, golden yellow colour and thick, dense texture as we see with slow slipping tears on the glass walls.

Aromas are intense, sumptuous. We detect honey, passionfruit, ripe apricot, dried pineapple, dried chamomile and yellow roses, hay, thyme and rosemary, dried tobacco leaves as well as raisin, white pepper, vanilla, anise and nutmeg.

The taste is oily, with crisp freshness and a mineral saltiness. We perceive a light astringency as a result of the vinification process. The taste is intense and lasting, structured, with an expressed elegance.

Now, if you remember, 2014 is one of the most challenging vintages of the decennia. To sum it all up, lots of rain through the whole season, so many didn’t even produce wines or put their best gems on the market. However, Peter managed to create an outstanding exemplar of a Malvazija that will genuinely keep its shape for the next seven-plus years.

A bottle will cost you 42,7 Eur, and you can get it at Dobrovino.si.

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