Prinčič – Mihael red, 2017

I’ve been saving this wine for the last presentation of Prinčič. It’s their Mihael red, a blend of equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir marked by maturation in large oak barrels, which is just about to display its full potential.

As you may have noticed already, Mihael stands for their selected; you could say, top line. Only selected grapes were used for this one, and wines have gone through longer ageing in wooden vessels. And such is the case here. Vines of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir count for approximately 27 years. Grapes were handpicked at optimal ripeness. Production followed destemming and crushing with macerations of roughly thirty days and then a two-year maturation in a 500-litre oak barrel. Finally, it was bottled, and after a year of bottle-ageing, it finally made it to the market.

Mihael red displays a ruby red colour with a dense texture. It stains our glass when swirling it in it.

The bouquet is intense, grandiosely luxurious. At first, we notice leather, then the interweaving of fern, black pepper, combined with ripe fruit: cherries, mulberries, black currants, and forest fruits. Finally, with a note of cocoa, cloves and graphite.

The mouthfeel is soft, warm. It has a mature but lively freshness. Tannins are just about to round off, and we feel a mineral underlining. Intense in taste. A lasting, full-bodied wine with an elegant and lasting aftertaste.

Mihael Red is slowly coming to its peak, but it intends to stay there for a long time. I’m really curious to taste it again in five to seven years to see how it evolved.

A bottle will cost you between 15 and 20 Eur, and you can get it at Vinoo.co, Vinoteka Sodček, Koželj and Mabat INT.