Today, I want to indulge in a lovely Pet-nat produced by my dear friend Tilen Praprotnik at STeraS. This one is even more special as it is produced from fermenting grape must of old, forgotten grape varieties of Slovene Istria.
I’m happy as this is the first time I’m tasting Štrigon. Honestly? I’d drink it again gladly. Tilen is one of those young winemakers who never ceases to amaze me with their wines. And Štrigon was the name of a wine bar they used to own in Portorose. Štrigon would mean sorcerer, and this is what you find so nicely designed on the label.
Pet-nat stands for Pétillant Naturel and is produced by capturing the yet fermenting grape must in the bottle. The bottle is closed by a Crown bottle cap that seals the Co2 in the wine, making it sparkling. You could say kind of like base wine without the addition of liqueur de tirage and without disgorging. This results mainly in wines of pronounced fruitiness, where you still have to open them cautiously.
But, the logic of opening is easy. Just cool down the wine as much as possible. Leave it positioned upright or on the side to clarify, and then pop the cork open in one quick move.
As mentioned, Štrigon is produced from old, forgotten grapes. A blend of 30 % Pinjola, 30 % Izolanka, with the remaining 40 % consisting of White Refosco, Pregolina, Pagadebiti, Canariola, White Borgonja and Istrska belina.
It has a golden yellow colour with numerous tiny and fleeting bubbles. Eventually, the sediment mixes and acquires a misty colour.
Štrigon boasts an intense, fruit-forward bouquet. We detect peach, pear, lemon peel, gooseberry, apricot, acacia flower, even honey, a touch of butter and bread crust.
The wine is very dry; it has a touch of softness, with pleasantly tickling bubbles. It refreshes our palate, leaving a salty mineral aftertaste that feels pleasantly bitter. The taste is intense, with a reasonably structured body and persistency, where mostly fruity flavours with a touch of honey appear. A wine of elegance and pleasing, refreshing sensations.
A bottle will cost you 12,5 Eur, and you can order it by sending an email to info@steras.com or by calling +386 41 788 173.