SteraS – Syrah, 2018

Tonight’s pick is a wine that couldn’t reflect more the sunny character of Istria. An extractive, warm expression of Syrah, produced by my dear friend, a lad with immense knowledge and modesty, Tilen Praprotnik. Crafting wines under the name of SteraS.

Grapes for this wine come from a vineyard planted in 2007 on north-facing slopes on soils composed of limestone, at an altitude of 238 meters above sea level.

Grapes were hand-harvested with sugar levels of approximately 24 ° Brix. After destemming and crushing the mash macerates for five days with vigorous cap management. Then it is gently pressed and laid to mature in oak barrels for a year, where it conducts malolactic conversion. Later it is racked in stainless vats to clarify and is finally bottled without filtration.

This results in a Syrah of deep, ruby red colour with a purple edge. An extractive, dense wine that barely spins in a glass with coloured tears, slowly slipping on its walls.

The bouquet speaks of overripeness as if the grapes were shrivelled. It is jammy, but at the same time, it displays a fresh character. Black cherry, black olive, mulberry, plum jam, violets, and notes of wood, coffee, cloves, black pepper. Finishing with hints of roast and smoke, leather and caramel.

A dry wine of pronounced softness, reasonably warm, and at the same time fresh and tannic – the tannins are starting to round up. A wine of a vigorous body, intense sensations and lasting persistency. A wine that begins its journey in balance, mainly thanks to its soft side. With time freshness and the longevity of tannins takes centre stage and expresses that this wine still has a lot to say.

You can easily store it for the next ten years as it will only gain in elegance. A bottle will cost you 16 Eur, and you can order it on their website.