Štokelj – Planta red, 2017

We’re at the sunny slopes of Vipava Valley, specifically in the Village of Planina. This is where Štokelj family produces refined wines with a pristine character. Today we’ll have a look at their Planta red, which is a blend of Merlot and Barbera.

Planta is produced from a meticulous selection of grapes that are exclusively handpicked. Vines are planted at an altitude of 230 meters. The soil is a mixture of flysch and Eutric brown soil and now count for a good quarter of a century. A peculiarity of this vineyard is that rows of different varieties are planted in interchanging rows, and this is where the name of the wine comes from. A row of vines is what natives refer to as “Planta”.

Planta red is what Štokelj treat as a tribute to Vipava’s red blends. Where on one side the luxurious Merlot is touched by the liveliness of Barbera. And what a blend, combining 75 % of Merlot, 15 % of Barbera, plus a 5 % of dried Merlot grapes. Selected yeast are used in the vinification process. It undergoes a 12-day maceration at controlled temperatures, not higher than 25 ° Celsius in open vats. It then matures in French barrique barrels, out of which 50 % are new.

This results in a deep ruby red coloured wine, with thick, dense structure staining our glass.

The nose is filled with intense, refined scents of mature black currant, blueberry, chokeberry and red rose petals. Followed by roasted nuts, vanilla, carob, caramel, with a slightly smoky tone in the finish.

The taste is soft, warm, refreshing and youthful, with spicy, velvety tannins drying our mouth. It takes us on a ride of accentuated and lasting elegance.

Planta represents a sumptuous rendition to Vipava’s red blends that deliver as a serious wine that will please the most demanding consumers. Most of all, it’s a real long-distance runner!