Ah, what a day! Finally, we’re allowed to move between regions, and restaurant terraces are permitted to operate. This called for a trip to our coast, to a restaurant with one of the best views over the town of Izola – Kamin restaurant.
Actually, the visit happened as a coincidence. I was strolling through Instagram’s stories and saw Sašo Ambrož’s – the f&b manager, stories of how they were preparing the terrace for reopening. I sent applause, and he invited me kindly for a glass of wine when we’re in the vicinity.
While so my better half – Teja-told me that we could go to Kamin for lunch Sunday, so I just booked the table for us …
And how we pampered our palate today! In good hands of their sommelier Dejan Zubin serving sea-inspired dishes, we indulged with Zaro’s Malvazija Pivol, one of the most intense renditions of this variety out there. Pivol is the vineyard name planted above Izola at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level. Fifteen years old vines are planted in terraced vineyards with soil consisting of flysch. All vines are looked after following organic principles.
Grapes are picked beyond technical ripeness. Berries are left to macerate, with spontaneous fermentation, for 30 days in large conical shaped tino barrels. After gentle pressing, the wine is racked into large oak barrels where it matures for one year with stirring of lees. Finally, it is bottled without filtration and with minimum addition of Sulphites, and it needs to wait a further year before coming to the market.
This results in a Malvasia with a deep, extractive golden yellow colour of oily texture. The tears leave marks on the glass’ walls.
Its aromas are lusciously seductive and intense. We detect acacia flower, honey, vanilla, dried apricot, dried pineapple slices, candied orange peel, marzipan, caramel, dried rosemary, white pepper and nutmeg.
The taste is soft, oily. With crisp freshness and mineral salinity elevating the taste and leaving a slight, receivable tannin. A wine of virtuous structure, with elegant, pronounced and lasting finesse. Which adds dried fruit, honey, acacia, rosemary and sweet spices to the flavour profile.
A bottle of this liquid elegance will cost you approximately 20 Eur, and you can get it at Merit, Be Wines, Bond Street Wines and Fig & Thistle market.
