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A Taste of Slovenia: Črnko

One of the most oft-cited pleasures of wine is that it never stands still, purely because as each year passes we have a new vintage to assess and enjoy, maybe for many years into the future. And yet the world of wine can bring us new experiences in other ways too. It is a sign of the global nature of wine that there are many nations out there producing wine of which I have no real knowledge. This perhaps reflects a vinous form of tunnel vision; so obsessed are we on one region, or one style, or even one particular grape that we never see the wines offered by more distant and less famous regions, perhaps using less familiar varieties.

Today's world of wine is so large, though, that we should no doubt forgive ourselves for not knowing every wine out there. Nevertheless, to not explore is to do ourselves, as well as the wines, a disservice. Tasting widely is advantageous, as it provides a wider context, a deeper backdrop, against which more familiar wines may be placed. And naturally it adds to our knowledge in other ways; in some cases the wines turn out to be of good quality, and give much pleasure. The wines presented below are a case in point. Until this moment I have had no awareness of the wines of Slovenia, a small nation to the east of northern Italy which emerged anew from the crumbling Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1991. And yet the region has a long and illustrious history of viticulture which appears to date back to at least the era of Tacitus, the 1st Century Roman historian, who wrote of the country's wines.

Today like any other European nation the wine growing regions are extensively classified; the most coarse division is into three with Primorje to the west, the more central Posajve and to the east Podravje. In the latter of these three is Maribor, a wine region which surrounds the city - Slovenia's second largest - of the same name. On the road heading north out of the city is the Črnko winery, which is run by Srečko Črnko and his family, including his wife Jozička and son Silvio. There are 6 hectares of vines cultivated, the featured varieties - entirely white - including Renski Rizling, Laski Rizling, Traminec, Sivi Pinot, Muškat and more. In many cases these are synonyms for more familiar names, such as Pinot Gris (Sivi Pinot) and Riesling (which is Renski rather than Laski). Many are bottled as single variety wines, although there is also the blended Jareninčan, and the style varies from crisply dry through to sweet, although the majority of wines tend towards the medium-sweet rather like a demi-sec, with residual sugars typically between 7 and 22 g/l. There are also some sweet wines, made by the late harvest and ice wine methods.

I recently had the opportunity to taste a number of the Črnko wines, and my notes are presented below. This was a selection of the medium-sweet table wines, looking at a number of different varieties; one wine not discussed below was the Chardonnay, which was unfortunately corked. For more information on Črnko and their wines, visit their website. (29/8/08)

A Taste of Slovenia: Črnko - Tasting Notes

Tasted in August 2008. Click for stockists.

Črnko Renski Rizling (Maribor, Slovenia) 2007: Renski Rizling is a synonym for Riesling proper, as opposed to Welschriesling or Laski Rizling. A clean and vibrant hue. Despite the variety in question, the nose is immediately more redolent of Alsatian Gewurztraminer, with rose petals and lychees predominating, although with a little hint of lime leaf in the background. The palate is fresh, fleshy, dry and quite full in style. There is a broad and firm acidity carrying it along, providing an appealing tingle at the front of the palate, and a good definition through to the attractively sour, slightly sappy finish. There is lots of appeal here, and just 10.5% alcohol. This would even do well in the cellar I think. 16.5+/20

Črnko Traminec (Maribor, Slovenia) 2007: Traminec translates as Gewurztraminer, although on tasting this wine no translation is required! It has a clean, shimmering, lemon-gold hue. The nose is fresh, aromatic and really rather perfumed, with aromas of lychees, lemon and herbs. It seems slightly fat and soapy too. Nevertheless there is a freshness to the palate, although it is rather oily, also rather low in acidity, but with a nice grip and appeal throughout. Perfumed, talky, with some residual sugar, fleshy, and indeed a little confected. Nice, but brighter acidity would help the balance. 14.5/20

Črnko Sauvignon Blanc (Maribor, Slovenia) 2006: This Sauvignon has a good pale golden hue, with a nose of ripe, golden fruits. Indeed it is rather autumnal in style, with notes of pears and apples, with a heady and ripe vein. The palate displays a full, ripe character with good acidity to balance the ripe, rounded, textured presence. There is some residual sugar here, providing some flesh to the palate. Overall though, this is fresh and substantial. Good. 16+/20

Črnko Sivi Pinot (Maribor, Slovenia) 2006: Sivi Pinot is Pinot Gris. A clear, well coloured wine here, with a very clean nose of pear and fruit salad. Quite fleshy on the palate, with some residual sugar in evidence, developing an almost oily seam through the midpalate. A nice little touch of bitterness behind this keeps it from sweet simplicity, and there is a good layer of sweet fruit, of yellow plums, honeydew melon and more. There is a little prickle of carbon dioxide still, which gives it a welcome, refreshing edge, especially as the acidity is moderately low. On the whole this is pretty good, taking into account its structure, and it makes for nice summer drinking. 15.5/20

Črnko Rumeni Muškat (Maribor, Slovenia) 2006: This Muscat has an appealing and spicy nose, with lychees, golden fruits and pears, spiced with very typical Muscat aromas of rose petal and orange peel. Appealing, fleshy, ripe, with a moderate substance and presence. Not fat or rich, quite nicely balanced, a little bitter, good tingly quality to the acidity although it is not that prominent. There is a little residual carbon dioxide which provides a refreshing lift. It has an appealing lemony quality at first, then an oily, midpalate richness. Light, bright, but with an appealing, spiced and somewhat grippy finish. Good. 16+/20