Years back, I used to do wine and spirit reviews at Blackfive and other outlets, as well as here on the blog. I have/had a good nose and sense of taste, though today (stupid lightning) I have trouble wrapping them around some of the scents and flavors. I know the scent or taste, but can’t name it. So, today’s post may not have the precision of some past, but I hope to hit in the ballpark and share some good wines with you.
This being Lent, I’m really not supposed to be drinking wine most days, but I was intrigued when the good people at Storied Company (they do have gift certificates, hint) offered me the chance to meet a winemaker from Slovenia and taste his wares. I don’t remember having wine from Slovenia before, though I have had some good wine from Serbia.
Bojan Kobal has taken his years of experience in wine making and put it to work in his own company, Kobal Wines. Located near the town of Ptuj, it is in the Styria wine region of Podravje, which features hilly terrain idea for wine making. Indeed, as we learned last night, wine making has been taking place in Slovenia for some 2,000 years having been brought in by the Romans. It is fascinating history and Styria is known for it’s white wines. In fact, our tasting was of four whites, one rose, and one red.
One of the interesting things at last night’s event was the passing around of the three types of rock that make up a good bit of the soil on the hillsides. Bojan put water on one of the rocks, and the scent and taste did indeed come through in a couple of the wines. The soil truly does matter.
First up was a 2024 Kobal Furmint (Šipon). This is a delightfully crisp wine, starting with a nose rich with tart green apple with a slight hint of white pepper. The mouthfeel is solid, rich with green fruits. Apple dominated the center, but other fruits snuck in around the edges with a nice touch of sweetness to emphasize the crispness. This is an excellent wine to enjoy on a summer day, and it should pair well with lighter chicken and fish dishes, or a nice cheeseboard.
Next up was a 2024 Kobal Sauvignon Blanc. This is not in the style of the typical American Sauvignon Blanc, rather a more old fashioned take that brings out the land and full flavor of the grapes. The nose is again crisp, but with a lot more mineral to it than with the Furmint. There is green fruit and herb with it, creating a unique presentation. The mouthfeel is again solid, full of fruit, green herbs, mineral, and even a bit of tropical fruit. It is a complex and rich taste. It should pair well with light chicken, fish, and even some vegetables. As I got reminded last night, it is easy to pair wine with proteins, but not so easy to pair them with vegetables.
Our third sample was a 2024 Kobal Pinot Grigio. This is NOT your normal grocery store pinot grigio. For all that it is a white grape, the skin is not light. The Kobal winery macerates the pinot grigio grapes for a time, which gives a pink tinge to the wine. It is not a rose, but the color and full flavor of the grape come out from their production. Again, a good nose with green fruits and herbs, and a nice mouthfeel full of green and even tropical fruits, with just a hint of red berries or plums. It is a unique entry to the American market, and I was quite taken with it. Would love to try it with some lamb.
Our fourth sample was another very different production. The 2022 Bajta Belo Skin-Contct White Wine is warm macerated for a month, giving it a striking amber color. It is a white wine made like a red, and as such it has the mouthfeel of a red. On the nose, I got candied fruits and nuts with a hint of white chocolate. The taste hit me as rich with walnuts and hazelnuts, candied fruit, herbs, and a hint of white truffle. It is a very well balanced and complex wine and I really want to try it with food. This may have been my favorite of the evening, and that’s saying a good bit.
Our fifth selection was a Pet Nat, which is a naturally bubbly style of wine. This 2024 Kobal Blaufrankish Rose Pet Nat was a refreshing break before sampling our single red wine of the evening. Again, this would be great simply to drink sitting on the porch or outside on a nice summer day. To me, the nose was slightly acidic, with chalk candy and fruit. The mouthfeel was light and crisp, with some light red fruit joining the core of green fruit.
Our final selection of the evening was a 2023 Kobal Blaufrankisch “Roots.” The nose was rich with leather and fruit, and had hits of spice. The mouthfeel was good, and the flavor rich with sour cherries, fruit, leather, and a hint of black pepper on the finish. It is a nice solid red in a style you would not normally find at a lower price point. As for me, I would love to try it with a good mushroom dish, and it can handle pairing with some solid proteins.
Locally, these wines are in the $20-$25 range, which is a bit above my regular but they are quite good values for the money. Especially given the very different approaches from typical mass produced wines. If you get a chance to try them, or any other products from this winery, you should do so.
Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.