Description
RADIKON: THE OG OF THE NATURAL WINE MOVEMENT IN ITALY Orange wine has definitely been enjoying a moment over the last few years, with more and more producers dipping their toes into the proverbial orange waters. Few producers, however, hold the clout in the orange and natural wine communities the way that Friulian producer Radikon does. Although most casual consumers are unfamiliar with these wines, they epitomize a level of truth, beauty, and transparency that is constantly sought after by wine lovers every time they open a bottle. Radikons wines are interesting and complex, and heavily influenced by their proximity to Slovenia, utilizing techniques such as hand harvesting, extended skin maceration, no added yeast or enzymes, and most notably, all wines are fermented in large, old barrels without any temperature control. One can easily understand why many a natural wine geek has fallen prey to the siren song of Radikon, but while these are very much technically natural wine (as if that was a clearly definable term) be not afraid! These wines have ageability, tension, and nuance, and there is a reason that these wines still are heavily sought after even by those who wouldnt consider themselves natural wine aficionados. If the New York Times writes a glowing article about a wine, you can gamble that they are probably at least worth knowing about and probably not *too* weird. They are however, very much in the nerdy category and if you consider yourself an orange wine fan and have never had this OG orange wine? Well, today is the day. As a bonus, they also produce a Merlot/Pignolo blend that is absolutely worth trying if you feel like playing with a little bit of red wine. One of the more curious things about Radikon is that early on the estate focused on producing more conventional wines. Practices such as fermenting in stainless steel and aging in French oak were commonplace. In an interesting (and dare we say, fortuitous) twist of fate, Stanko Radikon found he didnt particularly like them, and thus began his journey back to making wine the way his grandfather used to. This fits in line with the history of the state, many of whose wines were planted in the 1940s and 1950s. While unfortunately many of the vines were wiped out in a mudslide in 1997, some of the older vines survived. This in combination with the old school winemaking results in something truly magical. Radikon explains from their website, In the cellar, the grapes are destemmed and then macerated on the skins for 30 days more, with experimentation of 6/7 months for the whites, and 35 days for the reds. The pressing is done softly using a pneumatic press. All phases of the vinifications are in Slavonian oak barrels, first in wood vats and then in large barrels in which the wines are aged for about three years before bottling. The vinifications are done using only the natural yeasts present on the grapes. There is no sulfur added at vinification or bottling. Since Stanko passed away in 2016, operations have passed into the hands of his son Saša, who is now the driving force behind the family estate. He continues on in the tradition of his father, following the same philosophy in his winemaking and farming. One new development, however, involved the introduction of the "S" or "Saša" wines. This concept emerged in the 2010s, and was an avenue that allowed Saša to explore his individual path and try something new while still staying true to the spirit of the estate. These wines undergo a notably briefer period of maceration, ranging from 8 to 14 days as opposed to the previous three months. They undergo fermentation in smaller containers and are aged for a mere 18 months prior to being bottled. Additionally, they are packaged in the traditional 750ml bottles and receive a slight infusion of sulfur during the bottling phase, whereas Radikons traditional wines are bottled in 500 ml and Liter bottles, as Stanko Radikon believed these were more appropriate sizes. Two people may, he reasoned, want to drink both a white and a red with dinner, and with a 500 ml bottle it is far easier to justify opening a white and a red than if you are working with the traditional 750 ml bottle. Presently, this new project's wines constitute approximately 55% of the estate's overall production, and are designed for more youthful consumption. Whether you are looking to try one of the OG Radikon bottlings or one of Sašas newer wines, these wines are sure to shock, delight, and please in equal measure. - MEG VAN TIL