Klinec

Simona and Aleks Klinec own a farm in the village of Medana covering 6 hectares and is situated at an altitude of about 180 metres. The vineyards are overgrown with grass and bushes and surrounded by trees, giving each vineyard its own ecosystem.

As farmers, they are intimately connected to their land, the environment and see the impact of climate change like no other. They also see their own responsibility for the future of our planet and strive for the richest possible biodiversity in their environment. They work biodynamically in the vineyards and their cellar. They make their own preparations and vegetable compost. Every three years, they fertilise the vineyards with this compost to further stimulate soil life and micro-organisms.

The view over the blue Adriatic sea, the white Julian Alps and the green hills of the Brda all around you is magical. Its location between the mountains and the sea creates an ideal microclimate. The low mountain range flows into the low mountain range of Friuli (Italy) where Radikon grows its wines. This part of the Italian/Slovenian border is associated with the revival of orange wine. But the unique personality of Klinec’s wines stands out from Radikon in its minerality.

Goriska Bdra, where Medana is situated, was once below sea level, where excessive deposits have been left behind. As a result, the soil consist of marl, sandstone and sea fossils. The terroir, soil composition, microclimate and the consistency of the local grape varieties, create an almost salty personality of the wines.

The hand-picked grapes like malvazija, pinot gris, ribolla and merlot get their stalks removed and are put into large wooden barrels. In the process, they let the wild yeasts do their thing to initiate fermentation. The juice and skins are in contact for 5 to about 30 days. Then the grapes are pressed and transferred into large wooden barrels. For this, they use different types of wood such as acacia, mulberry, cherry and oak.

After 2-3 years, when the wine is mature, it is transferred into stainless steel vats. Bottling takes place a few months later when the wine has fully matured. This gives the wines a rich and unique flavour, without filtration or additives.

We are always looking for clean, pure natural wines with their own story. When we tasted Klinec’s wines together, we were all quiet for a moment. The salty minerality in the wine reminded us of the sea, under which Goriska Bdra was formerly hidden.