Written by: Tomo Jakopović, “The Wine Hunter”
It is a fair question: does Riesling have to be aged? It is true that, like few other varieties, it benefits greatly and directly from bottle ageing and with time gains serious complexity, breadth and depth, so when we talk about great Rieslings they are almost always aged wines. Young Rieslings, on the other hand, offer something else: playful freshness and pronounced aromatics, they are easy to drink and long remembered. That is exactly what the Riesling of the Plešivica master Drago Kurtalj is like. A wine that is simple but not banal, varietally recognisable and full of energy. On the nose and palate it recalls the old days, when wines made with minimal intervention were the rule rather than the exception. The word “vinous” describes it perfectly, because its aromas and flavours irresistibly recall grapes and must, and you can also sense fine, healthy lees, since the wine is unfiltered. If the sediment at the bottom of the bottle is stirred up, a slight aesthetic issue may appear in the form of a barely noticeable haze, but you gain an extra fullness of flavour and layered aromas. Anyone bothered by a little sediment can always decant it. The acidity sparkles in every direction; the wine is exceptionally juicy, makes your mouth water and calls for the next sip. Positioned correctly and put in the right place, its short time in bottle is not a drawback but an advantage, and add to that a price of 10 euros and it is clear that Kurtalj’s Riesling is exceptional value for money.
