Rodica Sparkling Malvasia
Winery: Rodica
Classification: Dry Col Fondo sparkling white wine
Varietals: 100% Malvazija Istriana
Appellation: Truške, Istria, Slovenia
Density & Yield: 5,000 vines/ha; 1 kg/vine
Annual Production: 5,000 bottles
Alcohol: 12%
Climate: Mild Mediterranean, with dry and hot summers, and mild winters.
Terrain: The picturesque hills near Marezige and Truške are located 5 km from the Adriatic sea, more specifically the Gulf of Trieste. Rodica family vineyards are planted at 250-350 meters asl, terraced, facing South. They enjoy significant day-night temperature swings, and constant breezes, which keep the vineyards well-ventilated and naturally healthy for organic farming. The soil is rich with minerals, consisting predominantly of limestone. The vines are forced to “fight” to get water, which results in better-quality grapes.
Farming: Certified Organic. Every second row of the vineyard is empty and planted with grass. Only natural fertilizer produced from natural manure is allowed. The vineyards are worked without any irrigation.
Vinification: Hand-harvested grapes go through 1+ day skin maceration period, followed by spontaneous fermentation and 6 months in used 2,500L acacia wood barrels and then 6 months in stainless steel tanks. Next harvest, unfermented Malvasia is added to the wine and second fermentation begins. The fermenting wine is then bottled immediately with crown caps, and natural secondary fermentation continues in the bottles. The wine is not disgorged, hence the “col fondo” sediment.
Tasting Notes: A naturally made sparkling Malvasia Istriana from Slovenian Istria, Slovenia. Think orange wine meets pet-nat, meets traditional method sparkling. Exceptionally elegant and sophisticated, quite fruity and floral, but still a bit yeasty and funky. Lots of chewy texture, layers of complexity.
Serve it cold as an aperitif, but also with charcuterie, young cheeses, or not so sweet desserts like panna cotta or olive oil cake.
Winery Information
Rodica
In 1998, Marinko Rodica, a car mechanic by trade, decided to start a new chapter in his life and became a winemaker. 10 years later, in 2008 Rodica family winery had sixty thousand vines and was certified organic.
