When we were wandering around the southeastern part of Slovenia, we encountered a pleasant wine cellar that is not exactly in its natural habitat. This winery was in the shopping center! I tell you, after a boring walk through the shops and spending money on nonsense, this discovery was like an oasis in the middle of the desert. On the shelves, we saw a few well-known brands and even some French champagnes. However, the main star was Sturm. Thus, it should have been because the wine bar is owned by the local winery which goes by the same name. We are always happy when we come across a local product and Vivi was also keen to take some time off shopping in return for a high-quality wine degustation. A kind waitress shared with us loads of information and she even explained the procedures of their wine production. When she introduced us to a macerated white wine Akord, our eyes met and the spark lit up in them.
The Akord is actually Cuvee of three varieties (the Yellow Muscat, the Traminer, and the Konigstraube). All three varieties do coincide very nicely together so the name Akord (Chord) makes sense. While we were drawing circles in the air with glasses and counting heavy droplets falling down the glass, the father of this fine wine himself introduced to us. To hear the vision and philosophy of wines from the winemaker himself was an amazing opportunity. We followed his words like we were enchanted.
One reason for this was probably a by-product of fermentation, an enviable 15% alcohol which Akord has. Amber color of this radiant drop comes after more than a month of maceration, and then another three-year aging in oak barrels. The bouquet is really rich and we immediately smelt the scent of Violet flower and honey. When you take a sip of Akord it doesn’t feel dry, thanks to tannins and extract. The flavor reminisces of ripe melons with the mineral fullness and a touch of spicy green pepper. In the background, you can find floral notes, which leads you to a long aftertaste. After a short but exciting time, our companion had to leave: such a busy bee is always in a hurry. I must admit that I have never met such a simple and modest successful winemaker. Everything he shared with us was the result of hard work and vision. It didn’t sound like a fairy tale that we heard many times before. Ouuu, how great would be some cheese from Velika planina, that we tried, or Gordon Ramsy’s seafood variation with a lot of pepper. We discovered another hidden jewel of Slovenia and when we come back we’ll remember where to find this amber symphony. We suggest you, to do the same.
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