Akord wine
Shopping centers rarely feature in my plans for a wine tasting. On a trip through southeastern Slovenia, however, Vivi and I found a Šturm wine bar among the shops, and the afternoon improved considerably. Familiar labels and French Champagne lined the shelves, but the local wine caught our attention. This was where we discovered Šturm Akord, a macerated white wine from Bela Krajina.
A helpful waitress talked us through the wines and explained how they were made. When she introduced Akord, Vivi and I exchanged a look. We were quite happy to let the shopping wait.
Šturm Akord is a blend of Traminer, Yellow Muscat, and Kraljevina. Extended contact with the grape skins gives this white wine its amber color and tannic structure, placing it in the style commonly called orange wine. The name makes sense: akord means a musical chord, with three grape varieties taking the place of three notes.
While we swirled our glasses, the winemaker himself came over and introduced himself. Hearing him explain the wine added something a label could never quite manage. He spoke plainly about his work and the thinking behind it, and I liked his modest manner as much as his enthusiasm. Our interest eventually took us to the cellar itself, which we describe in our Šturm winery visit and interview.
Violet and honey were the first aromas I noticed, followed on the palate by ripe melon, a mineral impression, and a touch of green pepper. Floral notes carried into a long finish. The amber color suggested a wine with some weight, and that was what we found in the glass: a full, aromatic white with plenty to keep our attention.
The bottle we tasted had 15% alcohol. Its generous fruit and rounded texture gave it a softer impression than I expected from a dry wine. Honey on the nose does not necessarily mean sweetness in the glass, and tannins contribute structure and a drying sensation, not sugar. Akord’s combination of floral aromas, body, and a long aftertaste was what made it so enjoyable for me.
Akord’s body and aromatic intensity made me think of food with enough flavor to meet it. The cheese we tried on Velika Planina was one of the first possibilities that came to mind. I would also try it with grilled seafood and a pepper sauce, along the lines of Gordon Ramsay’s grilled seafood with sweet pepper sauce.
I would call Akord a memorable Slovenian white wine and a good one to seek out if you enjoy aromatic, full-bodied, skin-contact styles. Calling any bottle the best white wine in the world asks a personal preference to do the work of a universal verdict. What stayed with me was more specific: the scent of violet and honey, the ripe melon, and a winemaker who spoke about his work without turning it into a sales pitch. Finding all that between the shops was a pleasant surprise.
| Detail | Information checked in October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Wine | Šturm Akord 2020 |
| Origin | Bela Krajina, Slovenia |
| Style | Dry, macerated white wine, also called orange or amber wine |
| Grape varieties | Traminer, Yellow Muscat, and Kraljevina |
| Skin contact | One month |
| Aging | Almost six years in large oak barrels on its lees |
| Alcohol | 14% ABV |
| Bottle size | 750 mL |
| Producer’s listed price | €36.60 including VAT. Shipping and destination taxes may affect the final cost. |
| Website | Akord 2020 at Vina Šturm |
It is a white wine made with extended skin contact, a method that adds color and tannins. Orange wine and amber wine are common terms for this style.
Akord combines Traminer, Yellow Muscat, and Kraljevina. The name refers to a musical chord, reflecting the combination of three grape varieties.
The producer classifies Akord as dry. Aromas that suggest honey or ripe fruit can occur in a dry wine and do not by themselves indicate residual sweetness.
No. The wine we tasted had 15% alcohol, while the producer lists 14% for Akord 2020. Aging also depends on the release, so check the bottle and its vintage-specific information.
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