COLOUR
Orange
TYPE
Still
VINTAGE
2021
GRAPE
Vitovska
PRODUCER
Azienda Agricola Škerk
REGION
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
CHARACTERISTICS
Body
Medium - Full
Sweetness
Dry
Acidity
Medium - High
Finish
Long
Intensity
Pronounced
Tannins
Medium - Low
AROMAS & FLAVOURS
ABOUT THIS WINE
Azienda Agricola Škerk is located in the rugged Karst (Carso) plateau of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, mere hundreds of meters from the Slovenian border. Winemaker Sandi Škerk took over the family estate in 2000, steering it toward natural viticulture by reviving traditional methods. The estate's vineyards are planted on steep, heroic terraces supported by dry-stone walls facing the Gulf of Trieste. This extreme terroir is defined by a very thin layer of iron-rich Terra Rossa soil over solid limestone bedrock, constantly swept by the fierce Bora wind. Škerk is celebrated as a benchmark producer of the region, crafting highly individualistic wines that capture the wild, maritime spirit of this unique borderland.
ALCOHOL
12.5%
AVG. PRICE
€39
STYLE
Natural
VEGAN
YES
SULPHITES
When to drink
Now or Later
Ideal temperature
10-12°C
INTERESTING FACTS
Fact 01
Winemaker Sandi Škerk blasted into solid limestone bedrock with dynamite to build a legendary cellar descending over 75 feet deep.
Fact 02
Sandi Škerk refuses to print organic certification logos on his labels due to dissatisfaction with lenient European standards.
Fact 03
Vitovska is an ancient, rare grape native to the Karst plateau, proven to be a natural cross of Prosecco Tondo and Malvasia Bianca Lunga.
FOOD PAIRING
Read more
WINE MAKING PROCESS
The winemaking process for Škerk's Vitovska is defined by low-intervention, traditional practices. Grapes are harvested manually in small crates and undergo spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in open-top wooden vats (tini) without temperature control. The wine undergoes 10 to 15 days of skin maceration, a technique revived from Sandi's grandfather. Following fermentation, the wine is aged for 12 months on its fine lees in large, neutral Slavonian oak casks (15 to 25 hectoliters) with light bâtonnage every two months. It is then transferred to larger 50-hectoliter casks for another 12 months of maturation, followed by 4 months of natural settling in stainless steel. The wine is bottled completely unfiltered and unfined, with only a minimal dose of sulfur added at bottling.
