Edi Simcic Duet Lex 2019, Goriska Brda, Slovenia

For many years, the Simcic family toiled on the communist side of the “Iron Curtain” in Slovenia. Just a stone’s throw away was Italy, and all the promise of the free world. And when the “wall” fell, Edi and Aleks Simcic celebrated by doing what they were born to do – make world-class wines. Varietal: 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasting notes: Widely considered to be one of the best producers in Slovenia, Edi Simcic`s wines are truly unique, stoically traditional and proudly Slovenian. Three generations are still at work here, passing knowledge and experience from father to son every day. Intense nose of ripe red fruit, sour cherry, blackberry and blueberry, with gentle earthy notes of undergrowth. Dry, medium to full-bodied with good tannins for ageing, yet still fresh and lively leaving a long clear-cut finish. Goriska Brda has a dreamy, timeless quality to it: hamlets are nestled into the green hillsides rising toward the Alps, creating a gorgeous, tiered landscape. Primorska, the westernmost of Slovenia’s 3 wine regions, is the only one with a Mediterranean climate and generally leads the country in terms of both quality and reputation. Located in the SW corner, it shares a border with Italy and its name translates simply as “coastal”. The tiny Goriska Brda subzone, comprised of 45 villages and weighing in at just over 72 square kilometers, is sometimes referred to as Slovenia’s “Little Tuscany”. It’s a gorgeous area of rolling hills covered in forests, hilltop hamlets, and olive and fruit groves. Duet is aged 24 to 30 months in oak barrels, one-third of which are new.