Radikon Oslavje 2020 500 ml

Radikon Oslavje 2020 500 ml

Radikon
$65.00

Grape: Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
Vintage: 2020
Type: Orange

Sourced from the hyper-steep, amphitheater-like slopes of Oslavia in Friuli, this iconic, amber-hued blend is a cornerstone of the natural wine movement. Part of the estate's legendary blue-label "Flagship" line, Oslavje is a masterclass in patient, uncompromised winemaking. The hand-harvested fruit is grown on mineral-rich ponca soils (layered marl and sandstone) before heading to the cellar for a rigorous, three-month skin maceration in large oak vats with no temperature control. Following a long, slow press, the wine spends a patient three to four years maturing in neutral oak botti, followed by an additional year of resting in the bottle. Packed in their signature 500 ml bottle with a custom cork designed for optimal breathing, it is released completely unfiltered and with zero added sulfur.

In the glass, it pours a majestic, glowing amber-topaz color with deep coppery glints. The nose is a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of complexity, leaping forward with dried apricots, orange marmalade, bruised yellow apple, cured tobacco leaf, and a profound, savory undercurrent of white truffle and exotic spices. On the palate, a "crystalline" backbone of intense, alpine acidity effortlessly cuts through the massive, extract-rich physical weight of the liquid. The extended maceration yields a structural monument of powerful, fine-grained, tea-like tannins that frame the mouthfeel beautifully. It reaches a dramatic, extraordinarily long finish that leaves a persistent, savory impression of dried citrus peels, toasted hazelnuts, and a distinct, salty stamp of crushed stone.

 

Radikon is one of the foundational names of the modern skin-contact and natural-wine movement. Based in Oslavia, in Friuli near the Slovenian border, the Radikon family built its identity around long macerations for white grapes, minimal sulfur and a deeply traditional approach that had become radical by modern standards. Stanko Radikon helped bring these methods to international attention, and the estate continues under his family with Ribolla Gialla, Jakot, Pinot Grigio and other varieties. The wines are amber, structured and savory, less about novelty than about reviving a borderland culture of patience, texture and uncompromising farming.