Radikon RS Rosso 2023

Grape: Merlot Pignolo
Vintage: 2023
Type: Red

Hailing from the dramatic, terraced slopes of Oslavia in Friuli, right along the Slovenian border, this cuvée represents the red counterpart to Saša Radikon’s highly approachable "S" line. The blend relies primarily on Merlot with a small, strategic addition of the rare, highly structured indigenous grape Pignolo, all harvested by hand from certified organic vines rooted in ponca (layered marl and sandstone). In the cellar, the grapes are fully destemmed and undergo a spontaneous, native-yeast fermentation and a gentle 15-day skin maceration in large oak vats—a shorter timeline than the estate's blue-label flagships, designed to preserve primary fruit energy. Aged for roughly a year and a half in large, neutral Slavonian oak botti, it is bottled completely unfiltered, unfined, and with zero added sulfur.

In the glass, it pours a deep, translucent ruby-purple color with bright magenta edges. The aromatics are remarkably fresh, wild, and layered, bursting with notes of dark plum, wild blackberry, tart pomegranate, and an earthy undercurrent of black pepper, damp forest floor, and leather. On the palate, a "crystalline" core of vibrant, mineral-driven acidity cuts right through the plush, fleshy texture of the Merlot fruit. The addition of Pignolo infuses the wine with a persistent frame of fine-grained, chalky tannins that provides excellent architectural shape without feeling rustic or heavy. It sails into a long, beautifully savory finish that leaves behind a mouthwatering trail of bitter cocoa, wild thyme, and crushed dark stones.