In South Africa, sometimes we sit back and watch the world post about cool cult wines...and often I feel a twinge of envy.

So I was very moved when my darling friend @grzesiek.just.grzesiek slipped this Gravner into his luggage especially for me ❤️. I’d been waiting for a ‘special moment’ to open the wine...a dedicated time where I could focus on the wine. Thanks to Han Drinks Solo, the moment finally arrived and I was able to share this treat with fellow winelovers.

The Wine:

Exquisite vibrant amber colour, medium nose of bruised apple, nuts, yeast, orange peel, dried apricots, oyster shell, and a bizarre brandy. I can’t get away from the idea of sherry being swirled in a brandy cask.

Dry, medium+ acidity, medium bodied, light tea like tannins, impossibly long finish of cinnamon, sultanas, honey, almonds, watery overripe oranges and unripe oranges, wet earth and mushrooms, bitter herbal chamomile, and flambé. You get the picture...it’s a complex wine!

There’s also a really cool juxtaposition of oily weight framed by phenolic structure.

Balance (1) + Length (1) + Intensity (1) + Complexity (1)  = An outstanding wine!

Drink now, but potential for further ageing.

Final thoughts:

This exceeded my very very high expectations for Gravner. This is a strong contender for 2021 wine of the year!

Find the wine:

This was a gift, but you can read more about Gravner here.