Gravner
Breg Anfora
[g(l)rah-neh(r) b(l)rehg ahn-fo(l)r-ah]
Josko Gravner is Friuli’s most profound and
influential winemaker. In the opinion of Sergio Esposito,
he is a bona fide genius—one who has produced
some of Italy’s most compelling white wines
since commencing production in 1975. His career is
defined, in large part, by his fearless pursuit of
innovative approaches to his craft: He commenced with
the perfection of fermentation techniques in stainless
steel and temperature control, following that up with
acclaimed achievement in the practice of barrique
aging. In each phase, winemakers followed his lead,
an homage that motivated Gravner to seek a different
approach. Eventually, he revoked his modernist agenda
and sought guidance and direct inspiration from ancient
winemaking traditions, exclusively employing the medium
of clay amphorae for the first time in the 2001 vintage.
Conceived in 1982 under the designation Vinograd
Breg, this is the most distinctive and best known
of Gravner’s wines. From 1990 to 1991, the wine
was known as Bianco Gravner, though it was ultimately
christened Breg, its present name. Prior to 1997,
Breg’s vinification regimen entailed stainless
steel fermentation and barrique aging. From 1997 to
2000, Gravner began an experimental phase with amphorae,
supplementing his small cadre of amphorae with Slavonian
oak barrels in order to craft Breg and two other wines,
his Ribolla Gialla and Rosso Gravner. Beginning in
2001, he converted wholly to the use of amphorae.
Many believe that clay amphorae were the first vessels
utilized to hold wine, historians having traced them
back more than 4,000 years through Georgian documents.
Gravner’s use of this ancient form, however,
is filtered through modern biodynamic winemaking principles,
fashioning a unique hybrid between traditional practice
and contemporary methodology. Gravner sources grapes
from 18 hectares of vineyards situated in Gorizia,
the meticulous management of which results in his
intimate knowledge of individual vines. Following
selection, the grapes are destemmed and transferred
to large clay amphorae that reside underground. Fermentation
is incited wholly through wild yeasts, precluding
the aid of temperature-controlled equipment. The grapes
are stirred without use of rotary fermenters or pumps,
and undergo natural malolactic fermentation.
Gravner aborts the natural cycle of the grapes by
adding sulfur—a practice that dates back to
pre-Roman times— doing so only in order to prevent
the wine’s transition to vinegar. The maceration
and aging periods vary by vintage, yet reflect Gravner’s
intent to continually experiment with lengthier timeframes.
In 2000, the maceration period was six months, having
been only five to seven days for the 1998 vintage.
While 1998’s aging timeframe was three to three
and a half years, the wines from 2002 and 2003 received
between four and five years of aging prior to release.
During the maceration period, the amphorae assimilate
the characteristics of their environs, amplifying
the natural characteristics of their contents. When
the alignment of the planets and moon forces the grape
pomace to the bottom of the amphorae, the must is
removed by bucket and transferred to large botti.
It rests here for an additional period before being
transferred to bottle—without filtration—for
additional aging.
Despite the controversy he incited through his reclamation
of ancient methods, Gravner remains convinced that
these practices produce the best wines, nonetheless
admitting that they are not for everyone. “The
amphora amplifies everything,” he says. “The
color, which is very dark, is the most obvious, but
there’s much more [that] cannot be explained.”
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Buy Gravner Breg
Anfora
Wine: White Blend
Producer: Gravner
Varietal(s): Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling Italico,
Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio
Region: Friuli
Province: Gorizia
Altitude:
Exposure:
Classification: IGT Venezia Giulia
First Year: 1982 (first year with anfora designation:
2001)
Bottle Production:
More Landmark Wines:
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Isole e Olena Cepparello
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