Movia
Movia has been producing wine for more than three centuries; purchased
by the Kristancic family in 1820, it is currently under the direction
of Ales, a French- and Italian-trained winemaker. Ales pursues a historically
minded but radical approach to winemaking that includes aging of the
whites in 600-liter Slavonian oak casks or traditional Slavonian barriques,
leaving them on the lees without stirring for more than two years.
His approach to the reds is no less novel, with each being treated
in accordance with its particular makeup. As with the whites, maturation
is performed exclusively in small Slavonian oak casks. Racking is
never performed, and the fining and filtering procedures are governed
by the atmospheric pressure incurred by the arrival of the new moon.
This constitutes a wholly natural approach that presents the wines
in a state of brilliant clarity.
Students and winemakers around the globe study his techniques, and
many visit him to observe and learn firsthand. His vinification and
viticultural philosophy cannot be construed as either traditional
or even purely natural: rather, it is a reflection of a collective
wisdom acquired and refined over two centuries of winemaking at the
Movia estate. Terms that have been rendered virtually meaningless
in the wine world due to gratuitous usage—green
harvest, 100% new French barrique, and low yields—are not part of Movia’s
viticultural frame of reference. Production is informed by fine-tuned
biodynamic principles that reflect a thorough understanding of vine
and root management.
Although Ribolla, an aromatic, robust, and late-ripening
varietal is obscured by both Pinot Grigio and
Tocai—the preferred
grapes of the international and local scenes,
respectively—it
enjoys flattering representation in the work
of Friuli’s iconoclastic
producers. Ribolla wines are generally dry and
buttery, possessing good acidity in their youth.
However, age moderates this grape’s
juvenile vivacity and many age well, developing
a mature richness. During visits to the Movia
estate, Sergio has tasted Ribollas dating back
to the fifties and sixties, and has found them
to be miracles of viticultural science—providing
firsthand evidence that the whites of the Collio
have the ability to age gracefully.
Just as his whites, the Movia reds defy the characteristic and expected,
eliciting strikingly pure varietal translations
that capture an intimate sense of place. His
approach to red vinification is no less novel
than that accorded his whites. The aging period
for reds spans a period of three to seven years.
Movia's Veliko Rosso (Rdece in Slovenian) —which literally means “Big
Red”—is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot
Nero. While the name is not a misnomer, given the
wine’s full
body, this is a shapely, toned red that cuts a
lean figure, charged with an acidity that is almost
racy—quite
nearly like that of a white, in fact. The monovarietal
Cabernet is of the same mode, as it does not abuse
the varietal through excessive alcohol levels or
over- extraction—it
is a Cabernet of finesse. Another minimalist feature:
As both are technically labeled as Slovenian wines,
as opposed to Italian, they represent tremendous
values.
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