Škerk Ograde 2018

A decidedly old-school macerated white, made the way it always used to be, before the descriptor 'orange' found its way into the lexicon - this is simply the way Škerk work with their white grapes in this part of Friuli. The Pinot Grigio in the blend gives this wine a purple tint to the amber tones - it's all incredibly dense and complex. Concentrated citrus peel, jasmine tea, marmalade and almonds all swirl and intertwine, a year in barrel before bottling wrapes it all up in a creamy sort of richness. A real must for those who love the superstar wines by the likes of Gravner and Radikon - this lesser-known producer has an execution that is right up there. Also, this is the kind of wine that will actually improve the longer it is open - drink it over three or four evenings and watch it open up and evolve.