Gravner “Rosso Rujno” Venezia-Giulia 2006 1.5L MAGNUM

Produced only in exceptional vintages, the ultra-rare “Rosso Rujno” is a blend of the Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) that would ordinarily comprise the “Rosso Gravner” but in this case undergo an even longer aging regimen: seven years in barrel, followed by seven years in bottle, before the wine is released. Josko finds profound significance in the number seven; it is the number of years required for the human body’s cells to completely regenerate, and—at any given time, in some real physical sense—we are all completely different people than we were seven years prior. Given the arc of his career, it is perhaps no surprise that renewal is a topic dear to Josko’s heart...
Despite its Bordeaux origins, Merlot can achieve notable complexity in the Collio, particularly when handled with Gravner’s level of skill and sensitivity, and this 2006 Rosso Rujno is flat-out breathtaking. The vines’ age—53 years as of the 2006 harvest—makes itself known in an overall sense of concentration, but a mineral-drenched freshness dominates the palate even as umami notes swirl and dazzle. Its sense of equilibrium and complexity would shame many a fancy Bordeaux to which it might be compared, but its underlying visceral power and unfettered wildness are Gravner through-and-through.