Ipavec > wrote:

> Could you please tell more about these (Slovenian) wines? What
> do you think of them?

Well, I have known Dolfo (Marko Skocaj) and Movia (Ales
Kristancic) - sorry for missing diacriticals - for some years now,
and been to Dolfo once and to Movia two or three times. Movia in
my eyes is easily the best producer in Slovenia - ar least the
best I have come across.

The wines, however, were less than inspiring. Dolfo's Merlot 2000
(12.8%) was already tiring, as was Movia's Merlot 1997 (12%). But
the latter probably was sent by accident, since the registration
sheet read Merlot 1998 (13%). Slovenian reads generally are
lighter in alcohol (thus ligther in body) than the whites, so it's
rather difficult for them to compete on the global market. Whiles
the whites are really fine, they have still homework to do with
the reds, especially lowering the yields.

Otmar Sturm's Modra Frankinja 2000 (12.7%, a grape known as
Blaufränkisch in Slovenia's northern neighbouring country) was not
bad, but then we are spoilt children here in Austria, where
Blaufränkisch can do marvellous things.

M.