Slovenian wines: Brda Ribolla and skin-contact whites
5 bottles, from Ribolla to Sauvignon VertSlovenia borders Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, and its wines take a little from each. In the west, the hills of Goriška Brda continue Friuli's Collio: the same marl, the same light between the Adriatic and the Alps, the same grape varieties, Ribolla first and foremost. This is the land of great whites for ageing, sometimes macerated on their skins like a red wine.
Our selection follows one Brda estate, Simčič Marjan, from the biodynamic Classic Ribolla to the Opoka crus, born on the plots of Medana and Ceglo. For the neighbouring wines, see the Italian wines and Austrian wines pages.
Simcic Marjan - Cru Selection Ribolla 2023
A Ribolla of terroir, precise and saline, which finely expresses the mineral freshness of the Brda hills.
Simcic Marjan - Classic Ribolla 2024
A Slovenian white wine from organic farming of great finesse!
Simcic Marjan - Opoka Cru Ribolla 2019
A cru Ribolla, deep and saline. Macerated texture meets a very clear-cut mineral freshness.
Simcic Marjan - Opoka Cru Sauvignon Vert 2019
A Sauvignon Vert of the terroir, ample and saline, which precisely expresses the minerality of the opoka of Goriška Brda.
Simcic Marjan - Opoka Cru Chardonnay 2017
A great Slovenian Chardonnay of terroir, ample and taut, carried by the minerality of the opoka.
From the Classic to the Opoka crus, reading the selection
Simčič Marjan ranks its wines on three tiers: the Classic, lively and direct; the Cru Selection, aged in barriques and large oak vats; and the Opoka Cru, from the best plots and the longest ageing.
| Wine | Grape variety | Winemaking | At our place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Ribolla 2022 the estate's easy-drinking white | Ribolla | Biodynamic, pure fruit, lemon and green apple | Classic Ribolla 2022€22.90 per bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Cru Selection Ribolla 2020 | Ribolla Gialla | Short maceration, native yeasts, barriques and large oak vats | Cru Selection Ribolla 2020€38 per bottle, in a set of 3 |
| Opoka Cru Ribolla 2019 Medana Jama cru | Ribolla Gialla | 16 days on the skins in concrete eggs, then 500-litre barrels | Opoka Cru Ribolla 2019€64 per bottle, in a set of 2 |
| Opoka Cru Sauvignon Vert 2019 Medana slopes | Sauvignonasse | Stone fruit, citrus, saline finish | Opoka Cru Sauvignon Vert 2019€64 per bottle, in a set of 2 |
| Opoka Cru Chardonnay 2017 village of Ceglo | Chardonnay | Oak barrels, bâtonnage, long ageing in barriques and large oak vats | Opoka Cru Chardonnay 2017€64 per bottle, in a set of 2 |
Opoka is the local name for Brda's layered marl, alternating marl and sandstone, which holds water in summer and gives the wines their saline finish.
Which Slovenian white with which dish
Whites for ageing with an ample texture, made for the table more than for the aperitif: they go with fish in sauce, poultry and Friulian cooking.
| Dish | Recommended wine | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Grilled fish, seafood | Classic Ribolla€22.90 per bottle, by the case of 6 | The lemon and liveliness of Ribolla lift the iodine notes |
| Cured ham, aged cheeses | Opoka Cru Ribolla€64 per bottle, in a set of 2 | The light tannic frame from maceration stands up to salt and fat |
| Chicken in cream sauce, mushroom risotto | Opoka Cru Chardonnay€64 per bottle, in a set of 2 | Creamy texture and toasty notes, with an acidity that lightens the sauce |
| Asparagus, herb-led cooking | Opoka Cru Sauvignon Vert€64 per bottle, in a set of 2 | A Sauvignon all about fruit, at ease with green flavours |
| Fish in sauce, veal | Cru Selection Ribolla€38 per bottle, in a set of 3 | Enough breadth for the sauce, enough tension for the finish |
Serve these whites at around 12 °C, and the Opoka crus rather at 13 or 14 °C in a large glass: too cold, they keep their aromas to themselves.
A bottle for every mood
From easy-drinking white to cru for ageing, a way in for every occasion.
Discover Ribolla
The estate's lively white, biodynamic: lemon, green apple and almond, for grilled fish.
Classic Ribolla 2022, €22.90 per bottle, by the case of 6A skin-contact white
Sixteen days on the skins in concrete eggs: mandarin, chestnut honey and a lightly tannic frame.
Opoka Cru Ribolla 2019, €64 per bottle, in a set of 2A Chardonnay for ageing
A Chardonnay from Ceglo with long ageing in barriques and large oak vats, ample, toasty and saline.
Opoka Cru Chardonnay 2017, €64 per bottle, in a set of 2A grape variety to discover
Sauvignonasse, the Friulian cousin of Sauvignon: stone fruit, citrus and a saline finish.
Opoka Cru Sauvignon Vert 2019, €64 per bottle, in a set of 2For the table
A Ribolla aged in barriques and large oak vats, ripe apple and wet stone, for fish in sauce.
Cru Selection Ribolla 2020, €38 per bottle, in a set of 3Explore orange wines
Whites macerated on their skins, from Brda to Friuli and far beyond.
See the orange wines page
One Brda estate, a whole hillside
Rather than skimming over the country, we chose to follow one Goriška Brda estate across its whole range. Simčič Marjan farms its vines on the slopes of Medana and Ceglo, a few kilometres from the Italian border. Ribolla, which Slovenians call Rebula, gives in turn an easy-drinking white, a table wine aged in wood and a great skin-contact white.
These hills formed a single wine region with the Collio until the border was drawn after the Second World War. You find the same grape varieties there and the same taste for macerated whites, which you can explore further on the orange wines page.
Slovenia's regions in a nutshell
The country has three main regions. Primorska, in the west, brings together Brda, the Vipava Valley, the Karst and Istria. Podravje, in the north-east, around Maribor, makes aromatic whites close to those of Styria. Posavje, in the south-east, is the smallest.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What we are asked about Slovenian wines
Where is Brda?
Goriška Brda is a hilly region in the far west of Slovenia, right up against the Italian border. It continues Friuli's Collio, between the Adriatic and the Julian Alps. Its marl slopes, the opoka, are planted mostly with white grapes, Ribolla first and foremost.
Ribolla, Rebula, Ribolla Gialla: are they the same grape?
Yes. Rebula is the Slovenian name, Ribolla Gialla the Italian one, and both countries grow it on either side of the border. It is a thick-skinned grape that takes well to maceration and gives lively, lemony whites, sometimes lightly tannic. Other Ribollas are on the Ribolla page.
What is Sauvignon Vert?
It is Sauvignonasse, a grape long confused with Sauvignon Blanc. In Italy it is called Friulano. It gives rounder, less herbaceous whites, with stone fruit and almond, like the Opoka Cru Sauvignon Vert from Simčič Marjan.
What is a skin-contact white?
It is a white wine made like a red: the juice stays in contact with the skins during fermentation. It takes from them a golden to orange colour, aromas of dried fruit and a light grip. The Opoka Cru Ribolla thus spends 16 days on its skins. The whole family is on the orange wines page.
Do Slovenian wines age well?
The Brda crus are made for ageing. Their acidity and long ageing in wood allow them to open up over the years: the Opoka Cru Chardonnay in our selection is a 2017, the Ribolla and Sauvignon Vert are 2019s. The Classic Ribolla is best drunk in its first few years, for its fruit.
Why are these wines sold in sets?
These are small-volume wines that we receive in limited quantities. We offer them in sets of 2 or 3, or by the case of 6 for the Classic Ribolla, and always show the price of one bottle next to the format.