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producers

Vodopivec

Carso, Friuli, Italy

Paolo Vodopivec

Paolo Vodopivec is as chiseled as the limestone rock which makes up his domaine. Hailing from the Carso region of Friuli, and following in the footsteps of his family as a winegrower. Paolo has dedicated his focus to one grape which he feels represents the history and terroir of his region, and that is Vitovska. A native grape to the area, his singular focus on the variety pays off beautifully in the wines he produces. Equally important is the incredible cellar he has carved out of the pure rock next to his house, reminding you that the vines sit on this bedrock, their roots working hard to drive deep into the cracks. Inside the wines sleep in clay Georgian qvevri buried in the ground, or in large wooden barrels. Gentle maceration is the key here, providing structure, depth and elegance to the wines. The farming is of course organic, given his level of attention to detail in all other aspects of his craft, makes perfect sense.

6 Hectares

Vitovska

Limestone, Terra Rosa

Carso is known for its harsh and wind-swept conditions, features limestone-rich soils with significant flint deposits. This contributes to the intense minerality in the wines. The region's unique microclimate, influenced by the Bora wind, results in long ripening periods for the grapes, which are crucial for achieving balance in the wines​.

Paolo is renowned for his dedication to the Vitovska grape, which he considers the ultimate expression of the Carso terroir. His approach to winemaking is highly traditional, influenced by Joško Gravner and other pioneers of natural winemaking. Paolo has taken this philosophy a step further, embracing fermentation in Georgian qvevri and eliminating temperature controls, commercial yeasts, and chemical interventions to ensure that the wines reflect the purity of the land.

The focus is on low-intervention winemaking to highlight the unique characteristics of Vitovska. He employs extended skin maceration to extract flavors and tannins, though the wines are not classified as typical "orange wines." Instead, the goal is to preserve the purity of the limestone soils through natural vinification methods. Most of the wines see at least 6 months of maceration, but through this they only pick up structure and elegance.

Vitovska 2020

Vitovska

Limestone

Six month skin maceration, fermented in botti

Aged in botti for two years

Aged in bottle for 1 year before release

Origine 2020

Vitovska

Limestone

Six month skin maceration, fermented in Georgian qvevri

Aged in botti for two years

Aged in bottle for 1 year before release

Solo MM20 2020

Vitovska

Limestone

Six month skin maceration, fermented in Georgian qvevri

Aged in botti for two years

Aged in bottle for 1 year before release

The only single vineyard bottling that Paolo makes