2020 Ribolla Gialla

The new releases from Damijan Podversic are as compelling as ever, yet with the 2020s, patience is recommended. This warm vintage cooled off closer to harvest, resulting in a small amount of botrytis, around 20%. As a result, the wines have more of a slender and vertical feel, yet that’s not to say they lack depth. Instead, they are long-distance runners. What’s more, Tamara Podversic took me through their monastic cellar to taste nearly every barrel from the 2021s through the 2023s. I must say that there’s a lot to be excited about. The 2023s will be limited in production, as the estate lost half of their crop because of mold and hail. Even so, the wines are luscious and show vivid fruit. The 2022s come across as warmer and rounder yet aromatically stunning, while the 2021s are more angular and intense with bracing acidity. All three vintages are exciting. The Podversic family has also expanded their vineyard holdings to fifteen hectares now, so hopefully, there will be more wine to go around.