The history
The history of the Edi Simcic winery in Slovenia began in the 1960s. In addition to their work at the local agricultural cooperative in Dobrovo, Marica and Edi Simcic cultivated 3.5 hectares of vineyards in the beautifully situated Goriska Brda. However, they were not able to fill their first own bottles until 1989. 3,000 bottles that laid the foundation for a fascinating development. In the 1990s, the business was handed over to their son Aleks Simcic, who had completed his studies in the meantime and set to work with a clear vision for the Edi Simcic winery and brand. Today, a total of 13 hectares of vineyards are cultivated, from which 65,000 bottles of wine are produced every year. With Jure and Jakob, Edi Simcic's sons, the third generation of the Simcic family is now active in the winery.
Source: https://edisimcic.si/ (Marijan Mocivnik)
The region
The picturesque hills of Goriska Brda are nestled between the northern Mediterranean and the southern Alps. The soil is rich in salts and minerals. Goriska Brda is one of the most famous wine regions in Slovenia and stands out for the excellent white wines and orange wines produced there, which have excellent storage potential of 10 years and more. The white grape variety that represents this region of Slovenia like no other is the Rebula (Ribolla Gialla). But don't be fooled. The red wines of Goriska Brda are also a real insider tip and are particularly characterized by their longevity and maturity.
The wine cellar
The history of the wine cellar of the Edi Simcic winery begins in the early 1990s with the first individual stainless steel tanks and a handful of wooden barrels in the basement of the winery's own house. As the winery grew and the amount of wine increased, the cellar was first deepened, expanded and then extended outwards again to directly connect the storage and production areas. Today, the cellar has a capacity of 100,000 liters of wine and around 500 barriques, so that 3-4 vintages can currently mature in the cellar in parallel. With the new building and the cellar extension, a new tasting room with a unique design was created. The building is also impressive from an architectural point of view, as it is perfectly embedded in the surroundings of the village and the hills and feels like a natural part of the landscape. Also enhanced by a green roof that connects the production areas with the tasting.
Source: https://edisimcic.si/
The wine making
Edi Simcic's vineyards are located in the towns of Fojana, Kozana and Vipolze. Here the family cultivates around 90,000 vines spread over 13 hectares. Everything is designed to produce the best possible wine. Three passes per grape variety are made per harvest in order to select the best grapes in the sunlight. The yield per vine is therefore only around 700g of the very best quality grapes. All wines are matured in French barriques. The white wines mature in barriques for at least 10 months, the red wines for up to 4 years. Large handwritten tables enable Aleks Simcic to track the optimal development of each of his barriques and produce the best result.
The wines
The wines from the top Slovenian winery come in four lines: the classic line, the Lex line, the Kolos and the single vineyards.
In the classic line we find wines from all locations of the winery. They form the strong basis of the wine selection. Precise work in the vineyard, hand-picking of the best grapes, maturation in barriques. They have a good structure combined with beautiful fruit and varietal characteristics. The wines from Slovenia can be wonderfully combined with many dishes, but also perfectly accompany gourmet dishes.
White: Malvazija, Rebula, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Sivi Pinot, Tokata, Triton (Cuvée)
Red: Duet
In the Lex line we find cuvées of selected grapes from older vineyards in the best locations of the winery. They are stronger and have a deeper structure than the classic wines. Their storage potential is excellent. The wines of the Lex line are produced every year, but the production volume depends on the respective vintage in order to achieve the best quality.
White: Triton Lex
Red: Duet Lex
The Kolos is the red wine flagship and the pride of the house. The difference to the Duet Lex lies in the selection of the best barrels from the best vintages, which gives it a sweet, exceptionally good tannin structure. The name says it all. It is an uncompromising, colossal red wine, characterized by great elegance and perfection. The storage potential is accordingly excellent.
The grapes for wines from the Single Vineyards come from individual outstanding locations. They represent an unadulterated expression of the terroir. Only the best grapes from the best locations, combined with balanced maturation in French barriques, make the Single Vineyards a special pleasure experience. They are often found in top gastronomy.
White: Kozana Chardonnay, Kozana Sauvignon, Fojana Chardonnay, Fojana Rebula, Fojana Sauvignon
Red: Kozana Merlot
Aleks Simcic's sons are also now producing their own wine, Jure & Jakob Simcic - I can't stop. The winery's first orange wine line and the "young wild one" in the range. Depending on the vintage, Jure and Jakob produce a completely new wine composition here. 2019 as a pure Sauvignonasse, 2021 in Vol. 2 now an exciting cuvée made from Rebula, Sauvignonasse and Malvazija.
Cover image source: https://edisimcic.si/ (Marijan Mocivnik)
