Gravner’s Pinot Grigio named “Most Thought Provoking Wine”
Gravner’s Pinot Grigio Venezia Giulia IGT has received the outstanding result at the first edition of Wine Pinnacle Awards, held at Resorts World Sentosa Ballroom on October 10th. The Black Swan category aims at highlighting challenging wines which have been able to break through on the international wine scene, despite escaping traditional canons.
Gravner’s Pinot Grigio is made from 100% Pinot Grigio. Selected and hand-harvested grapes are fermented with ambient yeasts and no temperature control in buried kvevri, as are called the typical Georgian amphoras. The wine is then left on the skins before being racked the following April and ages for 5 months in kvevri and 6 years in large oak vessels. The wine is bottled, without fining or filtration, and ages for another 4 years before being released on the market.
“We are very proud of this award. It acknowledges the important work carried out by my father” states Mateja Gravner, Josko’s daughter. “With neighbouring winemaker Radikon amongst the nominees, I see this prize as an award to Oslavia wine-making community and the local group of producers who have strongly believed in recovering old maceration techniques and native varieties. Oslavia has a lot to say to the world”.
Along with Radikon’s Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia IGT (Friuli – Italy), Black Swan category nominees included also Arnot-Roberts’ Sonoma Coast Syrah (California – US), Luke Lambert’ Syrah (Yarra Valley – Australia) and Château Pierre-Bise’ Savennieres Roches aux Moines (Loire – France).
Presented by Genting Singapore, Wine Pinnacle Awards mark the first-ever prize based on nominations. Wines are nominated by a respected panel of leading professionals and experts, coordinated by Jeannie Cho Lee MW, Andreas Larsson 2007 World’s Best Sommelier, Doug Frost MW & MS, British wine writer Oz Clarke and Kenichi Ohashi MW. With this process, Wine Pinnacle Awards aim at producing results that are inclusive and representative, thus establishing the Awards as truly authoritative, prestigious and unique.
Wine Pinnacle Awards include 27 categories, celebrating both mature fine wines and young wines, well-known estates and hidden gems. The Awards are the first in the world to evaluate mature wines that are ready to drink. Categories comprised Best 1996 Vintage Bordeaux, Best 1999 Vintage Barolo, Best 2002 Vintage Champagne, 2005 Burgundy Red and 2005 Rioja/Ribera del Duero, 2007 Tuscan Red, 2008 Australian Shiraz/Syrah and 2008 Burgundy White, as well as Best Chinese Red, Best Organic/Natural Wine, Best Rosé.
