2020 Vino Gross Gorca Haloze Blanc

Aromas of yellow apple, lemon zest, and white flowers integrate with distinct notes of wet hay and crushed flint. The palate is medium-bodied and remarkably linear, featuring a salty mineral core and a vibrant acidity that cuts through the slightly waxy texture. It finishes with a clean, savory snap and a subtle hint of green tea bitterness.

Winemakers Maria and Michael Gross utilize sustainable farming for this field blend, which is primarily Furmint. In the cellar, the hand-harvested grapes undergo a short period of skin contact to build texture before a gentle pressing. The wine is fermented with native yeasts in large, neutral wooden vats and matures on its fine lees for nearly a year. This traditional approach emphasizes the structural tension of the fruit rather than fruit-forward aromatics or oak influence.

The fruit is grown in the Gorca vineyard within the Haloze hills of Lower Styria, Slovenia. The site is defined by its incredibly steep slopes—often exceeding 50% gradients—and its unique soils of marl and sandstone, locally known as "opok." These poor, rocky soils and the cool, continental climate of the region result in wines with intense mineral concentration and a high natural acidity that is characteristic of the best white wines from the Slovenian-Austrian border.