2019 Radikon Ribolla Bianco (500ml)

The late Stanislao (Stanko) Radikon’s bold decision in the 1990s to embrace extended skin contact and natural winemaking, alongside his neighbour Josko Gravner, played a pivotal role in the global rise of amber/orange wines. Over the course of 36+ vintages Stanko, and now his son Sasa, have remained uncompromising in their pursuit of wines that are pure expressions of their Friulian terroir, rejecting chemical additives, temperature control, and sulphur. Rooted in the traditions of Stanko’s grandfather, the Radikon estate in Oslavia focuses on Ribolla Gialla, with vineyards planted on steep clay and shale slopes, meticulously farmed by hand. Since 1995, Stanko progressively returned to historical methods, extending maceration from 7 days to 3 months and eliminating sulphur entirely by 2002, crafting age-worthy wines that are, in Stanko's words, "totally genuine." While the core of the estate was formed around plantings of Ribolla Gialla, Stanko’s parents also added small parcels of Merlot, Tocai Friulano and Pinot Grigio.

Radikon's highly sought after Ribolla Gialla sees four months on skins.

Other Reviews....
Wickedly fresh, the 2019 Ribolla wafts up with a perfumed blend of young peaches, dried flowers and wet stone. It’s silky smooth yet full of mineral tension. A salty flourish gives way to masses of tart orchard fruits and a staining of liquid florals. This tapers off classically dry with a citrusy concentration that puckers the cheeks and forces the mouth to water. This is an especially gastronomic Ribolla that’s already showing beautifully yet should show even better after a few years of cellaring. Drink 2025-2031.
93 points
Eric Guido - Vinous