The colour is deep purple. On the nose not very expressive. Some ripe dark fruits, with hints of herbs and spices. In the mouth a medium body, with a good acidity. The aftertaste is medium long.
Modra Frankinja (or Blaufränkisch) is a dark-skinned variety of grape used for red wines. It is a late-ripening variety indigenous of Lower Styria (nowadays part of Slovenia) that produces wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy character. It has been called “the Pinot noir of the East” because of its spread and reputation in Eastern Europe.
This exemplar of Modra Frankinja is made by Albiana winery in the Dolenjska wine region of Slovenia.
Slovenia has 3 main wine regions: Podravska, bordering Hungary in the northeast; Primorska, bordering Italy in the west; Posavska, bordering Croatia in the southeast. Dolenjska is a hilly sub-region of this last main region, which is surounded by the river Sava on the east and river Krka on the west. Dolenjska is known as the coolest wine-growing part of Slovenia.
For this bottle I paid 14.90 EUR at Kǒzelj Wines in Lubiana during my late October holidays with my son. I tasted it two days later in Venice.
Country: Slovenia
Region: Dolenjska
Grapes: Modra Frankinja/Blaufränkisch
Type: Red
Vintage: 2017
Producer: Albiana
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5