Damijan Podversic Kaplja 2021

Damijan Podversic Kaplja 2021 is a deeply characterful Friulian white that blurs the line between classic white wine and skin-contact “orange” wine. Crafted from Chardonnay, Friulano (Sauvignon Vert) and Malvasia Bianca, it offers a complex, textural experience that rewards patient, curious drinkers. This cuvée has become a reference point for natural, artisan wines from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, showcasing how traditional methods can produce wines of remarkable depth and soul.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, Kaplja 2021 typically shows a deep golden to amber hue, a clear hint at its extended skin contact and minimal intervention style. On the nose, it unfurls slowly: ripe stone fruits (apricot, peach), candied citrus, wild herbs and chamomile, layered with notes of dried flowers, honey, spice and a subtle nutty, resinous edge. The palate is full-bodied, tactile and layered, with a distinctive grip from the skins giving a lightly tannic structure more commonly associated with red wines. Flavors of apricot, orange peel, quince and yellow plum mingle with savory notes of almond, tea, dried herbs and a touch of salinity. The acidity is vibrant yet integrated, driving a long, complex finish that evolves in the glass over time. Kaplja 2021 is built to age: while already expressive, it should develop further tertiary nuances of dried fruit, spice and earth over 8–12 years from the vintage, and potentially longer in optimal cellaring conditions.

Production
Kaplja is sourced from Damijan Podversic’s vineyards on the steep, terraced slopes near Gorizia in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, an area strongly influenced by both the Alps and nearby Adriatic Sea. The soils are predominantly ponca (marl and sandstone), a hallmark of the Collio and surrounding hills, giving the wines their mineral backbone and intensity. Grapes are hand-harvested at optimum ripeness to ensure concentration and balance, then vinified with spontaneous fermentation using indigenous yeasts. The white grapes undergo extended maceration on the skins, extracting color, tannin and aromatic complexity, followed by long aging in large neutral oak (often Slovenian) on the lees, with minimal or no fining and filtration. Sulfur, if used at all, is kept very low, allowing the wine’s pure expression of place and grape to shine.

Food & Serving
Kaplja 2021 is a highly gastronomic wine that pairs best with richly flavored, textural dishes. Try it with roasted poultry, guinea fowl or pork with herbs, grilled or baked fatty fish, octopus, or shellfish in saffron or tomato-based sauces. It is excellent alongside mushroom risotto, truffle dishes, aged cheeses, charcuterie and complex vegetable preparations such as roasted root vegetables or spiced Middle Eastern and Asian-inspired plates. Serve at 12–14°C (54–57°F); slightly warmer than a conventional white to allow its aromatics and texture to fully emerge. Decant for 30–60 minutes before serving to let any initial reduction blow off and to reveal the wine’s layered, evolving character.

Producer
Damijan Podversic is one of Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s most respected artisan producers, known for his unwavering commitment to natural, low-intervention viticulture and traditional methods. Working primarily on the hills around Gorizia, he has helped redefine the region’s reputation for skin-contact and ageworthy white wines, often reviving techniques used by previous generations. His vineyards are farmed meticulously by hand, following organic and biodynamic principles, with a focus on healthy soils and low yields. Over the years, Damijan has become an influential figure in the broader movement for authentic, terroir-driven wines in Friuli, and cuvées like Kaplja are now considered benchmarks for serious, contemplative whites from this part of Italy.

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