"The Radikons make wines that wander into territory half-forgotten in an age of chemical farming and technological winemaking. Their wines astound for their purity, their distinctiveness and their almost radical evocation of a pre-modern age."

— Eric Asimov, the New York Times

Back when the less adventurous voices of the wine world confidently proclaimed that Georgian wine would "never" be a thing, that Movia was "too weird" and skin-contact white wine was "too niche" (seriously), we already knew Radikon was something special, authoritatively defining an emerging category. And as we've watched orange wine's popularity skyrocket, with producers around the world crafting their own versions to varying degrees of success, Radikon has never, ever let us down.

From a region that, at least on the world stage, has never had a "normal," Stanislao "Stanko" Radikon managed to carve out an identity all his own. The wines grown at his Oslavia estate, about as close as you can get in Friuli to the Slovenian border, have taught the world how to love orange wine. They've also turned out some fantastic reds in the process, using the region's traditional grapes, Merlot and Pignolo.

Originally planted by Stanko's grandfather, the vines here grow on clay, marl, and limestone soil, positioned dauntingly close together on steep slopes. It's challenging farming, with no synthetic materials (that's been true since 1995) and minuscule (hand-harvested) yields of just 2.25 tons to the acre. But even such carefully farmed fruit could fail in lesser hands. When it comes to winemaking strategy, Stanko would simply shrug and say that he made wine the way his grandfather did.

When Stanko passed away in 2016, the wine world mourned his early departure — he was only 62 — and celebrated his incredible legacy, but no one had any fears about the future of Radikon. Stanko's son Sasa, his wife Suzana, and his daughter Ivana were at his side right from the start, and just like Stanko, they continue to make the wine the way it has been made all along.

The wines are powerful, jaw-droppingly intense, with a backbone of racy acidity interwoven with a fleshy, sensual texture. These are low-intervention works of art made with care and confidence. They represent our top pairings for any Feast of the Seven Fishes.

Radikon Sivi Pinot Grigio 2022 - $44.99

Radikon Oslavje 2019 (500ml) - $45.99

Radikon Jakot 2019 (500ml) - $45.99

 

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