The
Jeruzalem Ormož winery, originally established in 1898, has around
550 hectares of vineyards in the
Ljutomer-Ormož region
of north east Slovenia, not far from Steiermark, and the wines were much more Austrian in
style than the odd Slovenian I've had before (which have
been down on the Italian border).
I have to admit, I'd never quite realised that Slovenia
had a border with Austria, but the borders of Slovenia
aren't exactly something I've given great thought to,
I'm afraid.
The vineyards are on some of the best sites in
the region: Jeruzalem, Litmerk, Svetinje, Brebovnik, Vinski Vrh, and Kog.
The vines are grown widely spaced on wide terraces, which they claim helps make
the wines aromatic. The main grape variety is the Laski Rizling (Welschriesling),
though a number of other varieties are planted including Renski Rizling (Rhine
riesling - i.e. the true riesling), sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and sivi pinot
(pinot gris).
I tasted the wines with winemaker Danilo Snajder
in London in May 2006.
2005 Jeruzalem Ormož Laski Rizling (Welschriesling
) - Slovenia, Podravje, Ljutomer-Ormož
90,000 bottles produced.
A warm, relatively spicy nose. Good palate. Very
high acidity. Clean finish. Very Good
2005 Jeruzalem Ormož Terase - Slovenia,
Podravje, Ljutomer-Ormož
40% sauvignon blanc, 30% šipon, 15% chardonnay, 15%
welschriesling/laski rizling.
A very interesting nose: deep and quite buttery, yet
with good fruit character. Nice, rich palate. Fairly
deep with plenty of interest and nicely textured.
Good clean finish with decent length. Very Good/Very
Good Indeed.
2005 Jeruzalem Ormož Pinot Gris -
Slovenia, Podravje, Ljutomer-Ormož
A light, delicate, fairly elegant pinot gris nose.
Very good on the palate: really rather elegant,
fresh and open, with interesting pinot gris
flavours. Very well balanced. Very Good Indeed.
2005 Jeruzalem Ormož Chardonnay -
Slovenia, Podravje, Ljutomer-Ormož
An unoaked chardonnay. Light fresh, melony fruit on
the nose. Very good palate. Very clean and fresh,
but as you hold it in the mouth it really builds in
structure. Very Good+
2005 Jeruzalem Ormož Riesling Renski Rizling
- Slovenia, Podravje, Ljutomer-Ormož
A fairly interesting nose that's remarkably grassy,
almost with hints of sauvignon blanc. But very
definitely riesling (and real riesling at that) on
the palate. Fairly rich and full. Quite Austrian in
style. Very Good Indeed.
2005 Jeruzalem Ormož Sauvignon Blanc -
Slovenia, Podravje, Ljutomer-Ormož
Dullish green peas and grass on the nose. Fairly
crisp and very clean on the palate. This is
sauvignon blanc for people who don't like New
Zealand or Loire sauvignon blanc, as it falls
somewhere not so much between the two styles but on
the third angle of a triangle. Very Good(+?)
2005 Jeruzalem Ormož Traminec (Gewürztraminer)
- Slovenia, Podravje, Ljutomer-Ormož
A light, gentle, fragrant rose and lychee nose.
Light and very clean on the palate - there's clearly
a very light touch with the gewurztraminer here.
Very gentle and very easy to drink. Really rather
nice.