2020 Radikon "RS20" Venezia Giulia Merlot
RADIKON: THE OG OF THE NATURAL WINE MOVEMENT IN ITALYOrange wine has definitely been enjoying a moment over the last few years, with more and more producers dipping their toes into the proverbial orange waters. Few producers, however, hold the clout in the orange and natural wine communities the way that Friulian producer Radikon does. Although most casual consumers are unfamiliar with these wines, they epitomize a level of truth, beauty, and transparency that is constantly sought after by wine lovers every time they open a bottle. Radikons wines are interesting and complex, and heavily influenced by their proximity to Slovenia, utilizing techniques such as hand harvesting, extended skin maceration, no added yeast or enzymes, and most notably, all wines are fermented in large, old barrels without any temperature control. One can easily understand why many a natural wine geek has fallen prey to the siren song of Radikon, but while these are very much technically natural wine (as i