ABOUT: Iconic, genius, supastar, storyteller, thoughtful, extravagant, opinionated, crazy, intense, passionate, unpredictable, confident, ambitious, infectious, entertainer, showman...these are all adjectives used to describe Movia winemaker Ales Kristancic after two minutes of research on the old computer machine. His personality is infectious, and those that have visited him and written about the experience have quite a tale to tell. The wine world needs eccentric, obsessive personalities like Ales; without them the landscape would be a big fat Bflat. Movia straddles the Slovenian and Italian border, technically making wine in both countries, but entertains no division; his little section of both country should just be renamed Movia. The wines are an extension of Ales, and you could copy the list of adjectives above and insert them into your tasting note. The heads in the room would nod. Wine would dribble down chins.

TASTE: I had the pleasure of tasting Movia’s jaw-dropping Veliko red wine at the RAW wine fair in Berlin in 2018. Probably the most intriguing wine I tasted all day, fresh and bright, lifted aromas of blackberries, cherries, and lime zest. The body is big, the mouth is round and the flavor is wild and rugged. The tannins are not rough but unkempt, unashamed, and the flavors noted in my book remind me of a Barolo tasting note. Blackberry and cherry, thyme, rosemary, chocolate, mushrooms, damp soil, salt and a citrus tang to the acid. The structure is the most interesting thing, all of the components are balanced but turned up to high. So high that this blend of Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon is guaranteed to develop nicely for 20-30 years, but I’m drinking mine now.

PAIR: Vegetable casseroles, Texas chili, grilled eggplant, pungent cheeses like Gorgonzola, and crostini smeared with olive tapenade.

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Movia Veliko Rosso 2007