Edi Simcic Merlot Kozana

Enjoyed by the bottle at Roaming Goat in SF. In spite of the heatwave, I was craving a Super Tuscan, but Tim, the sommelier, steared me towards this. And I'm so glad we tried it! I've had a lot of wines from Central Europe, but I'm new to Slovenian wine. Surprisingly, not tight on first pour, but did benefit from an hour in the decanter. This is a serious wine, nice acidity, loads of dark fruit, blackberry, dark plum, dark …

A single-vineyard Merlot raised with patience and ambition: three years in new oak barriques, nearly two more in large casks, and extended bottle age before release. The result is unapologetically rich and structured, opening with dark plum, black cherry preserve, cocoa nib, and sweet pipe tobacco layered over cedar, baking spice, and a faint smoky char from the long élevage. The palate carries real heft—dense black fruit and blackberry compote wrapped in firm oak tannin—yet the wine keeps its footing …