Protner Bozja Oka
Winery: Hiša Joannes Protner
Classification: Dry white wine
Varietals: 100% Riesling
Appellation: Lower Styria (Štajerska): Semperska Gorca / Celestrina
Vine Training: Mono-guyot, average vine age is 30 years
Density and Yield: 5,000 Vines/ha; 1.3 kg/vine
Annual Production: 1,500 bottles
Analytical Data: Alc 12.6%, total acidity 6.9 g/L, residual sugar 6.7 g/L
Climate: Continental cool climate, with snowy and cold winters, sunny and mild spring, and sun-drenching summers.
Terrain: All vineyards are located on steep 30-45˚ slopes with partial southern exposure, 320 meters above sea level. Nights are refreshingly chilly, as the winds whip around the sharp hills and valleys.
Soil: White marl, most of it being fine grains, with some rocky soil.
Farming: Environmentally friendly integrated cultivation (sustainable farming) on a small family farm.
Vinification: Manual harvest of clean and healthy grapes, de-stemmed, then fermented in concrete egg with native yeasts. The wine is matured on the lees for 9 months in concrete egg before bottling.
Tasting Notes: Riesling “Božja oka” (translated to “God’s Eye) is named after the top point of the Protner family’s high-elevation vineyards, looking over all of the surrounding slopes. This wine is fermented with native yeast and aged on the less in concrete egg, delivering a mouth-wateringly lush, textured and mineral-driven expression of Riesling. Layered and complex aromatics with notes of lemongrass, arugula and honeyed bried. Palate is oily with tremendous mineral texture and length. Bright acidity but well balanced from the concrete ageing.
Serving Suggestions: Enjoy chilled with hearty Styrian dishes, schnitzel and creamy mushroom soup, funky cheeses and charcuterie, hearty-grain breads, and richer cuts of sashimi like toro or mackerel.
Winery Information
Hiša Joannes Protner
House Joannes Protner is located five kilometers from the centre of Maribor, in the direction of Malečnik. Run by Boštjan Protner and his wife, Mojca, they are now heavily assisted by their children Martin and Ana (Ana was recently awarded the title of Slovenian Wine Queen in 2021!). The family has been devoted to viticulture for over three decades and now have a total of 13 hectares of vineyards.
