Kabaj, Black Lamb Ghost Rider Amber 2009

Tocai Fruliano, Rebula, and Malvazija

Goriska Brda, Slovenia

6 months skins maceration. 3 years in large old oak. VEGAN, NO ADDED SULFUR.

Honey, dried apricot, and umami notes. Earthy and savory with a very dark amber color and full body. Pair with oysters, lamb, or mezze spread. Drink cellar or room temp.

Jean Michel was born in Paris, France. His homeland marked significantly his life and his profession. He grew up in the multicultural part of Paris and he spent the summers working near Bordeaux, where he encountered his greatest passion – the art of wine making. He gained knowledge, experience and discovered the secrets of viticulture in various French wine regions and cellars; Chateau De Jau Rivesaltes, Michel Laroch, Domaine Bordenave Longon.

He continued his professional life working in the wine cellar Borgo Conventi in neighboring Friuli, where he worked as the main cellarman for many years. His marriage to Katja Kabaj in 1989 finally made him settle down at the Kabaj homestead in Šlovrenc in Goriška Brda. The 1993 vintage was his first vintage at the Kabaj. Jean Michel is particularly proud of his wine produced by the traditional Georgian method of wine storage in kvevris (amphoras). He uses 3500L clay kvevri, made of Georgian clay from the Georgian village Imereti, buried in the ground.

The grape varieties are typical of the Brda wine region: Ribolla, Malvasia, Sauvignon Vert (Tokai Friulano), using only healthy grapes at the peak of their ripeness. Average vine age is 30 years; vines are planted on terraced slopes. Vine training is single Guyot. The Kabaj family cultivates 12 hectares of vineyards, at two sites in Brda (Šlovrenc, Belo), with 55,000 total vines planted.