Stekar 'Oliver' Red 2022 (750 ml)

50% Cabernet Sauvignon 50% Merlot

Fermentation: Stainless steel, Indigenous yeasts

ABV: 12.41%

Organic farming methods

Oliver is Jure’s second son (the footprint is real!)

The Oliver Red is part of the newest line of wine from Stekar. Carrying the name of Jure’s second son Oliver, the wines are built for the fresher and more youthful palate. Hand-harvested Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon come into the cellar and begin a natural fermentation in stainless steel, but are only with the skins for two days before a gentle pressing, making for a lightly extracted red wine that is more focused on the fruit instead of the tannin and structure. Once fermentation is complete, the small batch was moved to 500-liter old oak barrels to age for close to five months before being bottled. The result is absolutely delightful to drink, vibrant and expressive on the nose with aromas of spice, black cherry, and strawberry. The palate echoes the fun and fresh aromas, with the fruit and acidity dancing in the mouth, leaning it towards the ‘chillabe red’ category of wine. A wonderful red to share as an aperitif, or to pair with foods fresh off the grill.

The Štekar family started with humble beginnings in the Goriška Brda zone of Slovenia back in 1985, when Roman Štekar began the winery alongside a small agriturismo. Today, his son Jure runs this lovely natural winery in the stunning hills of western Slovenia, being at least the 4th generation of winemakers but with family history dating back to the 1700’s. Originally, they were farmers for a nearby cooperative until the cellar took form, and now they are dedicated to the best fruit they can grow; farming 11 hectares of vines nestled within another 22 hectares of cherry orchards and forest. In 2006, the winery received its organic certification, showing further their commitment to low-impact start-to-finish wine making which they have supported since the beginning. The vines are the most important factor that lead to the incredible depth of Jure’s skin fermented range, and are the only part of the process that ever sees any sulfite use, and the rest of the process is handling the perfect grapes in the most natural way possible. A wide range in types of woods and their sizes are the predominant vessels in the cellar for natural fermentations as well as aging for development. With no filtration or fining, the Štekar wines result as pure expressions of the local varieties with a soft and delicious approach, making for incredible natural skin-contact wines in the region that is possibly most famous for the category. 

Tech Sheet