Aci Urbajs
Who: Aci Urbajs
Where: , Slovenia
What: Blaufrankisch, Chardonnay, Kerner, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir
Total size: SMALL
The Wines
Organic Anarchy
Every once in awhile you meet an Aci Urbajs...
They are smiling, like as if they're flat out high. Not bonkers gone, just simply one of those really good highs where everything is great, like the high of a happy child. When you meet Aci, he will tell you that we are all connected, bound by astrology. He will tell you of his little vineyard, and will speak of ancient winemakers who are buried there. He connects with them. His vineyard, Aci says Hill Rifnik is a stargate- one of those magical energy portals in the world that act as an astrological wormhole. He goes on and on about our cosmic connectivity, all the while, with a beaming smile.
"I know that I sound crazy and that's OK", he told me. (This dude is totally committed, and I love it, I thought.)There's a wink in his eye and wry smile on his mouth, and most importantly he's asking nothing of me. Believe him, don't believe him, Aci doesn't care. In his mind he is a re-born ancient winemaker here to spread love and joy through his wines. Biodynamic living is his way. He is a spiritual biodynamic warrior.
But before his conversion, Aci worked for Boeing. (Yes Boing, the airplane manufacture.) He was an engineer, but wine was already in his blood. His grandmother made wine, and in 1969 his parents purchased a vineyard (Ursula). In 1988, Aci bought the Hill Rifnik vineyard and property and he be-friended Stanko Radikon. Radikon became a mentor to him. He continued to grow to understand his one hectare of vines, and ten years in, inspired by the teachings of Steiner, Aci formally started farming biodynamically. He committed to zero sulfur wines in 2006 with his first Organical Anarchy bottling. It has been a methodical conversion for Aci that started when he was a child with his grandmother and will see his son Ziga shepherd the property forward after him. Aci is simply passing through time.
"I have no wine..."
...he says as we sit in a cafe in the East Village. He goes on, "My hope is maybe I have a little wine for you once a year, is that OK?" Fine by me, I say. (I think it's the smile. Aci's smile makes every bit of news just fine.) But seriously though, I do understand- the guy has 1 hectare in total. There really is no wine to be had, so why should I care?
OK, now, I just waxed poetic about value in my year end note a few weeks back, so I imagine you may be reading this and asking yourself where I see value in a $58.33 bottle wholesale orange wine, and an identically priced ramato pinot grigio from a spiritual biodynamic warrior living in an astrological portal in Styria Slovenia. Fair question. Here's my answer:
Spiritual Art.
This man has no commercial intentions whatsoever. There is no business plan. In fact, there is no plan- ever (a plan does not work with the cosmos). Aci is riding a wave, and he's using wine to do so, and he's asking you and everyone who wants to drink his wine (with or without him) to join him in a spiritual way. To do this, to find its value, one must...believe.
For some, this is horseshit. He gets it and calls himself out with a welcoming smile. But for those that want to be onboard, his eyes and heart are wide open, his energy is full, and the wines are made with a similar love and care to transmit this energy. This vinous art he has produced is to act like a crystal for Aci- if you want to go down that road.
Come on Christian! Don't waste my time man! Are these wines good or not?
OK, now it's my turn- straight no chaser- just the wines. Yes, they are excellent. As an orange wine, the Radical delivers incredible texture and salinity. With air, it opens up and gains power and length, although it is constantly undulating in its form (specifically the tannins tightening and flexing) as it opens wider. It's a ride for sure, and the ticket price to entry is steep, but the ride is very good, super interesting. Also, I have had three bottles of the in-stock inventory and there has been no mouse.
The ramato Pinot Grigio is flat out delicious. All you Gut Oggau lovers will flip on this. Again, texturally the balance between just the right amount of tannins, fruit, acid and that salty minerality gives this wine an energy that is intoxicating. I've found it hard not to throw this wine down- telling myself to slow down and enjoy it and let it speak to me.
My thoughts to you as my client buying the wines...I like that these wines are so rare in their production numbers alone. I like that these wines are packed in 6 packs- there's no ask to carry more inventory. I think having a 6pk of either/or both wines makes sense to show some of the most radical stuff coming from Slovenia (pun intended)- when orange wine and ramato Pinot Grigio are sought after. And I think if you're driving a natural wine conversation in your program, well, these wines are absolutely not to be missed. They represent some of the best in natural wine coming out of Slovenia.
