The wines of Heaps Good, Slovenia

Heaps Good Wine Company
Stylish boutique wines from a Kiwi expat in Slovenia

Nick Gee

Website: www.heapsgoodwine.wordpress.com

Heaps Good is run by an ex-pat Kiwi, Nick Gee. His wife, Marija, is from Slovenia and they decided to move there 5 years ago. He rents vineyards in Stajerska, in the east of the country, and produces around 900 cases each year.

He makes Pinot Gris and Noir, and also Blaufrankisch. 'I don't really like Pinot Gris,' admits Nick, 'but I like this vineyard.' He presses the gris whole bunch, and ferments it in barrels with natural yeast. The Heaps Good Pinot Noir is made with 10% whole bunch in the ferment and spends 21 days on skins, while the Gambling Priest Pinot Noir has 30% whole bunch.

These are really impressive wines.

THE WINES

Heaps Good Sivi Pinot 2011 Stajerska, Slovenia
Pinot Gris. Lovely rich texture: fresh and quite intense with lovely herb and spice notes, as well as rich pear and grape. Nice texture with a hint of sweetness. 92/100

Heaps Good Modri Pinot 2011 Stajerska, Slovenia
Pinot Noir. Lovely supple, elegant sweet cherry fruit. Rounded and fresh, made in a lighter style with nice sweet, rounded texture. Fresh red cherry fruit is the theme here, with a bit of sappiness adding interest. 93/100

Heaps Good Modra Frankinja 2011 Stajerska, Slovenia
Blaufrankisch. Fresh sweet cherry fruit nose with a fine black cherry fruit palate, and a supple personality. A hint of nice green and some spice, too. Really fine and elegant. 93/100

Heaps Good The Gambling Priest Pinot Noir 2011 Stajerska, Slovenia
Lovely spicy, herby, rhubarb edge to the elegant, fresh cherry fruit. There's a stemmy elegance here, but it makes it taste even fresher. Seductive and elegant with great precision. 94/100