Stekar Rebula Goriska Brda 2023

Štekar is a small, family-run estate in Slovenia’s Goriška Brda, a hillside region along the Italian border widely considered one of the historic homes of skin-contact white wines. Farming organically since 2006, Jure Štekar continues a multigenerational approach rooted in tradition—working with native fermentations, long macerations, and minimal intervention to let the vineyard speak.

Rebula (known as Ribolla Gialla in Italy) is the defining grape of the region, uniquely suited to extended skin contact thanks to its naturally high acidity and structure. Here, the fruit is hand-harvested from marl-rich soils and left on its skins for around two weeks before aging in large acacia barrels, building both texture and aromatic depth.

The result is an orange wine with precision rather than excess, with layered notes of yellow fruit, citrus, and subtle spice framed by a firm but polished structure. The palate carries both grip and freshness, with a mineral core that keeps the wine lifted and food-driven. 

This is not an overly funky natural wine but rather a classic expression of Rebula, where tradition, texture, and balance come together in a wine that feels both distinctive and deeply rooted in place.