Family Vineyards Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 2–6 years from vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled red meats, roasted duck, matured hard cheeses
✨ Technical Specifications
In the sun-drenched, terraced hills of Goriška Brda, where the cool Alpine breezes meet the warm currents of the Adriatic Sea, the Family Vineyards Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon represents a harmonious marriage of two classic varieties cultivated by local families for generations. The unique 'opoka' soil—a mineral-rich marl and sandstone flysch—imparts a distinct minerality and structure to the grapes. Hand-harvested from steep, labor-intensive slopes, this blend showcases the region's ability to produce reds with vibrant acidity, plush dark fruit characters, and elegant, earthy undertones. It tells the story of cooperative dedication, where centuries-old viticultural traditions are preserved by small-scale growers working in unison to capture the true spirit of Primorska.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1957 in the western reaches of Slovenia's Primorska region, Klet Brda is a premier cooperative winery owned by approximately 400 local winegrowing families. The vineyards cascade across the steep, terraced hills of Goriška Brda beneath Dobrovo Castle, positioned between the snowcapped Julian Alps and the Adriatic Sea. This sub-Mediterranean pocket is defined by flysch soils—locally known as opoka, composed of layered marl and sandstone—imparting signature minerality and tensile structure to the fruit. Viticulture follows strict sustainable guidelines, requiring meticulous hand-tending across hundreds of micro-parcels. Chief oenologist Darinko Ribolica and winemaker Luka Ribolica vinify in subterranean cellars, seamlessly combining stainless steel with neutral and large Slovenian oak. Klet Brda champions indigenous and benchmark regional white expressions, notably Rebula (Ribolla Gialla), Sivi Pinot (Pinot Grigio), and Sauvignonasse, showcased through the minerally vibrant Family Vineyards line, skin-macerated Krasno Orange, and the oak-matured Bagueri prestige range.
🍇 Grapes
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
🍷 ABV
13% - 13.5%