TILIA Estate EL Rosé Brut Nature Vipava Valley Slovenia 2022
The Emperor of Love is sure to cast his 'spEL' on you
At Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia, I caught a glance of the TILIA Estate logo from afar. I had seen it before during an Internet search of Pinot Noir and stumbled upon the winery’s website. It was the logo that enticed me to walk over to TILIA’s booth and introduce myself to enologist and founder Matjaž Lemut and his partner Tonja Blatnik. But it was when Tonja poured me a sip of EL Rosé Brut Nature that I was captivated into trying the entire lineup.
During my spring and summer 2024 travels in Central Europe – including a release party in Ljubljana and a follow-up visit to TILIA Estate – I had the opportunity to sample the enchanting EL a few more times, including a taste of a future vintage.
TILIA Estate EL Rosé Brut Nature Vipava Valley Slovenia 2022
The Emperor of Love is sure to cast his ‘spEL’ on you
Those who know me know my love of sparkling wine – and this exceptional example is no exception. The Emperor of Love is dressed to the nines in playfully pink, bewitching bubbles of handpicked 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir fermented and aged in the traditional/classical method. His persuasiveness lies in fine, persistent effervescence replete with freshly cut flower aromatics, brilliant berry and crisp apple flavors, and delicate creaminess. EL is the quintessential apéritif and celebratory libation – the consummate pairing with soft creamy cheeses, salmon and tuna sashimi, brunch fare, fried chicken, and shellfish like crab, lobster, and shrimp. Extraordinarily EL-egant!