Vipava 1894 Chardonnay

This was the first wine I tried on my trip to Slovenia at the hotel in Lake Bled. It was a freebie with our meal on the first night. At this point I knew nothing about Slovenian wines and in hindsight the hotel wines were not the greatest examples.

I had a feeling this might be the case as the hotel staff, who were lovely, clearly knew very little about wine. Pretty much all the staff spoke fluent English except for one older lady who always seemed to be serving when I asked for a drink. It was like a scene from Fawlty Towers. I ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon one night but it had been open for too long and was vinegary. I asked for a replacement and the lady gave me a Merlot instead, which was drinkable but not great.

I gave up on the reds and turned back to the Chardonnay which had been OK on the first night. I’m pretty sure that every time I ordered Chardonnay I got a different wine. They certainly tasted different. When the younger staff were on I got what I ordered, but with the older lady it was pick and mix every time. Personally I found it amusing, but quickly found a wine bar in town where I could try wines more seriously.

This wine had potential. It was medium bodied with a good finish. A yellow colour with a medium scent and a very fruity flavour. The usual Chardonnay culprits were in there: sweet apple, honeydew melon, some tropical, citrus. But all mushed together, not well balanced and a bit rough on occasions.

A perfectly drinkable wine. It became my go to at the hotel but not the best Slovenian wine I tried.