Prelit is Damijan Podversic's red blend from Friuli, made with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. While the estate is celebrated for amber wines, this bottling applies the same patient approach to red grapes. Long maturation brings the fruit and structure together in a substantial wine with a smooth, savoury character.
- Aromas: Ripe red and dark fruit with a mature, savoury background, giving a rounded aromatic profile rather than a simple fresh-berry impression.
- Palate: Structured but smooth, with generous fruit and integrated tannins. The extended maturation helps the wine feel composed, with a persistent finish suited to hearty food.
- Style: A dry, full-bodied Friulian red blend with the depth and polish of long ageing rather than an overtly youthful style.
- Winemaking: The blend is Merlot-led with Cabernet Sauvignon. Around forty days of skin contact are followed by about three years in oak and a year in bottle; the wine is unfiltered.
- Cellaring: Drink now if well stored, with potential for further development in bottle. If ageing further, store in a cool and dark location. Before opening stand upright to settle sediment, and taste before choosing gentle decanting or further aeration.
- Food Pairing: Braised beef, roast lamb, mushroom lasagne or aged hard cheese; give it food with savoury depth rather than a very delicate main course.
There is more to Damijan than orange wine. Prelit is an appealing bottle for red-wine lovers who appreciate patient winemaking and a smooth, layered palate. Open it over a generous dinner and let this quieter side of the estate have its moment. Serve slightly cool, taste before deciding on decanting, and give the wine time to develop in the glass.
Damijan Podversic
On Monte Calvario near Gorizia, close to the Slovenian border, Damijan Podversic has built a deeply personal interpretation of Friuli’s wine heritage. His work centres on the relationship between mature grapes, their skins and the character of the hillside. Ribolla Gialla is the defining variety, accompanied in the collection by Malvasia, Pinot Grigio, Friulano and Chardonnay, with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon shaping the reds. The wines reflect a family endeavour shaped by patience, close observation and a conviction that the vineyard should determine what happens in the cellar.
Damijan is particularly associated with long skin contact for white wines, producing amber-coloured expressions with texture, savoury complexity and the capacity to unfold slowly in the glass. Ribolla Gialla is an especially compelling introduction to this approach. His contribution goes beyond the bottle: in 2019, the Nonino award recognised his work promoting Ribolla Gialla and recovering abandoned viticultural land on Monte Calvario. For wine lovers interested in orange wines with a strong sense of origin, Damijan offers a distinctive meeting of regional heritage, personal vision and time.
