The 2005 Amfora Ribolla Gialla shows amazing intensity from start to long finish. Famously matured in amphorae made from clay sourced in Georgia, it shows a copper-orange color and brilliant points of luminosity from within. The opulence of the bouquet is broken down into defined aromatic chapters that transition from resin to pine to caramel to graham cracker to candied fruit and crushed mineral. As you would expect from a wine of this level of careful oxidation, those caramelized characteristics outweigh any semblance of fresh fruit. The mouth-feel is firmly etched but polished. Built like a tank, expect this wine to remain intact for years. Drink: 2015-2025. More than a winery, Gravner is a pilgrimage destination that has reached epic cult status among wine intelligentsia. The reason has more to do with clay than grapes. Josko Gravner famously abandoned the use of wood some 40 years ago. In the late 1980s, following a trip the Caucasus he learned about the ancient use of clay vessels for making and storing wine. In 1997, he made his first amphorae-aged Ribolla Gialla. Today, there are more than a dozen high profile wineries in Italy who have followed his example and have embraced this extreme branch of the “natural wine” movement. Gravner’s wines are indeed controversial and polarizing. Those who profess to love them make an equally bold statement as those who don’t. The important thing is to take a stand. Importer: Domaine Select Wine Estates, www.domaineselect.com

The 2004 Ribolla Gialla Amphora is similar to the Breg in that it is rather hushed and subdued. The wine offers outstanding balance and harmony in its gorgeous, layered fruit. Here, too, the finish is impeccably elegant and pure. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019. There are times when wine becomes of secondary importance. This is one of those times. The tragic passing of Josko Gravner’s son Miha, 27, in a motorcycle accident a few months back is a painful reminder that life is fleeting. I met Miha Gravner only once, during a visit to the estate last year when it was clear he represented the future of the winery. An avid basketball player, he was tall, trim and the picture of youth. As a father, I can only imagine that the loss of a son must be the deepest of losses, but I hope, in some small way, the Gravner family will find a way to heal. In this context, wine seems to have relatively little importance, but Gravner has two very fine vintages on his hands with his 2004 and 2005 whites. Gravner ferments his whites in terra cotta amphorae. After the alcoholic fermentation, some of the wine remains in amphorae into the following spring, when it is added back to the rest of the wine, which has been aging in cask. The wines complete their aging in large, neutral oak. These remain some of the most unique wines being made anywhere on the planet. They are especially remarkable for their textural elegance and finesse. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

If Nebbiolo were a white grape, it might taste much like the 2003 Ribolla Gialla Amphora This powerful, rich wine flows from the glass with sweeping fruit buffered by elegant tannins and pretty notes of minerality. Everything is in the right place in this gorgeous, large-scaled Ribolla. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2013. My visit with Josko Gravner in May was memorable, as we spent several hours tasting through every cask in the cellar. Given that Gravner keeps his wines in oak for a minimum of several years, the tasting amounted to multiple vintages of each of his wines, which was a fascinating exploration into this producer’s style. No other grower in Italy has pushed the boundaries so ambitiously as has Gravner over the last 20+ years. To be sure, even by his own admission Gravner has made mistakes, but at these levels there can’t be innovation without the occasional failure. Today, Gravner has inspired a whole new generation of younger producers, but at the end of the day, Gravner remains in a league by himself. When I taste these wines I often feel I am in front of the work of a gifted musician or painter, where the work is easily classified into periods that each hold significance. His approach reminds me of that of Miles Davis; always looking forward and never behind. Over the coming years Gravner plans to focus just on two native varieties, Ribolla and Pignolo and will phase out his international grapes. Today, the wines are fermented in terra cotta amphora, where they stay until spring. The wines are then racked into casks where they spend several years prior to being bottled. As of May 2008, Gravner still had a portion of his whites in amphora, as he is experimenting with longer aging periods in the terracotta vessels. Gravner’s “whites” are really much more like reds in terms of their structure and weight. It is therefore not surprising that Gravner favors hot, arid vintages, including 2003, which he places among his favorites, something of a contrarian view in the region. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200