Brda Rebula: The grape with a Cinderella story

Caroline Gilby MW with Rebula producers at the Brda – Home of Rebula event.

(Image credit: Damjan Simčič / Zoso Photography)

Twenty years ago, Rebula (known as Ribolla Gialla in Italy) was given little attention, even in its homeland: the hills of Brda (or Goriška Brda) and Collio that straddle the Slovenia-Italy border. Tastings of the area’s wines were all about Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Merlot, overshadowing this unsung native grape.

Over the past two decades, improvements in research, viticulture and winemaking have transformed Rebula into a wine that commands international attention. Now, new research is throwing light on the unique synergy between the area’s particular geology, the Rebula grape and the rolling vineyards of Brda and Collio.

The secret of the land

Brda and Collio form a single geological region, spreading across Italy and Slovenia. It’s a landscape of stunning green hills, clothed in terraced vineyards and forests buzzing with biodiversity. In theory, the region is too wet for good grapes, averaging over 1200mm of rain per year. But in vineyards high on these hillsides, Rebula is at its most exciting.

It is the area’s distinctive bedrock – known locally as opoka – that makes this possible, with its distinct layers of marl, sandstone and limestone. Opoka fractures easily, so rain drains away quickly, forcing the vines to root deeply. Combined with Alpine breezes that keep the air fresh, this means the vines struggle just enough to produce high-quality grapes.

The striking colour of the Rebula grape.

Rebula under the microscope

Now, new research has corroborated what the region’s vinegrowers already understood. In the right growing conditions, a group of yellow and orange pigments called carotenoids accumulate in grape skins in response to sunshine.

Rebula grown on damp, low-lying soils remains green and vegetal; at moderate elevations it stays neutral and phenolic; but on sunny, well- drained slopes, like those in Brda and Collio, it turns a rich, golden yellow – thanks to carotenoids.

These pigments then metabolise into incredibly important flavour compounds, giving notes of quince, ripe apple, flowers and honey, plus interesting hints of kerosene, tea leaf and tobacco – all typical varietal characteristics giving complexity to top-quality Rebula from the hilly terroir of Brda and Collio.

The Rebula being made today is better than ever – more precise, more elegant and able to showcase both its special homeland and the vision of the passionate winemakers who produce it.

Rebula wines tasted at the 2024 Brda – Home of Rebula event

Jermann, Vinnae Ribolla Gialla, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy 2023 92pts

Available from Laithwaites, Petersham Cellar and others

A consistently bright, fresh, appetising wine with aromas of apple blossom, lemon and red apple. To taste, there is plenty of lively, juicy apple fruit, with hints of green melon, a sprinkling of fresh herbs and a refreshing zesty finish.

Drink 2024-2028 | Alc 12.5%

Medot, Rebula Journey, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2023 90pts

Available from medot-wines.com

Aromas of Asian pear, honeydew melon and a touch of sweet spice, then a generously fruity palate with hints of nectarine, lemon and pink grapefruit pith. It’s a harmonious combination of two faces of Rebula: fresh and more complex.

Drink 2024-2028 | Alc 12.5%

Dolfo, Rumena Rebula, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2023 89pts

Available from dolfo.eu

Typical mineral character of old-vine Rebula – bone dry, vibrant and crisp. Aromas of greengage, crunchy pear and lemon zest lead on the nose, followed by hints of meadow herbs, fresh lemon, pear juice and a lightly salty, mineral finish.

Drink 2024-2028 | Alc 12.5%

Edi Simčič, Fojana Rebula Sveti Duh Vineyard, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2022 95pts

Available from slit-wines.com

The nose is refined, with hints of white peach, mirabelle, wild thyme and lemon oil. It has an ethereal structure that combines lightness and intensity, with super-elegant oak and notes of lemon, quince and stone fruit, then a precise, lingering, saline finish.

Drink 2024-2030 | Alc 13%

Ferdinand, Rebula Época, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2022 95pts

Available from ferdinand.si

A wine all about elegance. Green melon, Asian pear, wild basil and green tea on the nose are followed by notes of lemon, freshly cut pear and hints of acacia blossom, completed by an incredibly long, sapid finish.

Drink 2024-2030 | Alc 13%

Ščurek, Rebula Up, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2022 93pts

Available from slit-wines.com

Amber gold wine, with inviting aromas of peaches and cream, tangerine zest and fresh meadow herbs. The palate is concentrated and intense, with generous flavours of peach, apricot, spice and orange backed by a salty, mineral and very appetising texture.

Drink 2024-2030 | Alc 13%

Gradis’ciutta, Sveti Nikolaj Rebula, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2022 92pts

Available from gradisciutta.eu

A super-elegant interpretation with delicate creamy vanilla, elderflower and white peach on the nose. The palate is understated and graceful, with green pear, honeysuckle and lemon zest notes, completed by a lingering mineral finish.

Drink 2024-2030 | Alc 13%

Klet Brda, Krasno Rebula, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2022 89pts

Available from klet-brda.si

A well-balanced and approachable wine. The bouquet expresses notes of sundried hay, camomile and golden plum, with delicate creaminess. A gently textured palate, fruit notes of white peach and lemon pith, backed by a firm mineral structure.

Drink 2024-2028 | Alc 13.5%

Marjan Simčič Domaine, Rebula Opoka Medana Jama Cru, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2021 95pts

Available from orbitwines.com

Inviting on the nose, with chestnut honey, papaya, and peach, plus sweet spice and mandarin zest. Abundant, supple fruit with ripe peach, quince, greengage and citrus pith, backed by a firm but vibrant, sapid, mineral structure, and great length.

Drink 2024-2034 | Alc 13%

Domaine Vicomte de Noüe-Marinic, Erigone Ribolla Gialla, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2021 94pts

Available from Armit Wines

Almost Burgundian on the nose, with refined creamy, toasted brioche and stone fruit notes. The palate is elegantly creamy too, with fine texture, soft and silky acidity and notes of ripe apple and lemon oil. Harmonious and lingering.

Drink 2024-2028 | Alc 12.7%

Klet Brda, Rebula Bagueri, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2020 95pts

Available from klet-brda.si

Appealing bouquet of golden plum, toasted hazelnut, chestnut flowers and a touch of fresh quince. It’s intense but refined and silky to taste, with zesty lemon, nectarine, candied pineapple and vivid citrussy freshness, overlaid with subtle notes of toasted nuts and creamy vanilla.

Drink 2024-2030 | Alc 13.5%

Erzetič, Orbis Rebula, Goriška Brda, Slovenia 2020 92pts

Available from vina-erzetic.com

A rich golden wine with a complex, creamy bouquet of ripe nectarine, baked apple and a touch of toasted hazelnut. To taste, it is generously ripe, smooth and rounded in the mouth with sleek acidity and lovely length.

Drink 2024-2028 | Alc 13.5%

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Caroline Gilby MW is a freelance writer and consultant, specialising in Central and Eastern Europe. Among others, she currently contributes to Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book, The Oxford Companion to Wine, and the World Atlas of Wine, and has previously written for Dorling Kindersley’s Wines of the World, The Wine Opus, and Tom Stevenson’s Wine Report. Prior to her career as a writer, Gilby spent seven years as a senior wine buyer at Augustus Barnet off-licences, where she became the first major buyer to import Hungarian wines to the UK. She initially studied plant biology, in which she holds a doctorate, but abandoned life behind the microscope for a career in wine soon after winning the Decanter-Macallan Malt Whisky Taster of the Year Award while still a student. Gilby passed her MW in 1992 and has been visiting and tasting the wines of Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Romania for over 20 years.