Slovenian orange wine among the world's elite
An orange wine from coastal Slovenia has joined an elite club for the first time in five years. Capris Orange Yellow Muscat 2015, produced by Vinakoper, was named Best in Show at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards, an honour given to only 50 wines out of more than 18,000 entries worldwide.
Made from the yellow muscat grape variety, Capris Orange was aged for nearly a decade in barrique barrels. The wine was originally developed as part of an experimental process exploring new techniques and approaches, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.
According to Vinakoper's chief winemaker Boštjan Zidar, the wine was allowed to mature without time constraints to follow its natural course. The 2015 vintage was marked by its aromatic profile, structure, and fruitiness, which enabled the creation of a wine that showcases the potential of the variety with time and patience.
Decanter described the wine as "relatively light for an orange wine: deep gold with faint coppery glints. It has commanding aromas in which classic Muscat sweetness meets something darker and earthier, with orange-and-peach fruit behind; on the palate, the wine is fully dry but with an amplitude and wealth rare in 'normal' dry Muscat. Its precision and freshness are irreproachable."
This was only the second time that a Slovenian wine made the Best in Show. In 2020, Simčič became the first winery in the country to get the accolade.
In addition to Best in Show, Vinakoper was awarded a gold medal for Capo d'Istria 1072 vintage 2022, a red blend combining refosco, shiraz, merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon.
Vinakoper's director, Borut Fakin, described the recognition as significant not only for the winery but for Slovenian winegrowing in general.
"Creating a wine that beats global competition is a result of long years of efforts, confidence in quality, and courage in the exploration of new avenues. Both awarded wines are the result of a new direction we have taken. The wines we are creating today are modern and complex, yet deeply rooted in Istria," he said.
