Josko’s wines were popular already in the 70s, and his methods were somewhat conventional. However, after a trip to California in the late 80s where he was disgusted by the heavily oaked and artificial tasting wines that he tried, he returned to Italy changed. 

The conventional ways of the New World inspired (or scared) him enough to chart a new path. He began researching winemaking’s roots and dabbling with clay amphorae, long-macerations with white grapes and more. The results have been astonishing. His white wines resemble red, they’re dark in colour, dense, tannic and flavourful. They’re largely unlike anything we’ve had anywhere else in the world.

Based in the rolling hills of Collio, straddling the Italian/Slovenian border, Gravner currently has 18ha of terraced vines.