It meets you with a kind of authority that feels far too good to resist. Apricot, mandarin skin, warm spices and that tea-like grip rising slowly, coaxing you to sit still and pay attention. Alter doesn’t ask. It instructs. The first sip lands with a firm hand and a soft voice, the sort that makes your spine straighten without thinking.
Then comes the praise. That gentle bitterness wrapping around sweet stone fruit, the sensation of being guided rather than pushed. You can almost hear the wine telling you you’re doing very well as the tannins tighten and the aromatics bloom. It is warm, confident, deeply inviting, the kind of bottle that teaches you how good surrender can feel when trust is already in the room.
Have it with roasted pumpkin, grilled chicken slick with herbs or a plate of soft cheese that folds under heat. Let the wine take the lead. You might be surprised how quickly you follow.
Region: Štajerska, Slovenia Grapes: Local white varieties (cofermented, skin contact)
