At the northeastern edge of Italy, near the Slovenian border, lies the village of Oslavje in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. Here, amid steep terrain, the Radikon family has been crafting acclaimed skin-contact wines for over 30 years.

The story began with Franz Mikulus, who planted Ribolla Gialla to make wine for his family. Things changed dramatically after his grandson, Stanko Radikon, took over in 1976. By 1995, he revived traditional long maceration techniques to highlight the grape’s full character, helping pioneer modern skin-contact wines.

Saša, Stanko's son, grew up working alongside his father. Saša has been honing both viticulture techniques and winemaking skills. After Stanko’s passing in 2016, Saša took over the estate, continuing his father’s legacy while expanding the domaine and experimenting with winemaking. Today, Radikon produces 65,000 bottles annually, distributed across more than 20 countries, and Saša is hailed as a master and innovator of skin-contact wines.

Radikon’s wines are distinguished by their remarkable intensity, structural depth, and pronounced tannins—attributes shaped by extended maceration periods. Capable of aging gracefully for over two decades, these wines maintain a vibrant acidity while gradually unfolding into layers of nuanced tertiary complexity. Saša even designed unique bottles to help optimize aging conditions. Most of their wines are bottled in distinctive 500ml or 1000ml bottles with slimmer 15mm corks, creating a proportion similar to that of a magnum bottle, giving wine lovers an extra 25ml to savor.

Saša emphasizes the importance of tannins, believing they are an integral part of the grape’s expression, capturing the essence of the sun, the rain, and the vineyard. “The tannins are part of the flavors, the taste of grapes. If we press wine without tannins, we lose part of the life of the grape.” He says.

In 2009, Saša introduced the “S” range, designed as a more approachable line of skin-contact wines. These cuvées undergo a shorter maceration period of 8-10 days (compared to several months for his other wines), resulting in softer tannins and a more approachable style. They are released ready to drink and meant to be enjoyed within a few years.

Spanning over three generations, Radikon’s approach rejects modern shortcuts, favoring natural methods, manual harvesting, and zero added sulfur. Their wines continue to inspire winemakers and enthusiasts worldwide.

DFSociety is the official importer of Radikon in Vietnam.