A few kilometers from their home vineyards in the village of Oslavia in Friuli, Italy, the Radikon family now farms and owns vines just across the border in Brda, Slovenia. There is legally a border here, but the people on either side of it share history, language, gastronomy, culture, viticulture, and more. To emphasize this cross-border unity, Ivana (youngest sister of Sasa, daughter of Stanko) has named her first wines ‘POP’ – think ‘popular’ in the sense of ‘of the people.’ This is a nod to the shared, communal spirit of those not constrained or divided by international boundaries here, as well as an indication of the style of wines Ivana is leaning towards. 2023 was the first release of this very small production. For the POP Rosso, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (which have long-standing histories and importance in this corner of the world) are farmed organically, hand-harvested, destemmed and co-fermented spontaneously without sulfur or temperature control. The wine is then aged for 10 months in stainless steel with a racking or two, and bottled without filtration and with just a small bit of sulfur. The POP wines are the youngest, freshest take on the Radikon style yet, though the Rosso absolutely retains the deeply savory character that makes their reds stand out in the first place. Definitely a walk on the wilder side (as is the Radikon way), with a distinctive earthy, mushroom-funk nose at first open; not far behind there's plenty of red fruit, crushed stones, and herbs that shine through. The Merlot gives you darker, softer, plummier flavors and supple texture; the Cab, some structure and spice. A stylish, juicy, contemporary red, it’s a wine that certainly – well – pops, and we’re thrilled to have yet another standout bottling from one of the first families of Friuli.