We present to you the new member of our family, Chardonnay from the Small Carpathians region. The grapes were harvested from the Zoya vineyard in Vištuk on October 8, 2022, with a sugar content of 22 °NM. After destemming, gentle pressing, and cold settling, the must fermented dry at a low temperature. After racking off the gross lees, the wine went into 300-liter Seguin Moreau Fraicheur oak and acacia barrels. During its development, we managed to prevent malolactic fermentation, which influenced the overall development of sensory properties during the subsequent 12 months of aging. After blending the individual volumes of Chardonnay from the barrels and a brief resting of the blend in a stainless steel tank, the 2022 vintage was bottled in Burgundy bottles and sealed with whole corks.
We recommend tasting the wine at a temperature of 9 - 11 °C from wide Burgundy-shaped glasses with a volume of 500 - 600 ml. Emphasize fully opening the rich structure of aromas and flavors of the reserve. The wine has a clear golden-yellow hue and an oily viscosity. The aroma reveals ripening quince, starfruit, yellow apples, and a refined hint of wood. The pronounced dry fruity taste on the palate is accentuated by juicy acidity and held by a charming trace of gooseberries with a touch of citrus zest in crème fraîche.
The 2022 vintage needs both recognition and time, both for further development of the rare balance of bouquet and taste, and for the creation of the future bottle bouquet, which suits white wines maturing as Reserva. Over months and years of aging, it will reveal beautiful traces of dried exotic fruits wrapped in noble tones of vanilla.