Check Czech Wine: Tasting of organic red straw wine

In the Czech Republic there are three types of very sweet wines – ice wine, straw wine or sweet botrytised wine (Trockenbeerenauslese). Straw wine is a very sweet dessert wine with a taste similar to more famous ice wine. Although it can seem easily to just dry the grapes, it requires lots of knowledge and patience from the winemaker as the harvested grapes go bad very easily like all fresh fruits. The best healthy grapes (this straw wine from winery Marcincak is even produced in organic quality) are harvested at must-weight of 27°ČNM and placed on straw or reed mats or suspended on racks. The law requires minimum of 3 months drying, however this winemaker uses 4-6 months of drying to get the highest possible sugar content.

Straw wine Blaufränkisch 2012

sweet

straw wine (Strohwein)

10,0% alc.

residual sugar: 205 g/l

acids: 8,2 g/l

Moravia region, Mikulov subregion, wine village Novosedly, vineyard Stara hora

This wine is rarely made of red grapes – most of the straw or ice wine are made of white grapes in the Czech Republic. The grape variety is Blaufränkisch (also called Lemberger) and it is the second most grown red cultivar in the country. The grapes are typical for Central Europe, it is also commonly used for other hybrids. It is a late variety, harvested as one of the last approximately in the middle of October, therefore it needs the best slopes, preferably with drier loess soils. Blaufränkisch wines have higher acidity than other red wines, also the tannins are quite high and rough. However, the wine is suitable for maturing in oak which helps to build full taste with spicy cinnamon notes while keeping the distinctive fruity character of blackberries.

This straw wine comes from the Mikulov subregion, wine village Novosedly, vineyard Stara hora which is 46 years old. The grapes were handpicked on 18/12/2012. After drying they were pressed at must-weight level of 46°ČNM and matured in oak barrels for 1 year, then further in the bottle. When pouring the wine in a glass, you will be definitely amazed by the beautiful red-brown color with bright red glints. It has intense aroma of candied red fruits, spices and honey. The palate is full, rich with smooth fruity taste of sweet cherries, blackberries and plums with notes of spices, vanilla and cinnamon with a long aftertaste. The rich sweetness (205 g/l of residual sugar!) is balanced with a very good acidity thus the wine does not feel mawkish, not cloying on the palate. It reminds of delicious plum pie with cinnamon.

The wine is full-bodied, highly extractive, suitable to pair with desserts or for contrast with aged blue cheese.

Check Czech Wine

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Tasting of organic red straw wine

No comments:

Post a Comment