Monday, April 20, 2015

VRANAC - autohtona crnogorska sorta

VRANAC is autochthonous Montenegrin variety of grapes and brand of wine. It is protected as an intellectual property and Montenegrin geographical indication of origin since 1977. It has also adopted in neighboring countries like Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, but under different name.
Vranac is considered the most important variety of grape in Montenegro and Crmnica wine,  Vranac, was presented at the expo of Balkan states held in London in 1907 where it won several top awardsAs it is a local specialty and due to its localized geography, it produces a dry red wine of a unique taste and character that is synonymous with the Balkans. Vranac berries are large and deeply colored, with its dark berries growing on moderately vigorous and very productive vines. The fruit is harvested by hand. Depending on the area, this harvest can begin from mid-September and continue into October.
Young Vranac wines have a bright purple hue and a nose full of red berries and fruit jams. Its firm tannin structure provides crispness and richness, with medium to high levels of extraction and acidity. After a year or two of aging, the purple develops into an intense dark ruby and the nose develops a more complex aroma that can include hints of cinnamon, chocolate, liquorice, flowers, black fruits, herbs and even woods such as oak. The taste is subtle, round, and full. It loses its sharpness and develops a longer and smoother finish.

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VRANAC je autohtona crnogorska sorta grožđa koja se gaji takodje u Srbiji i Republici Makedoniji. Smatra se najznačajnijom sortom grožđa u Crnoj Gori, a Crmnica njogovom postojbinom.
Kultura gajenja vinove loze u Crnoj Gori datira još iz predromanskog perioda, a kasnije je unapređuju Rimljani. Organizovaniji rad na vinogradarstvu počeo je u vrijeme vladavine Kralja Nikole (1860–1918). Upravo on je uveo zakon prema kome je svaki mladoženja morao dokazati da je prije stupanja u brak – ako je bio iz nekog od vinogradarskih područja Crne Gore – zasadio od sto do hiljadu čokota vinove loze.
Crmničko vino Vranac dobilo je na izložbi balkanskih zemalja u Londonu 1907. godine nekoliko prvih nagrada za kvalitet, a na izložbi u Beogradu 1928. svrstano je u red šest najboljih vina u tadašnjoj državi.
Od ove sorte se proizvode suva vina jedinstvenog ukusa i karaktera, koja su sinonim za Balkan. Zrna su velika i tamno obojena, a loza umjereno snažna i vrlo izdašna. Grožđe se bere ručno i u zavisnosti od područja berba počinje od polovine septembra i tokom oktobra.
Mlada vina proizvedena od Vranca imaju svijetlu purpurnu boju i miris na džem od voća. Snažna taninska struktura pruža svježinu i srednje do visok nivo kisjelina. Posle godinu ili dvije dana starenja, purpurna boja se razvija u intenzivnu tamnu rubinsku boju, a na mirisu se javljaju komleksnije arome koje nagovještavaju cimet, čokoladu, sladić, cvijeće, tamno voće, biljke, i čak drvo kao što je hrast.
Ukus je suptilan i pun, gubi oštrinu i razvija duži i uglađeniji finiš. Vranac izuzetno dobro podnosi hrast i starenje u boci, što je često neophodno da bi se ukrotila njegova snažna mješavina tanina i kisjelina. Zahvaljujući svojoj harmoničnoj prirodi dobro se kombinuje sa drugim sortama gožđa, kao što su Cabernet Sauvignon i Merlot. Preporučuje se da se posluži na sobnoj temperaturi i izuzetno se dobro slaže sa dimnjenim, konzerviranim ili grilovanim mesom, salatama i starim sirevima snažnih ukusa.

Grape varieties CABERNET SAUVIGNON and SANGIOVESE

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its prominence in Bordeaux wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
In many aspects, Cabernet Sauvignon can reflect the desires and personality of the winemaker while still presenting familiar flavors that express the typical character of the variety. The most pronounced effects are from the use of oak during production. Typically the first winemaking decision is whether or not to produce a varietal or blended wine.
The Cabernet Sauvignon grape itself is very small, with a thick skin, creating a high 1:12 ratio of seed (pip) to fruit (pulp).[14] From these elements the high proportions of phenols and tannins can have a stark influence on the structure and flavor of the wine—especially if the must is subjected to long periods of maceration (skin contact) before fermentation.
One of the most noted traits of Cabernet Sauvignon is its affinity for oak, either during fermentation or in barrel aging. In addition to having a softening effect on the grape's naturally high tannins, the unique wood flavors of vanilla and spice complement the natural grape flavors of blackcurrant and tobacco.
Winemakers can also control the influence of oak by using alternatives to the standard barrique barrels. Larger barrels have a smaller wood-to-wine ratio and therefore less pronounced oak flavors.
The style of Cabernet Sauvignon is strongly influenced by the ripeness of the grapes at harvest. When more on the unripe side, the grapes are high in pyrazines and will exhibit pronounced green bell peppers and vegetal flavors. When harvested overripe the wines can taste jammy and may have aromas of stewed blackcurrants. Some winemakers choose to harvest their grapes at different ripeness levels in order to incorporate these different elements and potentially add some layer of complexity to the wine. When Cabernet Sauvignon is young, the wines typically exhibit strong fruit flavors of black cherries and plum. The aroma of blackcurrants is one of the most distinctive and characteristic element of Cabernet Sauvignon that is present in virtually every style of the wine across the globe. Styles from various regions and producers may also have aromas of eucalyptus, mint and tobacco. As the wines age they can sometimes develop aromas associated with cedar, cigar boxes and pencil shavings. In general New World examples have more pronounced fruity notes while Old World wines can be more austere with heightened earthy notes.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a very bold and assertive wine that has potential to overwhelm light and delicate dishes. The wine's high tannin content as well as the oak influences and high alcohol levels associated with many regional styles play important roles in influencing how well the wine matches with different foods. When Cabernet Sauvignon is young, all those elements are at their peak, but as the wine ages it mellows; possibilities for different food pairings open up. In most circumstances, matching the weight (alcohol level and body) of the wine to the heaviness of the food is an important consideration.

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Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety that derives its name from the Latin sanguis Jovis. Sangiovese has shown itself to be adaptable to many different types of vineyard soils but seems to thrive in soils with a high concentration of limestone, having the potential to produce elegant wines with forceful aromas.
The grape requires a long growing season, as it buds early and is slow to ripen. The grape requires sufficient warmth to ripen fully, but too much warmth and its flavors can become diluted.
For the best quality, yields need to be kept in check as the vine is notably vigorous and prone to overproduction. In Chianti, most quality conscious producers limit their yields to 3 pounds (1.5 kg) of fruit per vine. Wine made from high-yielding vines tend to produce wines with light color, high acidity, and less alcohol, which are likely to oxidize ("brown") prematurely due to a lower concentration of tannins and anthocyanins (anti-oxidants). Fully developed grapes are typically 19 mm long x 17 mm wide, with an average weight of 3 grams.
Wines made from Sangiovese tend to exhibit the grape's naturally high acidity as well as moderate to high tannin content and light color. Blending can have a pronounced effect on enhancing or tempering the wine's quality. The dominant nature of Cabernet can sometimes have a disproportionate influence on the wine, even overwhelming Sangiovese character with black cherry, black currant, mulberry and plum fruit. Even percentages as low as 4 to 5% of Cabernet Sauvignon can overwhelm the Sangiovese if the fruit quality is not high. As the wine ages, some of these Cabernet dominant flavors can soften and reveal more Sangiovese character.

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

About grape varieties MARSELAN & PETIT VERDOT

First of all, I have to say that we have also these 2 grape sorts planted in our vineyard, and we're the only family winery in Montenegro which grows 6 different grape sorts in own vineyard. (Vranac, Marselan, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Kratoshija).

Marselan is a red French wine grape variety that is a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. It was first bred in 1961 by Paul Truel near the French town of Marseillan. The vine is grown mostly in the Languedoc wine region with some plantings in the Northern Coast of California. The grape usually produces a medium body red wine.
Along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Marselan is one of the grapes planted in the Sino-French Demonstration Vineyard, a collaboration project between the Chinese and French government intended to generate interest in grape winemaking in China by demonstrating French grapes and winemaking techniques.
The name "Marselan" is taken from the French coastal town of Marseillan located between Béziers and Montpellier where the phylloxera-safe vine collection of Domaine de Vassal is located. Operated by the INRA, Domaine de Vassal provided Marselan's parent Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache vines which Truel used in his breeding.
Marselan tends to produce large clusters of small berries that are mid-late ripening. It has strong disease resistance to botrytis bunch rot and powdery mildew as well as to coulure and mites.


Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen, it is added in small amounts to add tannin, colour and flavour to the blend. It has attracted attention among winemakers in the New World, where it ripens more reliably and has been made into single varietal wine. It is also useful in 'stiffening' the mid palate of Cabernet Sauvignon blends.
When young its aromas have been likened to banana and pencil shavings. Strong tones of violet and leather develop as it matures. The leaves have 3-5 lobes with a distinctively elongated central lobe. The small, cylindrical bunches are winged, with small black berries.
The name Petit Verdot ('small green') refers to one of the main problems with the grape, that often the berries fail to develop properly without the right weather during flowering. It also refers to the late ripening which usually comes too late for the Bordeaux climate. Petit Verdot also has a peculiar characteristic in that it produces more than two clusters per shoot.