Aware that wine has been made in our lands for millennia, we humbly honor traditions by taking the best of them and combining it with the latest and most modern trends in winemaking. We truly believe that we cannot build a future without knowing our past and roots. We also understand that to create quality wine with character, we must first focus our efforts on working in the vineyards and growing the grapes, getting to know them well. This way, when the time comes for them to turn into wine, we know how to get the best out of them. Therefore, we take a highly individualized approach to each batch in terms of technology, with minimal intervention, combining different temperature and extraction regimes, but always with the utmost care and respect for every single grape.
Acceptance and Assessment of Grapes
Before the start of the harvest, a series of quantitative and qualitative analyses are conducted for each variety from each specific plot in the vineyards. This allows us to precisely determine the optimal time for picking and to select the most suitable technological regimes to maximize the potential of the grapes. The grapes are harvested entirely by hand, in plastic crates holding a maximum of 10 kg each. Given the small batches we process, this enables us to complete the harvest before noon, before it gets too hot, thus preserving the aromas and allowing for quick processing in the winery immediately after picking, giving the future wine an excellent start.
Sorting of Grapes
This operation is mandatory for the production of high-quality wines, especially those intended for aging. Sorting is done manually in two stages: first, whole clusters are selected, followed by careful selection of the separated berries using special inspection belts.
Destemming and Crushing of Grapes
Destemming is a technological operation where the grape berries are separated from the stems to prevent the latter from participating in the mass exchange processes with the must and deteriorating the quality of the future wine. It is mandatory for the vinification of red grapes to obtain high-quality red wines. Crushing is a technological operation whose main task is to ensure the release of the free liquid phase – grape must, which will turn into wine through alcoholic fermentation. Crushing can precede or follow destemming.
Cold Enzymatic Maceration
Maceration is an ancient technological operation now widely used in red wine production. It creates optimal conditions to fully express the potential of the grape variety. Maceration is carried out in the vinificators before alcoholic fermentation, at low temperatures (8-10 degrees Celsius), for 6-8 days. The maceration time depends on the characteristics of the variety, temperature, and ripeness of the grapes, and the desired development direction of the wine.
Alcoholic Fermentation
Alcoholic fermentation is the main process that turns grape must into a completely new product - wine. It is a microbiological process consisting of many consecutive biochemical reactions occurring inside the yeast cell, where the sugars in the grape must are converted into alcohol. It takes place at temperatures ranging from 24-28 degrees Celsius, with the specific regime - temperature and extraction - being individually determined for each grape variety, depending on the desired profile of the resulting wine - whether it will be more elegant and fruity or more extractive, with higher tannin content for aging.
Draining and Pressing of the Grape Mash
At a certain point, due to reaching the desired degree of extraction processes, the young wine needs to be separated from the solid parts of the grapes. This is done using a perforated drainage surface, whose openings retain the solid parts of the grapes and allow the free liquid phase to pass through. In winemaking practice, the following compromise solution is adopted - the separation of the liquid from the solid phase is carried out in two stages: draining and pressing.
Draining
This is the first stage of separating the liquid phase from the solid parts of the grapes, meeting the requirement for maximum product quality at optimal yield. The grape mash is rich in free liquid phase - wine, which moves freely between the solid parts.
Pressing
This is the second stage of separating the young wine from the solid parts, ensuring efficient raw material processing. It is done with a pneumatic or basket press. The grape mash no longer contains a free liquid phase, which has already been separated during the draining process. Pressing under pressure releases additional amounts of wine.
Silent Fermentation
At a certain stage of its development, the young wine is separated from the pomace, and the vigorous fermentation transitions into silent fermentation. To ensure normal progression, open racking is carried out with wide air access, providing the necessary oxygen for yeast development and separating yeast sediment, which remains at the bottom of the fermenter.
Malolactic Fermentation
Malolactic fermentation is as important as alcoholic fermentation and should be given similar attention. It represents a biological reduction of wine acidity. Under the influence of specific bacteria, malic acid breaks down into lactic acid and CO2. In this process, the sharp "green" acidity of malic acid is replaced by the soft and pleasantly sour taste of lactic acid. The wine becomes not only rounder and more harmonious but also undergoes favorable changes in taste, aroma, and even color.
Filtration
Depending on the wine's profile and whether it will be aged (in containers or oak barrels) or marketed unaged (more elegant and fruity), the process concludes with clarification through filtration. Filtration is a widely used technique and is considered a universal method for separating suspensions. It relies on mechanically retaining the solid phase by a mechanical barrier capable of passing the liquid. To minimize coarsening and maximize protection of the wine at this sensitive stage, we use an orthogonal filter, ensuring no loss of aromatic and polyphenolic substances. This allows you to taste and enjoy one of nature's wonders, carefully and humbly guided by us.