TASTING COMMENTS
Vrbanjka 2021 shows purity and depth. Wine aromas are complex, with spicy notes of white pepper and cinnamon infused by fruity aromas reminiscent of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry, as well as underlying hints of Mediterranean dried herbs. The palate is medium to full body, deep, concentrated, linear and pure at the same time with a very long vertical finish. Tannins are still firm but elegant, reflecting the limestone-rich and draining soil of Vrbanjka vineyard. Elegance, complexity, finesse and freshness in the glass. It is a wine built for a long ageing. It shamelessly stands in the line alongside famous Burgundy crus. 95 Pts from Jamie Goode (Wineanorak)
WINEMAKING STORY
Single vineyard wine. Grapes for this wine are harvested only from the top and mid-slope parts of the vineyard, where the growth is regulated by poor and draining soils with high proportion of limestone. Poor growing conditions results in small berries, small bunches and low yields what in turn brings concentration and complexity to the wines. Grapes are hand harvested in 15 kg crates, destemmed and whole berry fermented in open vats with 3 weeks of skin contact. After pressing into stainless steel tank to ensure that ferments are dry and to perform malolactic fermentation, the wine is kept in a second fill French oak barrique barrels and 500 l barrels for 12 months and 12 more months in stainless steel before bottling without fining and filtration.
VINTAGE 2021
Vintage 2021 was the smallest vintage on the record due to the sever spring frost that we have experienced very early in April. The temperatures dropped to -7°C on the 5th and 6th April, with bud bursting already well ahead. All the vineyards were severely affected, resulting in yield loss up to 60%. Summer in particular June was extremely warm resulting in fast phenology and fast grape ripening accentuated by small yields. Despite warm days, nights remained cool, particularly at the end of august and beginning of September. The harvest started early September. The whites from 2021 have beautiful acidity and aromatic freshness and depth. The reds are powerful, elegant and deep.
