Do not disturb – magic in progress! Treasury with winy scent — new Chateau Chizay wine cellar

Aged wines are «the highest league» in winemaking. Creating such valuable wines is a great responsibility and, in fact, an art.

Zoltan Udvarhelyi says:

“Important information: not every wine is worth aging, there are wines that taste wonderfully fresh and young! These are most of the white and pink ones that we recommend not to keep in the bottle for too long: it is best to drink them within 12-16 months after harvesting.

For maturing, the wine must have a special amount of qualities, this is called the “potential for aging“. Aging means that the wine stays in the oak barrel for a certain time. Usually at least six months. Most of our aged wines have been kept in barrels for 9 months. However, Pinot Noir of the 2017 harvest we kept in oak for 18 months, now we have this variety of 2018 with aging time of 12 months. And we have recently presented Cabernet Franc wine of the 2018 harvest with aging period of one and a half year.

By the way, we can mature not only dry wines, but also dessert ones. Author`s Transcarpathian Kagor rests six months in the oak, and the legendary “Rose of the Carpathians” for at least two years. They “live” in our old wine cellar.

What happens with wine in noble oak?

The process of micro-oxidation takes place, the wine breathes through the natural pores of the wood, it is enriched with various substances available in the oak, the intensity depends on the degree of barrel burning. Tannins are “rounded”, the wine is enriched with aromas of oak and specific notes, such as chocolate and vanilla, it becomes harmonious.

But it is essential not to overage wine, so as not to get unnecessary aromas of wood, when the oak interrupts the varietal character, and not to make the wine too “heavy”. To determine the shelf life and the specifics of the barrel not only for a particular variety, but for a particular batch of wine means to take into account a set of factors.

We use professional intuition based on knowledge and experience,” says the chief winemaker of Chateau Chizay.

… Furmint, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. These varieties spend many weeks in the comfort of the cellar. And plus additional maturing in bottles. Rest time after bottling for aged wines is also time when wine becomes even more elegant and “velvety”.

The founder of the wine company Gennadiy Gutman says:

“Creating dry aged wines of premium quality is a priority of Chateau Chizay. And the new wine repository is designed specifically for these most valuable wines, which have received increased attention. We enhance the number of barriques and direct for aging the most successful batches of wine from those varieties and areas that show themselves particularly well. Some of these wines are worth collecting. This year, even before the release, Cabernet Franc won the gold medal “Odesa Wine & Spirit Awards” at a professional blind tasting. We hope to please connoisseurs every season!”

You will find all 6 items of wines from this cellar in “Aged dry wines” line in the branded store of Chateau Chizay in Berehovo, or in online shop chizay.com/shop, and, of course, in wine boutiques and restaurants throughout Ukraine.

These are mainly mono-varietal wines. But there is an exception: skilful hands of the winemaker Zoltan combined some batches of three varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir) in the author’s proportion for the famous Cuvée.

Each aged wine is an interesting story that Chateau Chizay tells through its aroma and taste, and each time it is also a story about love for its land and its business.

We are happy to create wines for your delight. Taste them and have joy!