Tasting Notes: Plum, black cherry and notes of blackberry jam. 16 months in French oak add notes of vanilla and a slight spice. Complex and well-balanced.
Region: Zakarpattya, Ukraine
Varieties: 100% Merlot
ABV: 14%
Closure: Cork
Pairing: A great Sunday roast chicken wine!
More Info: Ace is a series of wines made by Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky. After a taste of wine culture while competing in Bordeaux, France, Sergiy decided to rent 20 hectares of vineyards and started cultivating the existing grape varieties, Merlot, Saperavi, Rose Traminer, Chardonnay, Riesling, Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon. His first harvest was achieved in 2018 and he continues to produce new vintages every year.
Zakarpattya is an eastern region on the border of Hungary and Slovenia. Although the region is known for producing white wines, it has recently been producing reds using Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zweigelt. Although naturally cooler than the other wine growing regions, the vineyards here are protected from the cold northern winds by the Carpathian mountains, creating a special microclimate. Along with a lot of sunshine and vines planted on a slope, this creates a perfect environment for vine growth.
Since Russia's invasion into the Ukraine, it's wine industry has suffered immeasurable damage. Estates and wine cellars have been destroyed and many wine makers have been killed. Stakhovsky, among other vintners, sommeliers and grape growers, left his estate to enlist in the country's defence.
The future of Ukraine's wine industry is unsure, but we continue to support however we can.