Chardonnay 2023

The growing season in Brda began with mild and dry winter weather. Spring was somewhat cooler, leading to a slightly delayed start of the growing season compared to previous years. Flowering began around June 1st. The cooler temperatures, along with frequent rainfall during late spring and early summer, caused the vines to progress more slowly, but the development was uninterrupted. The summer of 2020 was lovely, characterized by sunny and warm weather, without any concerning heat waves and occasional rain showers that ensured optimal cluster growth and development. Gradual grape ripening took place in excellent conditions, with the right balance of sunlight and occasional rainfall. The harvest began in September and went exceptionally well. As a result, we expect an exceptionally high-quality vintage for both white and red wines.

The 2021 growing season will be remembered for unusual climatic conditions. We experienced a relatively mild winter, with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing, and very little rain, indicating the possibility of an early bud break. In contrast, temperatures decreased in March and April, and the cold weather continued into May, resulting in an extremely late start to flowering this year, which began on June 14th—marking the latest it has been in the last 25 years. Immediately after it began, temperatures quickly rose, and flowering progressed smoothly and rapidly for all grape varieties. Conditions returned to normal with a beautiful, warm summer—free from extreme heat waves and with little rainfall. This allowed the vines to catch up to a normal pace, ensuring optimal vine activity and cluster development. The sunny, dry, and pleasantly warm conditions in the fall allowed the grapes to reach optimal ripeness. Hand harvesting, which began in the first week of September, brought the highest quality grapes to the cellar, with whole, healthy grapes, an excellent balance of sugar levels and acidity, and deeply aromatic grapes. We anticipate above-average quality in both white and red wines. The red wines will be intensely colored this year, with soft and mature tannins.

The vintage featured extreme weather conditions, with very little rain and numerous heatwaves during the summer. Once again, this vintage demonstrated the importance of biodynamic farming and organic practices that yield exceptional results. The dry and somewhat cold spring in March and April slowed down budding and vine growth, a trend that was even more pronounced in May when less than 20 mm of rain fell throughout the month. June had slightly more rain, but it often came in the form of torrential downpours, causing much of the water to run off due to the Opoka soil structure. By August, we had received only half of the long-term average rainfall for our region. The harvest started in the second half of August, and at the same time, we welcomed revitalizing rainfall that restored the balance of vegetative vine growth, ensuring complete and optimal ripening. Hand-picked grapes were exceptionally healthy and achieved optimal ripeness. Once again, we have produced wines of superior quality, with grapes containing above-average sugar levels, even the skins and seeds have contained more phenolic and aromatic characteristics, allowing us to create varientaly expressive wines with extreme elegance. Our conclusion for the 2022 vintage would be that vineyards in iconic locations, cultivated through organic practices, yielded exceptional quality organic grapes and handled water stress and heatwaves more effectively.

The cold spring with a lot of rainfall transitioned into an exceptionally wet summer, where rainy days alternated with remarkably beautiful sunny days. In July, hailstorms struck the Brda region, so we devoted extensive time in the vineyards to protect the vines and grapes using various organic practices that have proven effective in the past. Nonetheless, we were grateful to have beautiful, warm weather in September, allowing the grapes to achieve full ripeness. However, this year's yield is approximately 20% lower than the average. Wines from the 2023 vintage will be lower in alcohol, mineral-rich, and with a pronounced freshness, in line with current wine market trends. Producers in our region emphasize how the 2023 vintage showcases the remarkable adaptation of the Brda Rebula grape to climate change. With the indigenous Rebula variety, losses are minimal, and despite less favorable weather conditions, the quality remains exceptionally high.