It was released for the first time a few days ago in very limited bottles.
Titles like “the best sparkling wine in Greece” etc. have begun to go around. We will say only just one thing. The Brut Cuvee Prestige Zero Dosage 2014 came just in time!
The highly anticipated vintage premium sparkling by Domaine Karanikas has already acquired impatient friends even before its release. Certainly stealing the show in one of the recent major exhibitions helped.
The Laurence (aka Lavrentis) Hartman is undoubtedly the specialist of sparkling wines in Greece. With his sparkling wines being "compared" with champagne even by major champagne critics worldwide, he has won the title deservedly. The Brut Cuvee Prestige Zero Dosage 2014 is Vintage, ie the grapes used come exclusively from one specific harvest, that of 2014. This happens only in exceptional vintages.
The small sticker Zero Dosage means that upon completion of the traditional method of Champagne (méthode traditionelle), they producer did not add any dosage, i.e. amount of sweet wine (as usual) to moderate the acidity.
Why did Laurence kai Annete choose not to add dosage? First of all because they had excellent quality fruit which could give great results even without dosage. Secondly because having two varieties whose main characteristic is crisp acidity, you should let them express themselves as they wish. Thirdly, because they can.
Biodynamic and organic cultivation of the two flagship varieties of Greece, Assyrtiko and Xinomavro at the cold vineyards of Aminteo gave ideal raw material for the production of sparkling wine. The fermentation of the two varieties takes place separately in barrels with indigenous wild yeasts. IThey were then blended together and remained in a tank for 3 months prior to bottling and starting the secondary fermentation (autolysis) in the bottle.
Applying the traditional method of Champagne with regular rotation of the bottles by hand to settle and eventually remove the yeast, the precious blend remained on the lees for 12 months. Unique complexity and sharp acidity make Brut Cuvee Prestige Zero Dosage the perfect pairing for oysters and festive nights.
Are you thinking of something better for the holidays?