Finally! Pinot from Crimea! Took a
couple of years … well, at least in non-bubbling-condition. Thanks to a good
friend - Большое спасибо Лена – this wine sopped
challenge has finally been accomplished. Unfortunately, this time I
won't be able to provide you guys with equally trottering and cheesy
reminicent anecdotes like from Australia the other day. Simply
because I've never really been to the very East of Europe. Something
I desperately have to fetch up with, I suppose. Back to matter on
tongue! Alma Estate was founded the first decade of this very
century. The actual privatization of agricultural land in
Crimea took a bit longer than in other regions of Eastern Europe. The
winery is situated in Bakhchisarai area on the western foothills of
Crimea a bit north-east of Sevastopol. The climate of this area can be
characterized as mild mediterranean, with moderate influence of the Black
Sea and good ventilation by sea breezes. Summers can be quite hot.
However winters can be strikingly cold which can be a rather tricky from time to time. The soils range from brown
loam in the elevated areas to the limestone and marlstone vineyards
of the riverlands. This particular soil is know to the locals as
"white-eyed clay". With help from Swiss and German experts
the actual professional wineproduction started from 2005 to 2008. So, it is a
quite new project. Today, Alma cultivates a very wide range of well
know European varieties on round about 160 hectares. My Pinot Noir from 2014 was
fermented at controlled temperature in both stainless steel and oak
tanks and was partially aged in oak barrels. Enough of my dry
blather! Now it's time for some serious drinking ...
