Frequently asked questions
1. What is the capacity of the Wine Cellar?
The capacity of the Wine Cellar
is 18 million litres. However, we produce between 8 and 12 million litres per
year.
2. Which countries are your wines exported to?
The largest export market is the USA. This is followed by the countries of
former Yugoslavia and recently our export has been expanding more and more
to European countries.
3. What do you do with barrels that are no longer of use to you?
We either sell them or use them for promotion activities.
4. Which is the oldest wine in your Cellar?
Rebula 1957.
5. Which is healthier, white or red wine?
Both, if consumed in moderate quantities. Each has its nutritive compounds.
6. What is barrique?
In French, barrique means a small wooden barrel, the design of which originates
in Bordeaux, France, where its capacity is 225 litres. In Anjou, France, its
capacity is 232 litres, in Cote-D’or, France, 228 litres.
These barrels
were mainly used to ship wine from England to America. This is why new barrels
were needed every year. Thus, a new technology of red wine
production was born, to wit, “barrique wine production” which has
been booming WWin recently. The period of wine maturation in barriques varies
from 6 to 18 months but only in new barriques. Everything that the wine takes
in, has the exchange of air through the wood pores to thank for. The content
of gases in the wine drops, aromas which are the result of a stronger effect
of O2 are imparted to the wine. Wines treated in new barrels leach from the
oak the pirogalic tannin substances which are entirely different from the tannin
substances of the wine. These tannins will leave a sweet, velvety flavour and
they contain high quality aromatic substances recalling vanilla, chocolate,
coffee or cinnamon.
Various types of oak are used in barrel making: French,
American and oak from Slavonia. The preparation and manufacturing of the wood
for barrels is of utmost
importance. Cleft wood is better than sawn; if it is dried naturally it is
much better than dried artificially: lengthy drying in natural conditions is
very positive. Oak wood needs to be sawn at the temperature of 180º to
230º C. The barrique technology is primarily recommended for good vintage
wines and carefully chosen sites which are rich in substances that give a wine
the full-bodied character. The length of maturation of wine in a barrique has
an effect on the final character of the wine. The processes of oxidation in
a barrique progress slowly but constantly. By knowing the process of maturation
a vintner can contribute to the final quality of wine.
7. How is the effect of the barrique technology expressed in the organoleptic
characteristics of wine?
The appearance of white and red wines is more distinctive. The colour is
more intense. In red wines, tannin substances bind with pigments which enhance
the
colour.
The smell shows the characteristics of wood. It takes on the nuances
of roasted coffee, new leather, chocolate and vanilla.
The flavour is less astringent, tannin-like. The period wines spend in new
barrels has a positive effect on the restructuring of tannin substances
which change into a colloidal form and settle.
Polymerisation of flavones
reduces sourness, sweet tannins are obtained.
8. How many barriques have you got in your cellar?
Barrique /barik/ is a French word and stands for a 225-litre wooden barrel,
usually made of oak, which we use for red and white wines. The essence
of barrique wines is that they are rich-coloured, aromatic and full-bodied.
At the moment
there are 1,000 such barrels in our cellar.
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