Milan Nestarec - Umami -2021 - 13,5% - Achtele Field Blend + Slovenské

Uber Mega Aromatic Master of Indulgence. I just made that up.

Majesty without a crown. Reassurance. Embrace. Uplift and encouragement.

Achtele, Bilovice. Loess. Traminer.

This wine was born in 2017 to be paired with Asian cuisine that both I and my wife love so much – cherchez la faim! Originally a blend, now pure Traminer. This variety is one of the oldest ever, the ancestor of many other ones, so I always see the barrel as the "queen bee" of my cellar.

The Achtele vineyard is a historic site that can give a truly balanced Traminer – it forms an amphitheatre which naturally leads to less airflow and a tendency to botrytis in the lower part of the vineyard, while the upper part ripens more slowly. We try to preserve this contrast in the wine itself – the result is an unexpected harmony of opulence and laser-sharp acidity that calls for yet another explorative sip.

The White Labels are our top-shelf wines, the pinnacle of our work. Hailing from our most interesting micro-locations, oldest vines, and often field blends. This unique energy is preserved by the gentlest treatment and several years of undisturbed ageing in our cellar. Minimal interventions, maximum genius loci.

These wines speak about our quest for elegance in all our imperfections. Purism inside and out. Pouring in our hearts as well as all our long-term work and know-how, something I'm proud of. All that is reflected on the labels. When working on them, we took out elements that weren’t essential until only my signature and the name of the wine remained. Because, as they say, perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

I don't wanna look like a natural-born sage - it took me some time to get there. My journey, like many others, has been paved with gold engravings and curlicues, like on a fancy tombstone. “Nestarec, a wine for funerals”, as a friend of mine dubbed it back then. Oops. But I remember that period fondly - it's a part of my evolution. No regrets, like in that famous Edith Piaf song.

An excellent vintage, IMO one of the best of the last 10 years (paralleled only by 2023). Beautiful, balanced ripening, the grapes had perfect fenolic maturity while retaining solid acidity. Exceptional
vintage, wines with endless potential.

This wine’s historic site forms a natural amphitheatre which naturally leads to less airflow and a tendency to botrytis in the lower part of the vineyard, while the upper part ripens more slowly. We try to preserve this contrast in the wine itself – the result is an unexpected harmony of aromatic opulence and laser-sharp acidity that calls for yet another explorative sip. Born to be paired with (Asian) food – cherchez la faim.

Grape varieties Traminer (Red and Gewurz)
Region Moravia
Subregion Velkopavlovická
Village Velké Bílovice
Vineyard Achtele (+ Slovenské)
Aspect South-west
Average altitude 260 m ASL
Slope 7%
Soil Sand, clay
Farming Organic (certified by ABCERT)
Age of vines 15-40 years
Vineyard size 1.35 ha
Training system Guyot
Density of plantation 2.00 x 1.00 m
Yield 28 hl/ha
Harvest By hand, September 23, 2021
Vinification 4 days skin maceration
Pressing 10 hours of pneumatic press, in the first half of fermentation
Fermentation Spontaneous
Ageing Stockinger oak barrel, 3000 litres, used
Fining No
Filtration No
Sulfur addition No
Bottling August 16, 2023
Lot number UMA21
Alcohol by volume 13.5%
Acids 6.1 g/l
Residual sugar 0.3 g/l
Bottle 0.75 l. Velaria Burgundy
Closure Ardeaseal Organic
Serving temperature 12-14 °C