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- Published: 16 February 2015 16 February 2015
As we toured the tunnels and subterranean rooms, we stopped to have a glass of sparkling wine and view a cross-section of the rock strata through which the roots of the vines had to do battle.
Interest in the winery has created demand for aficionados to lease whole alcoves in the cellar to store vintages for subsequent decades. They are looking oversubscribed but I must say, I rather fancied one myself!
Sauvignon Blanc late harvest 2014 - This was young fresh and really zesty with a pear-drop boiled sweet flavour that is so attractive. Easy and uncomplicated; a great party wine because everyone loves chatting with titivated, watering gums, no?
The Velke Pavlovice, Chardonnay 2012 - Exceptional wine, completely unexpected. It could easily have slipped out of a Burgundian cellar with buttery and creamy softness. Luxurious and rakish… we bought a case of 6 and only have 1 left!
Velke Pavlovice Andre Rose 2012 - Think fresh ripe summer fruits: raspberries, strawberries. This is balanced with mouth watering acidity that make another sip inevitable! Delicious, easy drinking and is certain to put a smile on your face. The Andre Rose is the kind of wine to store in the back fridge on stand-by!
Velke Pavlovice, Andre 2012 (red) old vines - Plummy, dark berry fruits with a good grip of tannin. A perfect wine for a wide range of dishes. In this part of Europe it would be meat dishes such as goose or beef but roasted or fried vegetables would also be a fine partner. I am surprised that this wine has developed so well considering the climate here and Thomas admits it has been a challenge. But climate is changing and the reds are on the up!
The Velke Pavlovice, “Agni” 2014 - this was a surprise and really quite a special wine. A big sweet red number with 35g sugar added but, wow, what a joy! Deep ruby red in colour with big burst of cranberry on the nose and the secondary aromas of all kinds of summer berries. A real treat but, I am told, drink it within 3 years!
In summary...
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