A vineyard in Brhlovce.

Slovak wine is produced in the southern part of Slovakia, which is divided into 6 wine-producing areas.[1] Although Slovak wines except Tokaj are not well-known internationally, they are popular domestically and in neighbouring countries. The best wines are produced by medium-sized wineries with their own vineyards, with white wine production being most dominant, including the full range of historic sweet wines - ice wine, straw wine, and botrytized wine (e.g., Slovak Tokaj).[2]

History

During the period when the Jagiellonian dynasty ruled the area as part of the Kingdom of Hungary and shortly thereafter, Hungary and Slovakia had similar levels of wine quality and were integrated in terms of production. In the early 19th century, the historical region of current day Slovakia, was a major supplier of fine wines to European courts (as many as 57,000ha of vineyards),[2] while Phyolloxera decimated the wine industry, wine production was revived in the 20th century, with the total Slovak vineyard today, estimated at 16,000ha.[2]

Regions

Wine-producing regions in Slovakia.

Grape varieties

The most commonly grown grape varieties in Slovakia:

Modern hybrids

The following varieties were developed at VSSVVM Research and Breeding Station for Enology and Viticulture in Modra.

Origin specification

Typically, the label will specify the wine's origin with the following terms

Composition

Tokaj wine region located in southeastern Slovakia

The types of wine is usually labelled with one of the following terms:

Víno bez zemepisného označenia - "Wine without geographic indication" is replacing former category of Stolové víno - Table wine. Minimum level of sugar content is 13 °NM[clarification needed].[1]

Víno s chráneným zemepisným označením - "Wine with protected geographic indication" - produced from grapes registered in the List of registered varieties, grown, produced and bottled in one of the Slovak wine regions, maximum yield per hectare wasn't exceeded, minimum level of sugar content was 13 °NM and it fulfills the requirements of established product specification. It can be indicated with traditional term regionálne víno if the grapes reached 15 °NM, the maximum yield didn't exceed 18,000 kg/ha, wine has minimum 8.5% of alcohol and it complies with quality requirements.

Víno s chráneným označením pôvodu - "Wine with protected indication of origin" is produced from grapes registered in List of registered varieties, grown, produced and bottled in the same or proximate neighbouring Slovak wine regions, maximum yield per hectare wasn't exceeded, minimum level of sugar content was 16 °NM, there is existing protection on the designation of origin or geographical indication. Term Districtus Slovakia Controllatus, symbol and abbreviation "D. S. C." can be used if wine was certified.

Specific conditions

  • Mladé víno "Young wine" - has to be bottled before the end of the year of harvest. It is allowed to put the wine into the circulation as from the first Monday of November.
  • Archívne víno "Archive wine" - has matured at least three years after harvesting the grapes used for the production of the wine.
  • Panenská úroda "First fruits" - grapes used for the production came from the first harvest of a vineyard. The first harvest has to be from the third or fourth year after planting.
  • Kabinetné "Kabinett" - yielded from full mature grapes having natural sugar content of at least 19 °NM, and minimum of 9.5% alcohol. Wines are primarily suché - "dry", rarely polosuché - "medium dry".
  • Neskorý zber "Late harvest" yielded from full mature grapes having natural sugar contents of at least 21 °NM and minimum of 9.5% alcohol. Wines are primarily suché - "dry", occasionally polosuché - "medium dry" and rarely polosladké - "medium sweet".
  • Výber z hrozna "Grapes selection" - yielded from full mature grapes having natural sugar contents of at least 23 °NM, obtained from carefully selected bunches and with minimum of 9.5% alcohol. Residual sugar varies from suché to polosuché and polosladké - "dry, medium dry and medium sweet".
  • Bobuľový výber "Berry selection" - yielded from manually selected overripe grape bunches from which immature and impaired berries have been removed manually, having natural sugar contents of at least 26 °NM and at least 8% of alcohol. Wines are having mainly higher residual sugar - "polosuché and polosladké", although suché "dry" versions are common as well.
  • Hrozienkový výber "Raisin selection" - yielded exclusively from manually selected overripe natural grape berries, having sugar contents of at least 28 °NM and at least 8% alcohol. Wines are primarily sladké - "sweet".
  • Cibébový výber "Nobly rotten raisin selection" - yielded exclusively from manually selected overripe grape berries refined by effect of Botrytis cinerea Persoon, having natural sugar contents of at least 28 °NM and minimum content 8 % of alcohol. Wines are sladké - "sweet".
  • Ľadové víno "Ice wine" - yielded from grapes harvested at the temperature of minus 7 °C (19 °F) and lower, the grapes remained frozen during the harvesting and processing, and the obtained must had natural sugar contents of at least 27 °NM, wine has at least 6% of alcohol. Wines are sladké - "sweet".
  • Slamové víno "Straw wine" - yielded from well ripened grapes, stored before processing on straw or in reed matting, alternatively it has been left hanging on strings for at least three months and the natural sugar content of obtained must was at least 27 °NM, wine has at least 6% of alcohol. Wines are primarily sladké - "sweet".

Likérové víno "Liqueur wine"

Sugar content

Sparkling wines

A bottle of Slovak Tokaj wine

Traditional terms

  • Pestovateľský Sekt Basic conditions of the production are met with condition for producing quality sparkling wines and the last phase of the process of sparkling wine yielding is carried out by the winegrower of the vineyard from which grapes used for the production are. Single components of the cuvée of the pestovateľský sekt shall be from one wine-growing area.
  • Sekt vinohradníckej oblasti Sparkling wine obtained by primary or secondary fermentation of quality wine from grapes grown on wine-growing fields in wine-growing areas and exclusively in the wine-growing area where grapes for its yielding are grown or in immediately neighbouring area and basic conditions of the production are met with condition for quality sparkling wines.

Indication of the sugar content (sparkling wine, aerated sparkling wine, quality sparkling wine or quality aromatic sparkling wine)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Slovak Wine". Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Johnson; Robinson, High; Jancis (2019). The World Atlas of Wine (8th ed.). London, UK: Mitchell Beazley. p. 266. ISBN 978-1-78472-403-0.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

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