Valter Sirk – Chardonnay ConteA, 2012

Time to look at another beauty coming from the cellar of Valter Sirk. A wine, readily recalling its Burgundian origins, as we’re tasting his ConteA Chardonnay which has been marked by extensive maturation in tonneaux.

This Chardonnay has been produced with a spontaneous fermentation of the must and by a four-year maturation in new oak tonneaux barrels of French origin on fine lees. After decanting, it spent at least four months in the bottle and an additional time in the cellar until finally making it onto my table. Unfortunately, only 1,000 bottles were produced, so this only speaks of how lucky I can be to have it sipped.

Valter’s Chardonnay ConteA presents with an extractive, golden yellow colour with an almost oily texture.

Its aromas are intense, tempting. We detect apple slices, dry lemon peel, and roasted pineapple that are finally opening to scents of honey, vanilla, caramel, roasted hazelnuts, sweet root and dry Mediterranean herbs.

A wine of softness and well-integrated alcohols that still shows a good measure of freshness and minerality, finishing with a slight tannic touch. Intense, full-bodied wine of elegance and long-lasting aftertaste with pleasing honey, wax and dried fruit notes that merge with vanilla, butteriness and nuts.

A bottle will cost you approximately 25 Eur, and it is available at Mabat-Int, Deliz (where you can get also magnums), mimovrste, Per Bacco viniwines, Esquvino and Italvinus.