I have already written an article about wine on my website. Author's wine, that's what it was called. It was in 2019. Time goes by and our winery is progressing. In 2021, we increased the volume of possible production, bought wonderful containers with hydraulic locks. Now it is possible to make 900 liters of wine in a season. The question arose where to get so much harvest. A successful location, an ecologically clean area with a lot of wild aronia bushes gave the result. In 2021, as many as 600 liters of ripe berries filled with sugar juice. From this harvest, exactly 300 liters of good-quality wine turned out. Since in the classic version the wine is made from grapes, it was decided to call this product NeVino from chernoplodka. By the way, I also planted grapes, frost-resistant varieties near the location of the winery and now in 2022 we will actively work to increase the potential of the raw material base.
As a child, I spent every summer at the sea. We went to visit relatives in the south. Involuntarily I watched my uncle and grandfather making wine from grapes that grew in the yard. In 2006 he graduated from the first sommelier school in Russia, on the basis of the Moscow restaurant "Nostalgia". Visited various wineries. The sea, the sun, a glass of cool wine, these factors have left positive memories for many people on the planet. Since 1998, I have been working in the restaurant business, cooking and finding new successful combinations are part of my life. A good tandem of wine and food is the key to a great dinner. But the wine is different. The energy of the sun, the soul, the love of the product, positive energy - sealed in a bottle and a well-chosen gastronomic couple. The uniqueness of my product lies in everything from raw materials to the region, temperature conditions and philosophy. Therefore, I position my drink as a biodynamic mango from a black fruit.
What is NeVino from Aronia?
NeVino is a biodynamic* drink of natural fermentation from black-fruited mountain ash or, as it is also called, aronia. To balance the taste, we add lingonberries, wild apples, chili peppers, oak and other ingredients that grow near the winery.
Aged innocently in glass with oak. We take only the middle part of the oak, prick it and burn it. We are preparing a drink without sulfur, to be more specific, fermentation is not completely stopped. The berries are carefully harvested by hand, only those that have gained enough sugar. Aronia has a specific tartness, and blending it with fermented apple and currant, very interesting new flavor notes are obtained.
*Biodynamic agriculture is a spiritual, ethical and ecological approach to agriculture, gardens and food production.
Why is Nevino from chernoplodka?
First of all, it is uniqueness. In addition, aronia contains vitamins A and C, E, beta-carotene, PP, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium. Chernoplodka lowers blood pressure, acts as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent. These are useful berries, they grow near the winery.
About production
We cook NeVino on the shore of Lake Ladoga in the village of Lavrovo.
A picturesque place with black currant bushes and wild apple trees.
Environmental maps report that Lavrovo is a clean place, where there are no heavy metals, organic toxins, radon and lead.
We remove the berries manually, select the ripest ones that have gained maximum sugar.
The main composition of the initial wort is chernoplodka.
It has a characteristic astringency, so we add apples and black currants to some containers. Apples give a mild taste after fermentation, and black currant gives sourness.
After the raw material has fermented, we filter it and put it on a quiet fermentation, removing the sediment in a certain interval. At each stage we taste, blend.
After removing the sediment, the drink is maintained.
In the final, we balance the taste, remove the indicators and pour.
With what to drink NeVino from chernoplodka?
The theory that white wine goes with white fish, and local wine goes with a regional dish, in my opinion, is nonsense. There are no rules. Only a successful combination of tastes matters. To do this, you need to know the products, take into account the fat content of the dish, the tannin, the acidity of the wine and many other aspects. Therefore, we thoughtfully tasted, compared impressions, emotions. The gastronomic accompaniment was carefully selected.
This is what makes our wine from chernoplodka different from others — we serve it in a complex at my blind tastings and gastro-dinners.
NeVino from chernoplodka harvest 2021.
This year I made 5 flavor combinations and marked them with round stickers with the names of those tastes and smells that can be traced in the drink. This does not mean that these products are contained there. By blending, the notes of these ingredients are expressed to a certain extent.
NeVino: No. 1 Blend of aronia with black currant
Sugar 5%, strength 14*
What experts say: Incredibly rich, moderately dense. Magical notes of purple basil, black currant, star anise, black pepper, prunes, oak.
Moderate tannins, tart, rather high acidity, low sugar, increasing sharpness, very long aftertaste.
NeVino: No. 2 Blend of aronia with apple
Sugar 6%, strength 13*
What experts say: An intense, complex nose, a lot of citrus shades turning into forest notes. Orange, grapefruit, cranberries, cinnamon, moss, apple pie. Excellent balance of acidity, light tannins, moderate sugar, bright minerality, long and spicy finish.
NeVino: No. 3 Blend of aronia with apple
Sugar 3%, strength 12*
What experts say: Very tasty nose, predominant star anise, anise, cherry, spices. A pleasant duet of sharpness and acidity. The taste is chili, ginger, wild berry, earth. At the same time, it is full and balanced with an incredibly long, growing aftertaste.
NeVino: No. 4 Chokeberry
Sugar 4%, strength 12*
What experts say: Magical, elegant with a rich, thick aroma of black berries, spices, hot charlotte with cinnamon and walnut, oak. Excellent acidity in balance with minerality. It opens up amazingly in a glass. Aeration is needed. Piquant tartness with a long aftertaste.
NeVino: No. 5 Blend of black fruit with apple and grapes
Sugar 3%, strength 11*
What experts say: The nose is bright, juicy. Black berry with melted milk, leather, baked apple, oak. Elegant acidity with unobtrusive tannins. Quite soft and balanced.
