Slovak wine
Slovak wine is produced in the southern part of Slovakia, which is divided into 6 wine-producing areas.
Although Slovak wines except Tokaj are not well known internationally, they are popular domestically and in neighbouring countries.
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. Moreover, they were also connected to vineyards in France as part of an economy. According to David Gass, owner of Fleurs de Gas Vineyards and one of thousands of direct descendants of Janos Wass, King Louis II's illegitimate son – after Budapest fell and King Louis II died at the Battle of Mohács, Janos was granted vineyards to produce wine in Bratislava. Some of the Wass family subsequently migrated to France, joining the wine country economy there.Regions
- Malokarpatská vinohradnícka oblasť - "Little Carpathians Wine Region"
- Južnoslovenská vinohradnícka oblasť - "South Slovak Wine Region"
- Nitrianska vinohradnícka oblasť - "Nitra Wine Region"
- Stredoslovenská vinohradnícka oblasť - "Central Slovak Wine Region"
- Východoslovenská vinohradnícka oblasť - "East Slovak Wine Region"
- Vinohradnícka oblasť Tokaj - "Wine Region of Tokaj"
Grape varieties
- Veltlínské zelené - White -
- Rizling vlašský - White -
- Frankovka modrá - Red -
- Müller-Thurgau - White -
- Svätovavrinecké - Red -
- Rulandské biele - White -
- Rizling rýnsky - White -
- Cabernet Sauvignon - Red -
- Rulandské modré - Red
- Rulandské šedé - White
- Tramín červený - White
Modern hybrids
- Hron
- Nitria
- Rimava
- Váh
- Dunaj
Origin specification
- vinohradnícka oblasť - region, e.g. Malokarpatská, Južnoslovenská, Nitrianska, Stredoslovenská, Východoslovenská and Tokajská
- vinohradnícky rajón - district - there are 40 districts in Slovak regions
- vinohradnícka obec - municipality/village - 690 in Slovakia
- vinohradnícky hon - vineyard
Composition
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.
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.
- Akostné víno - "Quality wine" classified by control institute as odrodové - "single varietal" or značkové "branded". Wine is made from the grapes of which natural sugar content is at least 16 °NM and the maximum yield was not exceeded with minimum of 9.5% alcohol. It can be chaptalised to 22 °NM for whites and 24 °NM for reds. Wine complies with quality requirements determined by special regulation.
Specific conditions
- Akostné víno s prívlastkom - "Quality wine with attribute" classified by the control institute as the "quality wine with attribute" complies with quality requirements determined by special regulation, the maximum yield per hectare is not exceeded, vine variety, origin of grapes, its natural sugar contents, weight and health condition are certified before processing by an employee of the control institute, the ban on increase in natural alcoholic strength by volume and adjustment of residual sugar is observed.
Sugar content
- Suché - "Dry" If its sugar content does not exceed 4 grams per litre, or 9 grams per litre, provided that the total acidity expressed as grams of tartaric acid per litre is not more than 2 grams below the residual sugar content.
- Polosuché "Medium dry" - If its sugar content exceeds the maximum set at above but not exceeds 12 grams per litre, or 18 grams per litre, provided that the total acidity expressed as grams of tartaric acid per litre is not more than 10 grams below the residual sugar content.
- Polosladké "Medium/Medium sweet" - If its sugar content is higher than the maximum set at above but not more than 45 grams per litre.
- Sladké "Sweet" - If its sugar content is of at least 45 grams per litre.
Sparkling wines
- Šumivé víno "Sparkling wine" shall be the product, which is obtained by first or second alcoholic fermentation from fresh grapes, grape must and from wine. Has an excess pressure, due to carbon dioxide in solution, of not less than 300 kPa when kept at a temperature of 20 °C in closed containers, when these are opened, it releases carbon dioxide derived exclusively from fermentation. The total alcoholic strength of the cuvées intended for their preparation shall not be less than 8.5% vol.
- Akostné šumivé víno "Quality sparkling wine" As sparkling wine. Excess pressure of not less than 350 kPa, the total alcoholic strength of the cuvées intended for their preparation shall not be less than 9% vol.
- Akostné aromatické šumivé víno "Quality aromatic sparkling wine" is obtained only by making use, when constituting the cuvée, of grape must or grape must in fermentation which are derived from specific wine grape varieties on a list, excess pressure of not less than 300 kPa, of which the actual alcoholic strength may not be less than 6% vol. and of which the total alcoholic strength may not be less than 10% vol.
Traditional terms
- Perlivé víno "Semi sparkling wine"
- Sýtené víno "Aerated sparkling wine"
- Brut Nature - If its sugar content is less than 3 grams per litre; these terms may be used only for products to which no sugar has been added after the secondary fermentation.
- Extra Brut - If its sugar content is between 0 and 6 grams per litre.
- Brut - If its sugar content is less than 12 grams per litre.
- Extra Dry - If its sugar content is between 12 and 17 grams per litre.
- Dry - If its sugar content is between 17 and 32 grams per litre.
- Demi - Sec - If its sugar content is between 32 and 50 grams per litre.
- Sladké - "Doux/Sweet" - If its sugar content is greater than 50 grams per litre.