Dalia Splet
Winery: Vinarija Dalia
Classification: Dry red wine
Varietals: 80% Gamay, 20% Vranac
Appellation: Rogljevo-Rajac, Negotin Valley, Timok Region, Serbia
Density & Yield: 4.500 vines/ha, 1.2 kg/vine
Annual Production: 2,300 bottles
Alcohol: 14%
Climate: Continental with hot dry summers and harsh winters, even though in the last three years has been experienced considerable increases in temperature and increasingly mild winters; the temperature often reaches 40 degrees in the shade.
Terrain: Southwest facing and 3 km from the Timok River. The soil is a mixture of clay, sand and silt, with a good limestone content, and very rich in nutrients. The vineyards are positioned on 150 meters in elevation, with an average of 265 sunny days a year. The strong day-night temperature variations allow an excellent technological and phenolic maturation of the grapes.
Farming: Organically farmed, in conversion since 2021.
Vinification: Hand harvested in early October, fermented with indigenous yeasts in open vessels; macerated for 2 weeks. Aged for 10 months in used Serbian and French oak barrels of 225l. Unfined, unfiltered and minimal sulfur addition used at bottling.
Tasting Notes: Splet captures a wine of cultures and terroir intertwined. Combining Kristina’s experience and fondness for the wines of Beaujolais - and international varietals in the region (Gamay) - with the deep terroir of the Negotin Valley, and the indigenous grapes that thrive there (Vranac). It is a fruity wine with both elegance and intensity, showing a dark red-violet color. The bouquet is rich in earthy and stemmy notes, packed with deep red fruits such as dark cherry and raspberry. The body is deep but balanced, with silky balanced tannins and a lift of acidity behind the dark red fruit. The finish reveals delightful notes of liquorice, brambly red fruit, subtle cocoa nibs and a wonderful length.
Winery Information
Vinarija Dalia
The story of Vinarija Dalia is a great one; One of the rebirth of ancient and forgotten Serbian wine regions and the journey of a young woman winemaker returning home and sparking a renaissance for authentic wines in her home.
The young winemaker Kristina Lukić at Vinarija Dalia, started learning how to make wine in Italy. After completing her studies in viticulture and oenology at the University of Udine, during which she completed her first two harvests in Sardinia and in Beaujolais, she started her journey around the world to enrich her cultural and professional knowledge.