– A conversation with Gérard Marinovitch, wine expert and vice-president of Spa Eastman
We are very proud to introduce our new Cuvée 2020 – the perfect apéritif to sip on your patio…
The grapes we chose
We opted for three white, hybrid North American varieties with a slightly higher acidic level than the ‘classic’ grape varieties (Vitis vinifera), such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon etc. Our wine principally consists of the Vidal grape (characterised by an aroma of apples and citrus fruit), St-Pépin, a German-style grape (it thrives in Northern Europe and is stronger and less acidic than Vidal) and Frontenac Blanc (white, with an aroma of peaches and tropical fruit) – in effect, an ideal blend of acidity, flavour and sweetness.
Exceeding the standards for organic wines
We are particularly proud of going above and beyond the protocols for making organic wines. Our grapes are cultivated according to the principles of sustainable agriculture and while we don’t hold an official certification as such, we employ eco-friendly techniques like not using any chemical additives. Our Cuvée 2020, for example, has a sulfite content of 5 parts per million (5ppm), whereas the organic norm is considerably higher, at 15ppm.
Alcohol content
We wanted to create a wine with an alcohol content lower than 12.5%, because personally, I find that if the percentage is any higher than that, the taste of the alcohol predominates, masking the wine’s bouquet. We did indeed manage to limit the alcohol content of Cuvée 2020 – at 12%.
The level of residual sugar
These days, many wines have very high levels of residual sugar, not least because so many people have a sweet tooth. I prefer a more ‘balanced’ wine that has a residual sugar level as close as possible to 2 grams per litre. However, the grape varieties we have chosen have complex levels of acidity and if the residual sugars get too low, the wines can take on a bitter taste. For that reason and to reflect the preferences of much of the drinking public, we have kept the sugar level at 2.8 grams per litre – an improvement on our Cuvée 2018, which had a sugar level of 4 grams.
Food and wine pairings
The next time you visit our restaurant, we suggest you pair our white wine with our Semi-cooked Tuna (with a sesame crust) or even the Chickpea and Amaranth crepe.
The wine also makes a great aperitif to serve with finger food or to sip in the comfort of your own home as you relax on your patio.
Order Cuvée 2020 online.
