On October 2020, the premiere of the new Ukrainian wine brand Leleka Wines from Wine Discovery Selection took place.

Wine Discovery Selection (WDS) under the leadership of Beso Chikhradze is known for importing its own finds to Ukraine - high-quality and up-to-date wines from Georgia, Slovenia and Germany.

For example, Orgo wines by winemaker Giorgi Dakishvili, which WDS delivers to Ukraine, were highly praised by wine critics and entered the rankings of the best wines in their category. Orgo Saperavi red wine in 2012 from a clay jar "kvevri" received 92 points out of 100 from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. And "orange wine" Orgo Rkatsiteli - 90 points out of 100.

Therefore, our expectations from the Ukrainian wine created by WDS are high - it should be at the level of other quality wines in the company's portfolio.

Leleka Wines got its name from the Ukrainian symbol of family and well-being - storks ( Leleka on Ukrainian). The image of a bird was chosen on the wave of Ukrainians' travels in Europe and the world. Just as storks return to their native lands after wintering, so do travellers return home each time. Leleka Wines was created to celebrate this return and to accompany travel stories. Actually, this is said in the brand's slogan:

"Wine of winged stories."

Southern Bessarabia was chosen to produce the new wine. Grapes for Leleka Wines grow near the village of Dolinka, Saratov district, Odessa region.

The characteristics of grapes are influenced by the maximum heat and sun for ripening berries, the soil palette of the Danube-Dniester interfluve and sea air masses from the Black Sea. Oenologist Zurab Kuchukhidze from Georgia is responsible for growing grapes and wine production.

The founders of the brand claim that all components - from grapes to the development and material of the label - are of Ukrainian origin. The only exceptions are French oak barrels and corks from the French manufacturer Diam. It was chosen to protect wine from "cortical disease". Bottling of wine takes place at the facilities of PJSC "Odesavinprom".

Six wines from the Leleka Wines collection - four single-varietal dry wines and two semi-sweet ones. They are all made from 2019 grapes.

The aroma of Chardonnay revealed notes of ripe green apples, pears, melons and white fruits. The taste has a good balance of acidity and aftertaste of white fruit. The wine did not stand in the barrel, but spent a month on the sediment in a steel tank, so it has a bright, fresh, light style and drinkable taste.

White dry wine from the Pinot Gris variety (or Pinot Grigio) also wasn't kept the barrel. The wine did not survive the sediment, but spent about nine months in steel tanks for "rounding".

Merlot. Grapes were harvested from vines aged 15 years. After maceration, the wine was aged for an additional five months in old oak barrels. The aroma has red ripe berries - blueberries, blackberries, plums and prunes, notes of sapyan. Noticeable, but moderate and delicate tannins were found in the taste.

The yield of Cabernet Sauvignon was limited to 8-9 t / ha. The age of the vine is 15 years. The aroma of the wine revealed notes of black currant and cherry. Saturated tannins and well-defined acidity were found in the taste, which gives the wine the potential for aging.

Red semi-sweet wine is made from the same Merlot grapes used for Leleka Wines dry Merlot wine. The sommelier advise is to try it with desserts based on cream with red berries.

We pay tribute to the experience and efforts of WDS - with the launch of Leleka Wines, the Ukrainian consumer received a new quality product at an affordable price.

We really hope you will like it. Cheers!

Based on the materials of PostEat