Kozlovic Santa Lucia noir

• Grape variety: Merlot 50%,
  Cabernet Sauvignon 30%, Teran 20%
• Category: dry red wines
• Wine-growing area: West Istria, Croatia
• Vineyard: single vineyard Santa Lucia
• Age of vineyard: 11 - 14 years
• Altitude of vineyard: 240 m
• Vineyard orientation: southwest
• Soil composition: flysch, limestone, clay
• Harvested: by hand
• Vinification: manual grape selection, fermentation, pressing
• Aging: barrique 18 months, inox 12 months
• Maturation in bottles: 24 months
• Alcohol by volume: 15,0 %vol
• Total acidity: 5,7 g/l
• Unfermented sugar: 2,5 g/l
• Bottle size: 0,75l and 1,5 l
• Serving temperature: 18 °C

Winemaker's notes:

Santa Lucia Cuvée Noir is our »super Istrian«, produced from local (Teran) and international (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon) grapes growing in our Santa Lucia vineyard. A formula for a success. The colour is very deep violet, which is what one would expected from a Cabernet and Teran blend. It is quite intense on the nose showing lot of youth very ripe black fruits, earth, vanilla, oak Christmas cake and ripe cassis notes. You can’t deny neither Cabernet Sauvignon neither Teran in the blend. It is dry on the palate, full bodied, with lovely, ripe acidity which gives it a nice vertical dimension. There is plenty of nice, smooth tannins. Everything about this wine is actually happening on the palate, where a lot is going on. It has depth, length complexity and character. Seems like our learning curve has gone up a bit with 2013, which for us is the most elegant and complete Santa Lucia red to date. (Note: the tasting note refers to the vintage 2013 and is in our opinion representative of other vintages as the Teran is subject to little vintage-specific variations in taste and quality)

Combining with food:

No brainer with steaks, game and matured hard cheese

Aging potential:

This one is ready to drink already but will improve as it is still young. Drink within the next 15 years