Kristinus Wine Estate on the souther shore of Lake Balaton is closer and closer to be certified fully biodynamic both in the vineyard and the cellar. „The initial idea was only to increase the quality and expressiveness of the grapes. Also getting out of the competition of mainstreamed wines and finding a sustainable way of agriculture” – explained Florian Zaruba Kristinus CEO about the beginnings in an earlier article of ours. The deeper he got into the topic, the more obvious it became for him to choose biodynamics. In 2018 all Kristinus wines were made without chemical pesticides and fungicides, and they have started to convert the cellar as well: Kristinus will not use any kind of synthetic products in the cellar, and they will get rid of selected yeasts as well.

Wines of heavenly harmony

I had the chance to taste a whole range of Kristinus wines around Christmas, and I must admit I was most impressed. All the wines were vibrant, full of flavours, long lasting and the ingredients were in perfect harmony. Just to mention two: the Pet Nat (made of 100% Zenit) was refreshing and full of notes of exotic fruits and the scents of a spring meadow. Holistic Kékfrankos (Blaufrankisch) 2018 was again abundant in fruit and floral notes, and with its smooth tannins, silky texture and medium body it was kind of ethereal for me. Damn delicious! You may say my sensation was influenced by my elevated soul (due to Christmas and family gatherings), but no, it was not the case. And now Kristinus has released its first Siller made of 100% Kékfrankos.

Do you know what Siller is?

As Elizabeth Gabay MW describes it in one her articles: “Siller (Schiller in German) is one of the oldest styles of rosé made. Its name means ‘to shimmer’ referring to the colour being between red and pink. Few people make siller today, with the fashion for an international pale rosé.“ Nowadays Siller is a rosé with darker pink colour, made with longer maceration (24–36 hours usually). The method comes from Swabian winemakers and traditionally it was produced by picking and fermenting red and white grapes together, but today it is made from red grapes only.

With a touch of saltiness

Kristinus Siller was soaking even longer, for 3 whole days. After spontaneous fermentation the wine spent 6 months on lees, and was bottled without filtration. “Behind the sweet overtones of red and black currants, cherries and raspberries, the Kékfrankos hits the palate with a mixture of red and black pepper spiciness. With a medium to long finish and incredibly smooth texture, a final touch of saltiness heightens the piquancy of the Kékfrankos and makes it a summer favourite.“

What to pair with it?
This fruity Siller pairs well with a wide range of plates from soft cheeses through duck to sushi – and at Lake Balaton you must try it with the obligatory Balaton fish soup.
“We like it well chilled, even right away from the ice bucket! Not overthought, mostly with friends, on a late Saturday afternoon, sprawled deep in a hammock under a walnut tree. Fresh and cheerfully honest.“  I can’t wait. The Siller is available from Bortársaság stores – in May within a selection of special offer.

More about Kristinus Wine Estate

Bortársaság May Selection with Kristinus Siller