What else did Miss Egertová tell us about the spirits?
“Since October, you have been offering two new types of wine spirits: Pomace Spirit and Neronet. How do they taste? What is the difference between them?”
“Honestly, apart from connoisseurs, many would not be able to find many distinctions. However, for those who are interested in spirits, I recommend to taste the products and chose the one that would suit them best, for every person has different preferences, especially when it comes to alcohol. The Pomace Spirit has a distinct taste of alcohol, it is less fruity, but it has weaker aroma. Neronet, on the contrary, has stronger aroma and subtle fruity finish.”
“You mentioned that you wanted to test differences between the distilled spirit made of pomace and the one distilled from wine. What is your conclusion?”
“Actually, it was not as much about testing something, as about finding a use for everything. We want to use all material that has no other use anymore. In the case of pomace, the choice is easy, as it would be used for compost otherwise. However, we cannot make pomace spirit every year, as it is a demanding job, which requires additional containers and more space in the cellar, that we don’t really have. And then there is the time frame in which the harvest takes place. Sometimes it is not possible to do everything. So, if the conditions are favourable and the harvest takes place over a longer time frame, we can pursue these additional tasks.
Making brandy from finished wine is also a utilisation of something that has no other use. It is a wine that is no longer suitable for ordinary consumption because it is so-called ‘past its prime’. Unfortunately, some vintners do not care and sell such wines, but not us. We only offer our customers wine in a great shape to provide a truly unique experience. And as regards the wine past its prime, we prefer to use it for making brandy.”
“Are the new spirits in any way different to the three varieties of spirits, (Rulandské šedé/Pinot Grigio, Tramín červený/Gewürtztraminer and Muškát moravský/Moravian Muscat), that the Botanical Garden of the City of Prague offered its clients last year?”
“The taste of alcohol is bolder in those distilled spirits. Therefore, they would be appreciated by consumers who prefer hard liquors. On the contrary, the consumer can enjoy a variety of subtle fruity aromas and tastes from the spirits distilled from the varietal wine. But the age of the spirit is also important. Distilled spirits are not to be consumed without patience, the older the better.”
“In 2017, you produced 130 bottles of spirits in total. How many did you produce this year?”
“This year, we produced 341 half-litre bottles of Pomace Spirit and 200 half-litre bottles of Neronet.”
“How much time does the fermentation of pomace take?”
“The Fermentation of pomace takes between 14-30 days. It depends on the type and quality of the raw material and the temperature at the fermentation.”
“Do you intend to extend your range of spirits even further?”
“Not for the moment, because for us, the spirits are mostly intended to diversify our products on offer and to catch the visitor’s attention. However, our priority is to make great wines that would make our customers want to come back. The spirits are now on offer all at the same time. That is great for those who want to try more than one type of spirit to make their own opinion, eventually to choose and to bring home the one that suits them best. This, however, will not last forever, as there are just a few remaining bottles of some types.
All that remains is for me to invite you to come for a glass and to wish you a calm and pleasant moment with a glass of our wine or spirits, preferably right in the vineyard sv. Kláry”
What is pálenka?
You can encounter various names for these spirits, or clear brandies, that are famous products of Czech and Moravia: pálenka, destilát, popularly also kořalka or šnaps. It is a rare spirit produced by the distillation of fermented pulp, made from crushed fruits and other parts of plants. After this process, there comes the time of maturing, usually in oak barrels, that gives the spirit its colour and, partly, its taste. The maturing process can also be achieved by an ultrasonic device, used in modern distilleries. The volume of alcohol in pálenka should be between 36% and 50%. Every pálenka has a distinct aroma of the fruit from which it is made. The best-known types of pálenka are slivovice (plum spirit), hruškovice (pear spirit), třešňovice (cherry spirit), meruňkovice (apricot spirit) and jabkovice (apple spirit) …
Vinotéka sv. Kláry (St Clare’s Wine Cellar)
Opening times December to February:
Monday to Friday 1pm-5pm
Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays: 11am-5pm