Wine with Potential: Vedernikov Winery Unveils Specialties from Two Premium Collections

Vedernikov Winery, the flagship in working with native Russian grape varieties, unveils unique specialties— premium wines with high ageability. The first of them is the impressive brutal red wine "Vedernikov Winery. Tverdy Znak No. 2"— a 2020 vintage assemblage of the indigenous Krasnostop Zolotovsky and the international Cabernet Sauvignon. Another bright release is sparkling wine "Vedernikov Winery Reserve. SibirkovyAligote"— the first brut nature created using traditional technology from Sibirkovy and Aligote grapes a la Blanc de Blancs aged sur lie for more than three years. The new wines reflect the history of Vedernikov Winery and its commitment to create world-class master wines, as well as demonstrate the original experimental approach of chief winemaker Gulbala Zeidov.

Vedernikov Winery is the leader of the Don winemaking, whose mission is to create premium wines from indigenous grape varieties. Based on the principles of quality and authenticity, the winery forms a new understanding of the potential of Russian wines on the world stage.

Like the first wine of the flagship collection, "Vedernikov Winery. Tverdy Znak No.2" underlines the uniqueness and powerful character of the Krasnostop Zolotovsky— an indigenous Don variety that is iconic for the winery. Its assemblage also includes the classic international variety Cabernet Sauvignon. For both varieties, featured in equal proportions (50/50), only grapes were used from covered and own-rooted vines, which are 22 years old. The assemblage reflects the winery's history and its commitment to create unique, first-class wines.

"Vedernikov Winery. Tverdy Znak No.2", bearing the protected geographical indication "Don Valley", is a premium dry red wine with high ageability, embodying the creative approach of famous winemaker Gulbala Zeidov. The design of the wine expresses the heroic character of Vedernikov Winery— a sleek bottle decorated with the golden initials of the winery and a graphic hard sign, which is a symbol of the will and determination of the team growing grapes in difficult conditions. The assemblage reflects the heritage of the winery's terroir: centuries-old traditions, invaluable experience, own-rooted vines and vintage wines of exceptional years. To create the versatile and complex profile of "Vedernikov Winery. Tverdy Znak No.2", variable aging in oak casks of different volumes is used. Each variety is vinified and matures separately in second- and third-passage casks for 12 to 24 months, revealing its distinctive character.

"Tverdy Znak No.2", deep garnet in color, shimmers in a glass with velvety highlights. The complex flavor is intertwined with spicy notes of dark berries and fruits and hints of herbs, which gradually give way to elegant tones of cherry jam, thyme, prunes, vanilla and a light, almost ethereal note of menthol and chocolate. The wine's mouth is the epitome of power with rich tannins, intensity and a perfect balance of fruitiness, acidity and woody-spicy nuances. In the second wave of taste, brighter fruit hints are revealed, turning into a long and mild aftertaste. The noble character of the wine will continue to develop after a long period of storage in the bottle: it will reach a new level of expressiveness, the bouquet and tannins will find exceptional harmony. The destiny of this wine is to become the gem of a private wine collection. "Vedernikov Winery. Tverdy Znak No.2" is an ideal companion for haute cuisine, but its essence lies in self-sufficiency worthy of the attention of aficionados and the most discerning collectors.

New sparkling wine "Vedernikov Winery Reserve. SibirkovyAligote" has become another landmark release of this year, introducing a new proprietor's 50/50 assemblage. The noble character of Aligote in a sparkling style was first revealed by Gulbala Zeidov through his work with pét-nats, and is now presented in a classic sparkling interpretation. The specialty became the first Brut Nature in the collection: balanced sparkling wine that does not require dosage. Created using traditional technology, the wine has been aged sur lie for more than three years. For the first time in the history of Vedernikov Winery, sparkling wine, in addition to the classic volume of 0.75L, will be presented a little later in a Magnum bottle of 1.5 L.

"Vedernikov Winery Reserve. Sibirkovy Aligote" is a pearl-golden wine with delicate pearlage and a clean, complex bouquet combining notes of white flowers, yellow apple, pear and cherry plum with light hints of honey, lemon zest, herbs and pronounced minerality. It captivates with its noble, rich and fresh taste with seductive nuances of white fruits and flowers, piquant sourness, light hints of meadow grasses, juicy apple and candied fruits. Mineral tones develop in a very long aftertaste.

"We are positive that our wines will take their rightful place among the best Russian indigenous wines and will be highly appreciated not only in Russia, but also in the world. We continue to expand Vedernikov Winery's collection and present a new expressive assemblage of Krasnostop Zolotovsky and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the first sparkling Brut Nature with an ultimate balance. These wines demonstrate not only the outstanding potential of indigenous Don varieties, but also our commitment to the traditions of Russian winemaking along with a bold approach and new ideas," commented Maxim Troychuk, head of Vedernikov Winery.

"The new wines are the result of careful work, where each stage— from aging to the selection of barrels— is aimed at revealing the unique characteristics of each variety. We already know a lot about the features of the Don indigenous grapes, but we continue to explore their potential in order to create new, unexpected styles and interpretations.We are convinced that it is in assemblages with classic European varieties that indigenous grapes reveal themselves from a new perspective, which makes it possible to fully appreciate their greatness.The new wines represent combinations of native Russian varieties with classic international ones. Our way is a constant search and experiment, both in the assemblage of Sibirkovy and Aligote for our first Brut Nature, and in the complex system of aging of "Tverdy Znak No.2"," said Gulbala Zeidov, chief winemaker at Vedernikov Winery.

The flagship line specialty "Vedernikov Winery. Tverdy Znak No.2" was released in a limited quantity of 1,000 bottles, the cost in the Abrau-Durso Wine Atelier in Moscow will be RUB7,000. Sparkling wine "Vedernikov Winery Reserve. Sibirkovy Aligote" is presented in the amount of 4,255 bottles in the classic 0.75L format, the cost in the Abrau-Durso Wine Atelier in Moscow will be RUB2,250. The limited release in the debut Magnum format of 1.5L will be 750 bottles and is scheduled for the end of 2025. The new wines will be presented at the Abrau-Durso Wine Atelier, the 1870 Abrau-Durso restaurant chain, on vino.ru, as well as exclusively in the stores of the Azbuka Vkusa chain.

Additional information:

"Vedernikov Winery. Tverdy Znak No.2"

Aged dry red wine with the protected geographical indication "Don Valley".

Size of release: 1,000 bottles.

Vintage: 2020.

Composition: Krasnostop Zolotovsky 50%, own-rooted Cabernet Sauvignon 50%.

Alcohol: 14.5%.

"Vedernikov Winery. Tverdy Znak No.2" is a rich red wine with the flavor of ripe dark berries, spices, herbs and light notes of chocolate and vanilla. The taste is dense, with rich tannins, fruity acidity and a long balanced aftertaste. The wine pairs perfectly with grilled meat or game. We recommend trying the wine as meditative without a gastronomic pair in order to fully reveal all the nuances of true Russian wine. Decanting is recommended.

"Vedernikov Winery Reserve. Sibirkovy Aligote"

Aged white sparkling extra brut with the protected geographical indication "Don Valley".

Size of release: 4,255 bottles (0.75L) and 750 bottles (1.5L, Magnum).

Vintage: 2021, release 2022.

Composition: Sibirkovy 50%, Aligote 50%.

Alcohol: 10.5–13.0%.

The wine has a pearl-golden shade with elegant pearlage and intense aromatics with nuances of white flowers, yellow apple, pear and cherry plum. The noble and rich taste of the wine conquers with tons of white fruits and flowers, along with sourness and light hints of meadow grasses and apples. The unforgettable mouthfeel will be a wonderful addition to oysters and delicious appetizers, as well as an excellent aperitif.