“Wine is a culture”. Today the motto of the MAISON DU VIN SHABO is becoming more and more important for our country. Stephane Derenoncourt, the legendary French oenologist, who is included in the Top 50 influential people in the world of wine, has visited Ukraine. The reason for the famous expert to make a personal visit to the country were the GREAT WINES OF SHABO.
Stephane Derenoncourt:
- in 1982 he came to the Bordeaux region to harvest grapes and began to study oenology;
- over more than 30 years in the industry, he developed his own unique methods, based on a live wine approach, which gained success in such outstanding French wineries as Château La Gaffelière, Château Prieuré Lichine, Château Talbot, and others;
- in 1999 he established a highly specialized company SARL Derenoncourt, whose experts advise the vine growers and winemakers of the best wineries in Europe, Asia and America;
- in the world of high quality wines, Stephane Derenoncourt is known for his priorities: he never promises the impossible, and he is extremely selective about potential partners, making the highest demands for soil and production techniques.
On May, 2018, we met Stephane Derenoncourt in the tasting room of the MAISON DU VIN SHABO to find out the secrets of the “Derenoncourt method” and the prospects for the GREAT WINES OF SHABO.
– Monsieur Derenoncourt, is it possible to consider your visit to Ukraine, to the MAISON DU VIN SHABO, evidence of the fact that our region is becoming a new discovery on the winemaking map of the world?
– In fact, that’s why I’m here. For me, from the very beginning, the MAISON DU VIN SHABO project was attractive. I was guided by several criteria when I chose this company among many other proposals for cooperation. Firstly, the peculiarities of the SHABO terroir: the favorable microclimate, excellent location of the vineyards in the immediate proximity to the sea and the estuary, and most importantly, a variety of unique local soils and the availability of autochthonous grape varieties. The presence of limestone in local soils is their distinguishing peculiarity. Although limestone is common in Europe, it is dispersedly contained in these local soils, and this gives a special freshness to the grapes, which is very important for creating the highest quality terroir wine. Secondly, the MAISON DU VIN SHABO is a family business, and I treat these enterprises with great respect and affection, because their atmosphere is imbued with a spirit of unity, which makes it possible to implement ambitious projects. By the way, the immediate objective of my first visit to Ukraine is the desire of the MAISON DU VIN SHABO to produce GREAT WINES.
– What is the concept of the GREAT WINES?
– GREAT WINE is not a metaphor. It is a special category of premium terroir wine, which has a high potential for long-term aging. GREAT WINE convey the maximum taste and emotional sensations, associated with the presence in the vine of the special spirit of the land that gave birth to it. I’m not talking about the degree of mineralization or salt content, although all this is also very important. But, in the long run, GREAT WINE implies something more. It leads you, inspires and fills you with energy of its homeland. The GREAT WINE is a symbol of its region, and its quintessence.
– Could GREAT SHABO WINES become the quintessence of Ukraine?
– Here, the whole series of terroir components successfully coincide: the microclimate, the close proximity to the sea and the estuary, the individuality of the grape varieties, and many local nuances. All this constantly surrounds you, and because of this you notice all these features, very clearly manifested in the wine. Meanwhile, a combination of all these factors creates that unique taste that an outsider, tasting the local cabernet, will exclaim: “Yes, here it is – the character of Ukraine!” It was not me, Stephane Derenoncourt, who, along with his participation, brought all this to the taste of the wine. Oh no! All this – is your terroir and its components.
– Nevertheless, what is the secret of your method?
– No secrets at all. Everything is based on observation and understanding. In different soils, the same grape variety shows itself in different ways. If the vine is growing in sandy soils, a strawberry tinge can appear in the wine. This same variety, but grown in clay, colder soils, will give the wine a cherry flavor. If the same grapes are grown in limestone loam, this will create a fantastic floral bouquet in the wine. I have been watching these processes for many years, and I understand what you need to do to get the desired qualities in the grapes and wine. For the grapes to reach maturity and give these qualities to the wine, the vine must preserve the memory of the magic of the earth. After all, wine is the meeting place of the vines and the earth. Balance is achieved through the relationship between the grape and the winegrower. Moreover, certain rigidity must be present in these relationships. Grapes are like a child: if everything goes easily in the process of growth and development, without overcoming difficulties, without suffering, then the adult will not be so interesting and strong in character. Therefore, the vine needs a certain severity. However, it is necessary to know exactly the measure of its upbringing. After all, eighty percent of the work on wine is work on the vine. If the grapes are great, everything else is very simple. Therefore, I can compare my method with the work of a good cook: if a cook has excellent ingredients, he is sure then that the dish will be wonderful.
– In what way, in your opinion, are the wines of SHABO remarkable?
– Local conditions predispose and encourage the production of original terroir dry wines, among which a special place is occupied by the wines made from the unique autochthonous grape variety of Telti-Kuruk. Today, we conducted a vertical tasting of all kinds of wine, starting with the harvest of the year 2013. The intensive progress is evident: the wines acquire an increasingly distinct individuality and characteristic flavors of the terroir. I’m amazed by their quality! All these wines have considerable potential for aging, and after decades of aging they will be truly priceless! It is not surprising that such wines win the hearts of consumers and do not linger on store shelves.
– What are your personal preferences among the SHABO wines today?
– I’m thrilled with the local Cabernet. Cabernet SHABO is a great wine! And I’m sure the white wines made from the autochthonous grape variety of Telti-Kuruk will have a fantastic future on the world stage. They are saturated with the vigor of white grapes, which grow exclusively in this region. A unique and wonderful variety! You can say that when you try it, you get acquainted with Ukraine.
– Monsieur Derenoncourt, they say that you come to a winery to “wake a sleeping giant.” Do you think the SHABO giant has already awakened, or it does not yet realize its own potential?
– I would say that SHABO has not been in need of awakening for a long time. I knew about the quality and scale of the vineyards of the MAISON DU VIN SHABO, and today I saw them – it’s impressive. But I could not even imagine how highly modernized the winery is! Here they have the best equipment used in the industry in the world. In addition, there is a well-established professional relationship between the winegrowers and the production, and this is extremely important. With a small renovation of the wine cellars you could get amazing results. To sum up, I can say that this Ukrainian winery is highly motivated and it can face the future with confidence, and needs only the right direction. Therefore, I see myself not so much as a consultant, as a good friend of the MAISON DU VIN SHABO. In most questions, we just need to concur. And then the SHABO team is able to work independently.
– Turning back to the GREAT WINES OF SHABO, what are their prospects?
– I can imagine the MAISON DU VIN SHABO having an exciting adventure when creating the GREAT WINES. The results already are simply amazing! And there is every possibility to improve them further. The potential of the MAISON DU VIN SHABO is ideal for producing a whole range of wines, each of which will have a unique individuality. Creating the first GREAT WINES in Ukraine is an ambitious project, and the creation of GREAT WINES is a long and continuous process. For a team that has set such a goal, this is a serious challenge, to which you dedicate your life for a long time.
– What would you like to wish the SHABO team?
– I wish SHABO success in promoting the culture of wine in Ukraine. I’m sure they will succeed. After all, wine is an endless story, and there is always room for creativity in this story.
