Alšar Grand Reserve VKP - vintage 2016, 0,75 l

Alšar Grand Reserve VKP 2016

Collector’s Archive Dry Red Wine | Cabernet Sauvignon 85%, Merlot 10% & Cabernet Franc 5%| Tikveš Wine Region- Kozuf Foothills Terroir

Alšar Grand Reserve VKP 2016 is an extraordinary, time-honored pinnacle of our winemaking heritage—a rare archive gem crafted for true connoisseurs and collectors. Sharing the identical, iconic blend composition as our younger Alsar (85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc) and born from the exact same low-yielding vineyards at the pristine foothills of Kozuf Mountain, this specific bottle represents a decade-long journey of patience and evolution. Having rested silently in our cellars, this exceptional 2016 vintage has transcended its youthful primary fruit to enter a magnificent window of maturity, shifting into complex, deeply intellectual tertiary dimensions that can only be achieved through meticulous long-term bottle aging.

In the glass, it reveals a noble, deep garnet-red color with an elegant, soft brick-orange rim that signals its grand age. The bouquet is highly complex, sophisticated, and evolving, unfolding profound tertiary aromas of dried dark plums, figs, and raisins, beautifully layered with noble scents of old leather, sweet pipe tobacco, cedar chests, forest floor after rain, and a delicate touch of black truffle and dark cocoa. On the palate, this vintage is an absolute masterclass in velvety integration. The once-muscular Cabernet tannins have completely melted into a seamless, silky, and aristocratic mouthfeel. It is beautifully supported by a vibrant, lively acidity that has kept the wine remarkably fresh and structured through the years. The finish is seemingly endless, warming, and deeply meditative, leaving a lasting imprint of dried fruits, exotic wood spice, and earthy sophistication. Under the visionary hands of chief winemaker Lazar Ristov, the Grand Reserve VKP is a living legend of Macedonian viticulture.

• Serving Suggestion: Best enjoyed at 17–18°C. Because this is a rare archive wine that has developed natural sediment over a decade, it should be decanted with extreme care for 30–45 minutes just before serving to gently separate the sediment and let its ancient bouquet awake.

• Food Pairing: An intellectual wine meant for exceptional moments. It pairs sublimely with slow-cooked venison, roasted wild boar infused with truffles, dry-aged premium ribeye, rich duck confit, or simply enjoyed on its own alongside a selection of ultra-premium, long-aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or old Gouda.