The Slovakian Princess Grape: Pesecká Leánka
Paired with Sauerkraut Soup
The Slovenian grape, Pesecká Leánka, is not formally a “Princess grape,” but it is often described as such due to its literal translation and country of heritage.
The name roughly translates to “Royal Maiden” or “Young Princess” from Slovak.
Blauer Portugieser is the German international name, which is often nicknamed the “Princess grape” in Central Europe.
Fetească Regală is the Romanian name, where it is also grown in addition to Slovakia and Moldova.
The grape is known for making aromatic, fresh white wines with citrus, apricot, and floral tones.
2019 Rustical Pesecká Leánka from Pivnica Čajkov
Produced by winemaker Marek Uhnák, this wine represents a return to ancestral traditions, utilizing rare volcanic terroir and low-intervention techniques.
The vineyards sit on the caldera of the ancient Sitno stratovolcano. The soil is a mix of soft volcanic ash (tuff) and hard lava (andesite). It’s is highly porous, forcing the vines to grow deep root systems that draw out mineral and saline notes.
The “Rustical” Line of Wines
Unlike the winemaker’s lighter “Princess” bottling, the “Rustical” line is an old-school orange, skin-contact line of wines.
Grapes are macerated on their skins for 4 to 10 days in open-top vats.
Aged for approximately 12 months in old oak barrels.
Unfined and unfiltered, with only a tiny amount of sulfur added at bottling,
Wine Pairing
The winemaker recommends pairing with rich dishes like grilled goose breast and pickled vegetables, a mushroom ragout, or charred cauliflower.
I paired it with a Sauerkraut Soup traditionally eaten in Slovakia on Christmas Eve and a winter chicory and radish salad with anchovy dressing.
Tasting Notes
Visual: Tangerine, golden coppery color, fresh squeezed and filtered OJ
Aroma: Orange creamisicle, acacia flowers, bosc pears, baked apple pie, pumpkin pie spice
Taste: Medium acidity, not a cloying or funky, medium weight, soft subtle tannins, lemon meringue pie
Pairing: I generally like to pair orange wines with sour things, and this sauerkraut soup was no different. However, this wine was particularly killer with the chicory salad. The wine became a little more sweet and honeyed, ttamed the bite of raw radishes, and heightened the bitterness of the salad greens just a little bit.
The Last Drop
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