We are all ‘In the Pink’ Here at Delicata
1. Perfect 2015 vintage Maltese Merlot grapes. 2. Pure ‘free run’ pink Merlot grape juice seeping from the press. 3. Pristine, selected, Merlot grapes after de-stemming.
Last week the very first Malta grown red grapes hand harvested from the 2015 vintage rolled into the Delicata winery; not for red wine making, but for rose. Normally the Maltese Merlot and Tempranillo grapes would be harvested in a few weeks’ time, if our winemaker Matthew Delicata wanted to make a robust, concentrated, full bodied red wine out of them. But in this instance, it’s almost the opposite that he requires. These Merlot and Tempranillo grapes grown for Delicata need to produce a fruity, crisp, easy drinking rose wine, with just enough colour from the skins (without the tannins) to achieve the pinkish colour the winemaker desires.
In actual fact, there is so much colour in the skins of the Maltese Merlot grapes that even after 30 minutes of contact between the skin and the grape juice there will be enough natural colour to make a rose coloured wine. These grapes were hand-picked while the grapes natural acidity was still high enough to make the style of rose wine required, but at the same time having enough natural sugar in the ripened grapes to achieve the desired level of alcohol.
In the photographs, you can see the quality of a typical bunch of perfect, disease free, Merlot grapes, having just gone through the very initial stages of D.O.K inspection and accreditation.
The quality of the 2015 harvested Maltese Merlot grapes this year is excellent.
Secondly you can see the pristine Merlot grapes after they have been de-stemmed and sorted; this quality is achieved by using a smart piece of customised equipment newly installed at the Delicata winery. Whereas the old de-stemming machine removed the stalks centrifugally, our new machine has an improved system which removes the stems through a process of vibration, a much gentler and thorough process. Additionally this new de-stemmer also carries out individual, grape berry selection, and the complete removal of any unwanted natural debris such as leaves etc. All in all a far superior, bespoke, machine that applies more exacting sorting parameters that results in higher quality selected grapes for our winemaker to use.
Thirdly you can see the natural pink ‘free-run’ grape juice that has simply seeped from the grapes without pressing. This pure fruit juice will now go through the fermentation process in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, located in the company’s new refrigerated fermentation facility, and will finally become one of our many quality Rose wines.
Award Winning Wines
The Rose wines we produce are represented in these wine brands – Pjazza Regina, Maltese Falcon, Frizzante, Medina, Victoria Heights, Dolcino and the Classic Collection. In the last two years Delicata has received 6 international medals for our Rose wines alone. Spread across a number of brands this independent accreditation really highlights the quality and consistency of the Rose wines we produce. The awards won were a Bronze medal at the 2015 London International Wine & Spirit competition for the Gellewza Rose Frizzante, a Bronze medal for the Victoria Heights Shiraz Rose at the 2015 Drinks Business Global Rose Masters competition, again in London, and a Silver medal for the Rossini Rose Syrah in the 2015 Challenge International du Vin in Bordeaux France. Last year the Pjazza Regina Rose picked up a Commendation at London’s International Wine Challenge and two awards for the Medina Rose Grenache, a Commendation at the Decanter World Wine Awards and a Bronze medal at the International Wine Challenge du Vin held in Bordeaux, France.
