Broken things bring happiness! I have no idea where this superstition comes from but it is a popular sentence in Bulgaria. Well, it was a good coincidence because that day we were ready for pure happiness.
So, we are sitting in our countryside villa – the place where the most we appreciate the presence of good wine. The cold pre-winter rain has just stopped and shy sunrays has appeared through the clouds. I am sitting on the veranda with two tripods and arrange the scene to take a few photos for my article about holiday wine gifts. Anna is running around the yard and picks mushrooms that have grown up after the rain. The grass is greener that in the summer. Little Adriana crawls in the wet grass and it is time to change her clothes.
Anna brings me the mushooms, jumping around and .. Hop, she kicked my wine glass. Well, it wasn’t a big deal and the glass turned into an attraction for the pictures. So we decided that it would bring luck, after all. However, I did not miss the chance to complain that every time I start doing something for my hobby, everyone comes to “help”.
One glass of red wine and one secret
I put my glass on the cherry wood that my father had prepared for my brother. I used a part of the ingredients for the skewers for decoration, as well as the mushrooms Anna brought to me. While taking photos of the bottle, I started tasting the wine in this cool autumn day. Almost ready with the colourful skewers with pork and vegetables and we can sit around the table for a delicious lunch with good wine.
But before we sit, let me tell you a secret. This was not the first time I tasted SYCAGY. Indeed, we tasted it a few months ago from on underground bottle with handwritten label, given to us by the winemaker of Zlaten Rozhen Federico Ricci. We obtained this precious bottle after one accidental encounter with Federico in the winery earlier this year. At this time the SYCAGY was not completely finished and Federico was working on the last details. We tasted and drank this bottle with pleasure a couple of monts later, during our Easter trip to the Northern Bulgarian seaside. And we did not regret for a second that we brought it all the way from the southwest of Bulgaria to the northeast for this special moment. A bit later the wine was released on the market. And the thought that we have to obtain an official bottle came naturally.
What is SYCAGY Exclusive Lot?
If you have already tasted wines of Zlaten Rozhen made by Federico Ricci, you might have noticed his style to name them using parts of the names of the grapes. So SYCAGY comes from Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese.
SYCAGY is a part of the new series of premium wines by Zlaten Rozhen, created by Federico Ricci. Special selection of grapes, a lot of attention to detail and some alchemy happening in the fermentation tanks and wine barrels.
Small tasting notes
We tasted the SYCAGY through the whole day. First time was before we sat for lunch. It was just brought out of the cellar and it was a bit cold and a bit wild, just like any just-opened red wine. However, we could even then feel the intensive aromas of berries and something else that revealed itself after the wine was ready to serve.
A little warmer and decanted, the SYCAGY has much more nuances and emitions. The aromas include chocolate and ripe red fruits. And in the balanced and rich taste we can spot herbs and maybe a little smoke. Or the smoke is coming from the burning stove. It tastes like late autumn. A few hours later, on dinner, the wine is even better, more fine and delicate.
And despite SYCAGY has spent 11 months in barrels, it still feels fresh, tender, with soft tannins and a lot of fruit. This freshness and the relatively low alcohol content (13.5 %) make it a perfect pair both for a spicy meat dinner and lighter appetizers. And not the least, it is a great companion to enjoy separately by the fireplace.
Final words
We have talked about Zlaten Rozhen multiple times and only good things. You can also see the review of another great wine from them – SANSI, again created by Federico (scroll untill the end to see how to get 15 % discount for the Sansi and all Zlaten Rozhen wines (without the limited Exclusive lot). Generally, in this region around Petrich, Sandanski and Melnik you can find plenty of amazing family-owned wineries where you can meet all these great people and see how their all families are dedicated to the winery.
Recently, we included the SYCAGY in our list with recommended Bulgarian wines to gift. If you don’t have any close friends to whom you wish to gift wine, why don’t just gift it to yourself? We regularly make such gifts in our family.
| Wine: | SYCAGY Exclusive Lot |
| Country: | Bulgaria |
| Variety: | Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese |
| Vintage: | 2017 |
| Winery: | Zlaten Rozhen |
| Location: | Kapatovo village, Petrich region |
| Price: | 43 BGN |
| Barrel: | 11 months |
| ТServing temperatire: | 16-18°C |
The best thing about our hobby is that we make wonderful acquiantances and partnerships. One of the best examples is Zlaten Rozhen wine cellar. We quickly became friends with them and were able to learn so many interesting stories. We are happy that we met Marusya Osikovska, Federico Ricci, Maria, Valentina and Aira the dog and we wrote about this wonderful winery where you can meet them, too.
We adore wine and it is not only a part of our travels but also reason for them. Read more about the wines that have impressed us or for our favourite wine cellars.
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