Milan Nestarec Youngster Red 2021

Youngster Red is Milan Nestarec's Beaujolais Nouveau-style release: a snapshot of the new vintage bottled just after fermentation ends. The 2021 is a blend of Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Dornfelder grown on estate vineyards in Moravský Žižkov and Velké Bílovice, in the Slovácká sub-region of southern Moravia. Soils are primarily loess and clay with some sandy plots, and vines were around 19 years old at harvest.

The grapes are hand-harvested and destemmed, then fermented in 2000-liter stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeast, with occasional pigeage over approximately two months. Elevage continues in the same tanks for another two months. The wine is bottled unfiltered, unfined, and with zero sulfur added.

The vineyards have been farmed organically since 2008 and Milan has progressively adopted biodynamic practices, working toward increased biodiversity in the field. No synthetic chemicals are used in the vineyard or cellar.

Youngster Red is meant to be drunk young and chilled, with the kind of direct, unvarnished fruit you only get from a wine that has spent just a few months in tank before bottling.