Abrau-Durso presents the first author's sparkling wine Cuvée Alexander II

Abrau-Durso, whose history began 153 years ago during the Russian Empire, presents a unique sparkling wine Cuvée Alexander II, created from special vintages, the most aged of which is more than ten years old, and a young wine of 2022. The sparkling wine is the first in the Protected Designation of Origin category and the author's project of the Winemaking Director Georges Blanc devoted to the origin period of one of the most famous Russian wineries. The new sparkling wine is named in honor of Emperor Alexander II, whose name has a special meaning for Abrau-Durso. It was under him and by his special decree that the Abrau-Durso estate was founded in the autumn of 1870.

In the new sparkling wine Abrau-Durso Cuvée Alexander II brut, Georges Blanc has collected a precious assemblage of old vintages — wines of different harvests. The heart of the composition is made up of rare Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling wines, some of which have been stored in the historical collection of the Abrau-Durso enoteca since 2008. Special vintages has brought richness, complexity and nobility to the wine style, and the best wine of the 2022 harvest has brought brightness and freshness.  

The unique combination of millesimes has become the basis for a special harmony of sparkling wine taste and aroma, which can attract true connoisseurs. For the first time, Abrau-Durso produces sparkling wine of the Protected Designation of Origin, i.e. wine with a unique set of qualities characteristic of this particular area, of this Abrau-Durso appellation. It is the highest category of wine indicating a small area of its production.

The exquisite Cuvée Alexander II wine has a soft and voluminous texture that reflects the noble blend of classic European varieties: Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir. Throughout the winery history, these varieties have been the main palette of the Abrau-Durso terroir, as for many years they have demonstrated outstanding results and served as a source of pride for the champanists.

The author's sparkling wine Cuvée Alexander II with an elegant play of bubbles awakens a sense of celebration from the first seconds. Fresh and multifaceted aromatics unfolds in the glass with notes of fruit and delicate bread tones. An elegant balanced flavor with an expressive long finish and subtle nuances of fruit culminates in brioche chords.

The vintages for the new Cuvée Alexander II were personally selected by Georges Blanc, Winemaking Director at Abrau-Durso. For more than seven years he has been living in Russia and creating sparkling wines in Abrau-Durso. Inviting French specialists for this role is a long tradition of the wine house. Thus, in 1905, the Frenchman Victor Dravigny was appointed to the position of chief winemaker, whose energy, skill and progressive outlook brought the first international recognition to Abrau-Durso sparkling wines. 

"We are proud to present the first sparkling wine in the Protected Designation of Origin category, created from special vintages of Abrau-Durso. The unique blend is the result of long and painstaking work: the assemblage includes wines that have been stored in our enoteca since 2008 and later. This broad palette gives the wine an aristocratic and complex feel, while the addition of new harvest wine gives it a ringing and lightness. A special magic happens thanks to the yeast at the prix de mousse stage, which transforms the assemblage and creates a connection between young and old wines. Thus, old vintage wines undergo three fermentations," comments Georges Blanc, Winemaking Director at Abrau-Durso.

An exclusive design has been developed for the new Cuvée Alexander II — its uniqueness is emphasized by an elegant velvet label, the bottle is decorated with a metal monogram of the first letter of the emperor's name — "A". The 1.5 liter magnum format comes in a blue velvet gift box.

The total limited edition of the super-premium sparkling wine Cuvée Alexander II amounted to 7,000 bottles, of which 6,000 were in 0.75 liter format and 1,000 in magnum format. The novelty is already exclusively presented in the network of Abrau-Durso Wine Atelier branded stores. The price at the Abrau-Durso Wine Atelier in Moscow is 4,200 rubles and 9,000 rubles for the magnum format.