Tajna Rizling Vlašský Zobor 2022

A hint of sweet and a dash of spice – oh-so nice!

In 2008, husband and wife Rastislav Demeš and Anetta Demešová purchased and began replanting one of Slovakia’s historic vineyards in the Nitra region and Vrábel district – whose winegrowing tradition dates back to the 12th century – naming the winery Tajna (secret in Slovak), after the nearby village of Tajná.

Throughout the centuries, the area’s vineyards changed ownership, with the first recorded owner being Ján Tajnai, the župan of Tekov, in 1840. Ownership next fell into the hands of a former Hungarian prime minister and noble, Count Šimon Révay. Prior to the 2008 purchase, the Mier Vráble Agricultural Cooperative owned what would become Tajna.

In July 2023, I visited Slovakia for the first time as a guest of Tajna – detailed in this previous feature, U.S. wine journalist Dr. Elizabeth Smith remembers Slovakia. I brought home a bottle of the estate-grown and produced Tajna Rizling Vlašský Zobor 2022 and here are my notes.

Tajna Rizling Vlašský Zobor 2022
A touch of sweet and a dash of spice – oh-so nice!
For those who are not familiar with Rizling Vlašský (also known as Riesling Italico, Welschriesling, Laski Rizling, Graševina and other names) it is not Rhein Riesling, nor is it related. It is a white grape native to Central Europe and Slovakia’s second-most planted variety. Rizling Vlašský can be made in a variety of styles – still and sparkling – as well as varying sweetness levels.

Tajna’s Zobor Rizling Vlašský 2022 (2193 bottles produced) – a still white – is a wonderful example of the variety. The grapes were hand-harvested from a vineyard plot planted in 1972. After fermentation, the wine was filtered, fined, and bottled under a twist-off cap – an easy, portable wine.

While it has 5.20 grams per liter of residual sugar – classifying it as semi-dry – it has characteristic higher acidity at 8.90 grams per liter – which results in a mélange of mouthwatering flavors ranging from crisp apple to ripe tropical fruits. The zesty citrus and peppery finish is long, juicy, and pleasantly warming. The combination of delicate sweetness and hint of spice makes it a match for those hard-to-pair spicy Asian dishes like Kung Po chicken and shrimp and Thai curries. Tajna suggests serving it with black elderberry chutney topped with a delicate horseradish crust – a dinner with friends.

Tasted July 2023 with Rastislav Demeš and again March 2024.
Read more about Tajna and this wine.