Untouched by Light – the world’s first sparkling wine made, sold and tasted in complete darkness now launched
Research shows that the exposure of wine to daylight or artificial lighting results in light-struck aromas
1 October 2020 – Following the announcement made a year ago Radgonske Gorice have now officially launched a new sparkling wine brand called Untouched by Light. This sparkling wine's motto is that best things happen in the dark. According to Professor Emerita Ann C. Noble[1], the exposure of wine to daylight or artificial lighting results in what is commonly known as light-struck aromas (goût de lumière). For that reason Radgonske Gorice made a decision to turn to the dark side and produce their new sparkling wine.
This wine is unique because of its production process. The night vison goggles are used for harvest, bottle rotation and packing. The wine is left to age for two to three years in Gornja Radgona cave in Slovenia, where it is untouched by the outside world, completely lightproof. In the jargon of Radgonske gorice this is popularly known as the Crafted by Darkness method. Once out of the cave, the wine is protected in a black lightproof bottle, packed in a vacuum-sealed bag blocking any additional light or air contact.
“Untouched by Light is unique, premium sparkling wine, with which we hope to position Radgonske Gorice winery in the global market. It is highly recommendable to taste this wine in pitch darkness in good company, because the best things happen in the dark,” Borut Cvetkovič from Radgonske Gorice said.
Untouched by Light is made from the best Chardonnay grapes (100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs) using the famous inside-the-bottle French fermentation method. “The first 2016 vintage is extremely fresh, fruity and citrusy with the aftertaste of green tea and mint. There is a continuation from the nose to the mouth. Very delicate bubbles give creaminess to the wine. It’s like an echo, balancing between the softness and crispiness which are usually in contradiction, but here they are together.”, said Pierre-Yves Bournerias, a specialist from the Institut Oenologique de Champagne.
The winery’s oenologist Klavdija Topolovec Špur said: “Untouched by Light is a sparkling wine inspiration. Special harvesting by night, when it’s cold, using small crates; the grape processing method, but above all late maturation in complete darkness – all of that can be found embedded in the character of this wine. We can now taste both the wine and the fullness of its terroir. The last piece of the puzzle is the tradition of sparkling wine production in Radgonske Gorice winery, buttressed by profound knowledge and state-of-the-art technology.”
While the winery is currently in search of local distributors across the globe, the limited 2000 samples of the 2016 Untouched by Light vintage are now available for orders on untouchedbylight.com only.
Radgonske Gorice winery from Slovenia has a 169-year-long tradition of sparkling wine production. It was inaugurated by Alojz Klenošek when Archduke John of Austria, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, expanded the wine production in this region. The tradition was ceaselessly cherished afterwards when the ownership of wine cellars was ceded to the Swiss-French Bouvier Family. Radgonske-gorice.si
Untouched by Light characteristics:
- Vintage: 2016
- Acidity: 8 g/l
- Alcohol: 12.0 vol %
- Sugar: BRUT (very dry) 6.9 g/l
Terroir and grapevine characteristics:
- Plot: Selected especially in accordance with the soil profile, wine growth, grape ripening process and chemical parameters of must and wine
- Plantation: Older, own selection, planted on a sunny – southern side
- Ground: Eutric brown soil with limestone gravel admixture
- Year of Planting: 1989
- Grapevine Training Method: Double Guyot
- Grapevine Load: 2 kg/grapevine
[1] Noble, Ann C., Sensory study of the effect of fluorescent light on a sparkling wine and its base wine, American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, Vol. 40, No. 4, 1989.
For additional press information please contact
Andreja Novak, Radgonske gorice d.o.o., marketing: andreja.novak@radgonske-gorice.si, +386 2 564 85 18
Jelena Mihelčić, Bruketa&Žinić&Grey, PR Manager: jelena.mihelcic@grey.com, +385 99 2117 507