Black Doctor wine: history, characteristics and unique properties + how to drink
Some wineries become famous for a single drink, although the range they produce includes several dozen or even hundreds of items.
This happened with the Crimean enterprise OJSC "Solnechnaya Dolina", located in the vicinity of Sudak.
The company with a century-long history became famous not for its expensive elite drinks, but for its dessert wine "Black Doctor".
The history of the drink and the origin of the name
The legendary wine was first released in the world in the distant 30s of the last century.
Initially, the wine had a different name - "Ruby Crimean", however, the winery, then also called differently - "Archadressa".
The author of the recipe was an associate of the famous winemaker Golitsyn and his student by the name of Ivanov.
The original ruby drink was not particularly popular at the time, although it was highly praised at an all-Union tasting held in Moscow in 1940.
The wine gained popularity and a second birth in the 60s at the suggestion of the Minister of Food Industry, who liked the drink.
The product was renamed "Black Doctor", and in addition to the new name, it received an unusual legend of its origin.
It is said that the vine bearing the same name was cultivated by a local Crimean doctor for health purposes.
The fruits that were harvested on the doctor's plantations, as well as the wine that was made from them, had healing properties and helped the owner quickly put even the most hopeless patients back on their feet.
Whether there is some truth in the legend or not, the "Black Doctor" is indeed known for its healing qualities and is recommended in limited doses to replenish the lack of certain trace elements and improve blood formation.
Drink characteristics and production features
The famous liqueur wine is made from unique fruits of Crimean varieties: Ekim Kara, Dzhevat Kara and Kefesia.
The age of the current vines owned by "Solnechna Dolyna" is more than 35 years.
The first of these varieties (Ekim Kara) prevails in the composition of the drink: it is at least 70% of the product.
"Black Doctor" belongs to the vintage wines with a protected geographical indication ("Crimea") and is not produced in any other regions.
A similar drink, apart from the assortment of "Solnechna Dolina", can be found only among the products of the winery "Massandra", which produces it using a similar technology, but with some innovations.
Consumers note that wines from different producers differ significantly from each other.
The original "Black Doctor" is characterized by a rich garnet color with light ruby reflections.
The taste is dominated by prune notes, which are set off by confectionery aromas of vanilla and chocolate, southern berries and a soft pear and creamy finish.
Connoisseurs find mulberry tones in the drink, as well as delicate notes of cocoa and dried fruits.
The wine is characterized by moderate astringency combined with exquisite softness and velvety.
Strength and sugar content is 16%.
Unique properties of the wine
They are due to the special production technology and the specifics of the area:
Growing vines in a micro-zone with optimal soil and climate characteristics allows us to create high quality raw materials.
Only grapes of strictly defined varieties are used to make Black Doctor. The number of suitable fruits is limited.
Berries are harvested after reaching a certain level of sugar content (at least 22%).
Finished products are aged for a mandatory two-year period in special oak barrels in the old Golitsyn cellars, where the temperature is kept constant at any time of the year.
The use of proprietary production technology allows us to preserve the maximum amount of flavoring compounds and polyphenols in the final product.
Useful properties
"Black Doctor" is one of those rare grape drinks that have healing properties and are recommended in small portions for hypertensive patients, as well as for people suffering from anemia, exhaustion and high cholesterol...
Compared to other dessert wines, this product contains a greater number of useful components: tannins, phenols, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals.
The drink helps in case of chronic fatigue and blood loss, removes toxins and radioactive substances, normalizes heart function, prevents the development of atherosclerosis and cancer.
How to drink "Black Doctor"
Wine should be consumed at a temperature of 16-18 °C.
The manufacturer recommends pairing it with dark chocolate, fruit, ice cream, and pistachios.
The drink is good as a complement to expensive cigars and elite cheeses.
Update: 29.10.2018
Category: Wine and Vermouth