Winnica Turnau

Winnica Turnau farms 37 hectares at Baniewice in West Pomerania, at 53.1°N, which makes it the largest estate in Poland. The vines grow on sand and loam on low, open ground. The Baltic is about a hundred kilometres to the north: close enough to temper the weather, far enough that the summers still ripen grapes.

Eight varieties share the estate: Solaris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rondo, Regent, Seyval Blanc, Hibernal and Riesling. The PIWI and hybrid grapes carry the cold years; the vinifera carry the ambition. Sand drains fast and warms early in spring, which helps the early grapes ripen fully; the loam holds enough water to see the vines through a dry summer.

The still whites are fermented in steel and kept on their lees for a few months. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for the sparkling wine are picked early, by hand, and given their second fermentation in bottle. It was the first Polish wine we poured for buyers in San Francisco, and the one that changed the most minds.