Medovina
- it's not the mead to save for a special occasion, it's the mead
that IS
a special occasion ...
Welcome to Medovina.com
Medovina brings you
artisan Colorado Honey Wine produced by our meadmaster, Mark Beran,
and his dedicated work force of Buckfast bees, now over a half
a million strong.
Mead,
or honey wine, is perhaps the oldest of alcoholic beverages. Simply
put, it is wine made from honey instead of grapes. Like grape
wine, it can be crafted with either a dry or a sweet finish.
Medovina produces its own honey, from which it hand crafts its
mead. Our beeyards are nestled in Old Town Niwot in the
shade of large cottonwoods planted nearly a century ago by early
homesteaders.
In what is truly a miracle of nature, flowers use photosynthesis
to transform atmospheric carbon dioxide and water to nectar, a
complex blend of sucrose and trace amounts of aromatics, essential
oils and other delightful compounds. The bees gather this nectar
from the unique flora in the Niwot area. The bees provide vital
enzymes which break down the nectar into simple sugars. Inside
our beehives, and over the course of several months, the nectars
transform naturally into a consistently rich, premium honey.
As summer gives way to autumn, Medovina begins harvesting the
honey and crafting its mead. Our Old World process preserves the
rich floral extracts present in our honey. Our meads are produced
naturally, without filtering or added sulfites. Alcohol, honey
and acidity are harmonized by producing our meads slowly, in small
batches, and barrel aging them before bottling. Further aging
occurs naturally in the bottle and full maturity can be expected
in 3 to 8 years, but you do not have to wait that long to enjoy
them.
Medovina honey wine is a unique culinary experience, try it on
a fresh palate: take three sips, then decide.
A
Global Bee Crisis
The
honeybee as a feral species is near or at extinction. Stresses
from mites, viruses, pesticides and pollution are all contributing
to the demise of the honeybee. If you see a colony of bees
in the wild in America, it is most likely a swarm of bees that
issued from a managed colony of bees. There are now less than
600 commercial beekeepers in America. They produce 75% of
America's honey crop (a $260 million industry). Equally
important, or perhaps more so, these 600 beekeepers are responsible
for most of the crop pollination in America (a $17 billion industry).
Commercial
beekeepers in America are also running the track to extinction. Just
over 3 years ago we had over 3,000 commercial beekeepers in America.
Bee losses are resulting in costs that are simply not possible
to recover from.
You
can help. Buy a bottle of mead several times a year and
you will contribute in an increase in demand for quality American
honey that can not be achieved by any other means. This
will provide cash flow to beekeepers which perhaps will allow
them to make the better choices (which are often more costly)
regarding managing their bees through the crisis.
Drink
Mead, save a honey bee!
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