Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Cotnari Grasă de Cotnari Vinoteca 2000

The wines of Cotnari (Romania) used to be among the greatest wines in the world. They were coveted alongside the great sweet wines of Tokaj (Hungary), Commandaria (Cyprus), and Constantia (South Africa). In Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion To Wine, Dr. Caroline Gilby states that Cotnari, “At one time rivaled Hungarian Tokaji as an elixir of fashion sought after in the courts of northern Europe. It was still fashionable in Paris at the end of the 19th century.”

After the World Wars and communism in Romania, the wine quality of Cotnari suffered. Not many producers make this classic wine anymore, Cotnari is an exception. The winery was a state-owned producer during communist times but is now privatized. They have an extensive collection of these wines dating back several decades.

Cotnari winery releases a few old bottles of Cotnari under their Vinoteca Vin de Collectie series. They sell some of these wines dating back to the 1950’s. A walk through their vinoteca, where they store these wines, is impressive. During an evening dinner at the cellar, the winery was kind enough to open a few bottles from the 2000 vintage.

The Cotnari Grasă de Cotnari Vinoteca 2000 is made from the grape Graša de Cotnari, also known as Kövérszölö in Tokaj (Hungary). This is a botrytized sweet wine that isn’t overly rich or sappy. There are notes of honey, dried apricots, mushroom, and lemon peel. However, the fresh acidity, low alcohol, and relatively low body keep this wine light on its feet. There are no tech specs available, but we believe that this wine has under 100 g/L of residual sugar.

It’s a honeyed sweet wine that won’t overpower your senses like a Sauternes or a Tokaji but will give you the flavors that we wine nerds crave about botrytis-infected wines. Just be careful, it’s dangerously easy to drink and a bottle can disappear in no time.

90/100 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.)

You can find this wine on the Cotnari Online Shop

* We visited the Cotnari Winery while judging at the IWCB Romania.

Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Cotnari Grasă de Cotnari Vinoteca 2000 appeared first on Wine Travel.

We tasted over 5,000 wines from 30 countries this year, and it was an arduous task to narrow the list to 18 wines. Our trip back to the USA alone could have filled this list with wines from Napa Valley and Santa Barbara County and other classics that we tasted in New York City. So here it is, Exotic Wine Travel’s list of 18 memorable wines. As usual: while sensory merits are important, there are other factors that went into selecting these wines. Did the wine pique curiosity as well as satisfy it? Did it make us re-examine our assumptions and teach us something new? Did it humanize wine and mean something special to us? Ultimately, it’s an imperfect methodology but good enough to get the gist of our year measured out in wines. There’s a mix of classics and lesser-known wines on the list, which we hope reveals the ever-expanding choices that are available to wine lovers. We highly recommend you to seek out these wines and “drink adventurously” (our tagline). Note: The wines are listed in chronological order based on when we tasted them.

Mayacamas, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder – Napa Valley, 2004 (California, USA)

The first notable event we attended in 2018 was the Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood in Napa Valley. It was an invite-only event that we both received fellowships to attend. We flew from Croatia to visit Matt’s family in Michigan. After visiting the family, we drove 4,000 kilometers (2,400 miles) across the country to California—during the winter no less.

On the second day of the symposium, we attended the “Master tasting with Steven Spurrier and Friends“, which featured current release and library wines from the Napa Valley producers that participated in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. During our tasting, we had several outstanding wines including a Heitz Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, a Clos Du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 1979, and this Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. Why we love it: It was a tough choice to pick one ‘best wine’ from a strong 14-pour line-up. However, the 2004 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder was unequivocally the top choice for Charine (Matt preferred the 1997 Heitz a little more because of the aged tobacco and menthol notes). Here’s Charine’s notes: “The 2004 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder illustrates a vivid image of its birthplace—all the signs of mountaintop and fresh breeze! The fruit is exceptionally vibrant and fresh for its age, lined by freshly tilled soil and amber. The sure-footed finish is backed by long-drawn, sweet spice-tinted, fine-grained tannins.”

Harlan Estate, Napa Valley, 2014 (California, USA)

After the Wine Writers Symposium, we attended several AVA tastings in Napa Valley. There are 16 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in Napa Valley, and each area produces distinctly different styles of wine. At the Oakville AVA tasting, there was no wine that we scored below 91 points. All the wines expressed ripe fruit flavors with a sense of freshness, rich texture, and a firm structure. Two wines that stood out above the rest were the 2014 Harlan Estate and 2014 Screaming Eagle, two of the most famous Napa cult wines. Why we love it: One taste of the 2014 Harlan Estate left us speechless. It’s a magnificent wine, and it claims the highest score that we’ve ever published on this site (4.9/5 or 99/100). The wine glides across the tongue as if it’s a ball of flavors giving the palate a deep-tissue massage. Everything is in place, in the right order and amount. Everything is complete.

Shafer, Hillside Select, Stags Leap District – Napa Valley, 2013 (California, USA)

After the Wine Writers Symposium and AVA tastings, we attended the 2018 Premiere Napa Valley auction. It’s an annual event where members of the Napa Valley Vintners auction off micro lots, between 60 to 240 bottles, of one-off creations that are still in the barrels. The money raised from the en primeur auction helps fund the operation of the Napa Valley Vintners, including the promotion and protection of Napa Valley. Prior to the wine futures auction, attendees had a chance to attend a walk-around tasting of barrel samples from the lots before bidding on them hours later and receiving them in a few years when they’re bottled. We tasted through the lots in the morning and then went to lunch before the live auction started. One participant told us to get to the lunch venue as early as possible because the wine selection would be remarkable; we heeded his advice. Over lunch, we had four hedonistic Napa Cabernets in front of us: The Continuum 2014, Staglin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Paul Hobbs Nathan Coomb’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, and this Shafer Hillside Select 2013.

Why we love it: The Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 surpasses the rest in this instance. It’s nuanced, structured, generous in aromas, yet focussed and elegant on the palate.

The Ojai Vineyard, Syrah, John Sebastiano Vineyard – Santa Barbara County, 2014 (California, USA)

After our week in Napa Valley, we drove back to Michigan to shoot our series about the wines of Santa Barbara County. It’s our favorite wine region in the USA, and we wrote an e-guide entitled Sipping Santa Barbara: Recommended Wines and Producers to help first-time visitors navigate the wine region. To support our efforts, producers had graciously sent us over 100 wines to use for our video series. The single-vineyard wines from John Sebastiano Vineyard are some of our favorites. The John Sebastiano Vineyard sits on the northeastern edge of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, which is slightly warmer than other parts of Sta. Rita Hills. The vines are planted on steep hill slopes facing west and enjoy blustery winds from the Pacific Ocean. The soil contains clay-loam underlaid by limestone. The berries ripen relatively late here so the single-vineyard wines of John Sebastiano Vineyard tend to show marked concentration.

Why we love it: This is quite a benchmark of cool-climate Syrah. It’s concentrated yet remains approachable and soft. Floral, savory, earthy, and fruity, we can’t ask for more from a Syrah.

An Approach to Relaxation, Sucette, 2014 (Barossa Valley, Australia)

After a few weeks of shooting about Santa Barbara wines, we were on the road again. This time, we drove east from Michigan to New York, where we were scheduled to do a masterclass about Croatian wines. Along the way, we met up with our long-time virtual friend Drew DiMatteo and spent a couple of days with him in New Jersey and New York. Needless to say, many wines were shared and An Approach to Relaxation Sucette 2014 topped the list of memorable wines. Why we love it: Old-vine Grenache grown in sandy soil, plus vinified with some stem inclusion—that alone says a lot about this wine. It’s light on the feet and color, yet it punches with surprising intensity. It’s a wine that I won’t mind wearing on my wrists and licking myself ever so occasionally. There’s definitely deft winemaking (the makers are Richard Betts MS and Carla Rzeszewski) here as well.

Giacomo Conterno, Barolo Cascina Francia, 1998 (Piedmont, Italy)

After our time in New Jersey, Drew came with us to New York. We had a special evening scheduled with another wine enthusiast that we had previously known only in the virtual world. Croat-born American Leopold Frokic invited us to his home. The evening started off with a line-up of Nebbiolos from Bartolo Mascarello, Brovia, GD Vajra, and Marcarini, and the standout wine was this Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 1998. Why we love it: Barolo and Barbaresco are near and dear to our hearts—they were wines that we discovered together at the beginning of our relationship seven years ago, and they were the first wine regions we visited when our full-time travel began in 2015. This was a wine that had eluded us until that night.

Philippe Pacalet, Cornas, 2015 (Rhône, France)

After New York, Drew wanted to show us more of the Philly’s food and wine scene, so we hopped across the bridge for some Philly Cheesesteaks at John’s Roast Pork and drinks at the Walnut Street Café. Walnut’s sommelier Kaitlyn Caruke (named ‘Best New Sommelier by Wine & Spirits Magazine in 2018) opened a bottle of Philippe Pascalet Cornas 2015. Why we love it: Matt loves Syrah; Charine loves Philippe Pacalet and Cornas but tends to find Philippe Pacalet to have severe bottle variation and Cornas to be too young for consumption. This is an all-stars-aligned Rhône red that’s best when savored, not tasted.

Domaine Armand Rousseau Père & Fils, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Clos de Ruchottes, 2006 (Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France)

After our time in the USA, we returned to Europe to start a series of press trips. Charine was off to the VinNatur event in Vicenza, Italy. One night, the event organizer shared this bottle of Clos des Ruchottes with her. This wine had been on her vision board for several years. Why we love it: It was surreal to see this bottle walked out of the wishlist onto the dining table. Better yet, the wine was in its peak window. 2006 was not a great year for Clos des Ruchottes, but the wine had come around with sustained depth and poise.

Éric Texier, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vielles Vignes, 2015 (Rhône, France)

At the three-day Villa Favorita event organized by VinNatur, Charine had a chance to discover many new wine producers. But the one that left the deepest impression was Éric Texier, whose wines we were already familiar with. It was Charine’s first taste of his Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Why we love it: Charine appreciates every wine in Éric Texier’s portfolio, including the basic ‘Chat Fou’, but his Châteauneuf-du-Pape was in a league of its own: it caused her to stop in awe, then compelled her to create quite a commotion because she couldn’t contain my excitement. She has since become a vocal and enthusiastic supporter of Éric Texier.

Cave L’Étoile, Banyuls Grand Cru Cuvée Réservée, 1995 (Roussillon, France)

While Charine was enjoying the wonders of Vinnatur, Matt participated in Languedoc-Roussillon Week in the south of France. The week was jam-packed with tastings, workshops, field trips, and food. Matt tasted a number of delicious wines from many different appellations in Languedoc-Roussillon, but it was the fortified wines of Banyuls that captured his attention. One afternoon, we visited the steep terraces where those wines are born. What a site it was.

While Charine is in a never-ending love affair with Port, Matt was never into fortified wines until he met Banyuls. These wines are lower in alcohol (14.5%-16%) than Port and are a little easier to drink. The Cave L’Étoile Banyuls Grand Cru Cuvée Réservée 1995 was served during the last dinner of the the Languedoc-Roussillon trip. It was a special seven-course dinner featuring two fortified wines per course. This was the wine took nearly everyone’s breath away.  Why we love it: This sweet wine is a smorgasbord of flavors. Think dried raspberries mixed with coffee, toffee, pepper, and leather flavors. If you like Port, it’s time to give vintage Banyuls a try.

Clai, Bastovica, 2007 (Istria, Croatia)

After the Languedoc-Roussillon trip and VinNatur event , we met back in Croatia and set out to shoot a 12-part video series, entitled Cracking Croatian Wine, to support our book of the same name. On the third day of our shoot, we arrived at Clai winery in the evening (click on the video below).

Giorgio Clai and his co-winemaker Dimitri Brečević were having drinks after a long day in the vineyards. We joined them and tasted through the new vintage. Giorgio’s mood got progressively jovial as the evening darkened. He began pulling out archive wines from his small, personal stash (he drinks a lot of his own wine), including this Clai Bastovica Teran 2007. Why we love it: This wine isn’t in production anymore as all the vines in the Bastovica vineyard have been pulled. So this is quite a unicorn wine, which—admittedly—makes it even more special. But it’s not just merely novelty; the 2007 Clai Bastovica Teran had gained the necessary complexity through aging and it was showing great class that night. A sublime wine with larger-than-life quality that reminded us of the maker Giorgio Clai.

Kiridžija, Dingač, 2008 (Dalmatia, Croatia)

Our eighth episode of Cracking Croatian Wine focused on the wines of the Pelješac Peninsula. This slender piece of land is the spiritual home to Plavac Mali. The peninsula contains Croatia’s first two appellations, Postup and Dingač.

One of Plavac Mali’s old guards is Vedran Kiridžija, who produces about 15,000 bottles of wine (one-third are Dingač) in a humble cellar behind his house. When we stopped by to shoot our episode, Vedran was kind enough to share a bottle of Dingač from his favorite vintage, 2008. Why we love it: The wine had such a beautiful quiet intensity and harmony that we never thought we could find in Dingač. Who would have thought that the tannic monster Dingač has the ability to walk on tip-toe? Charine loved the wine so much that she teared up. We were also delighted that Vedran Kiridžija enjoyed the moment and the wine as much as we did.

Château Montrose, Saint-Estèphe, 2008 (Bordeaux, France)

After wrapping up our Cracking Croatian Wine video series, we had an intense few months of travel and started the second half of the year with a trip to Puglia (Italy) to judge at Radici del Sud, then moved on to more press trips in Hungary and Romania, and then back to Italy to judge at the Cagliari International Wine & Food Festival. After Sardinia, we went on a two-week re-tour of the Slovak wine regions. After Slovakia, we settled down in Oradea, Romania where we visited a friend and caught up on desktop work. During our time in Oradea, our friend Șerban organized two blind tastings, mixing in Romanian wines with international wines. The first tasting had quite a few surprises in it, including several impressive Romanian wines, a Quintarelli Giuseppe Amarone Della Valpolicella 2003, and this Château Montrose 2008. On first taste, Charine immediately identified it as a classified Bordeaux. This was the first bottle that was finished that night—the most practical identifier of ‘the best wine’. Why we love it: Château Montrose is one of Charine’s all-time favorite Bordeaux as it’s one of the most value-for-money cellar-worthy wines. This wine shows brightness and gossamer texture.

Crama Oprişor, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2011 (Oltenia, Romania)

We did a second blind tasting in Oradea a few days later. Șerban mixed in lots of international wines including Rioja, Barolo, and Amarone. We brought along a Liber Pater 2009 (Bordeaux), which showed well. The most memorable wines were the Liber Pater, Château Porto Carras (Greece), and this lone Romanian wine in the flight.

Why we love it: The Crama Oprişor Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 changed our impressions of Romanian reds. We were in Romania three times in 2018 and tasted many wines from the top Romanian wine producers. In general, Romanian reds tend to be heavily extracted, finished with a landslide of oak. This wine is nothing of that sort; it’s powerful yet elegant, and it sings Old-World restraint.

Château Pajzos, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, 2006 (Tokaj, Hungary)

After Oradea, Romania, we went back to Hungary for the Hungarianwines.eu study trip, which covered four Hungarian regions in four days. The study trip was a prize we received for winning the Hungarian Web Wine Writing contest with first place in the category of red wine and runner-up in Hungarian food and wine pairing. We were joined on the trip by other winners of the contest and a group of Cava producers from Catalunya, Spain.

This trip marked our third visit to Tokaj in 2018. It’s a region that fascinates us endlessly, and we’re always happy to return to Tokaj. This time around, we visited Château Pajzos. The managing director of Château Pajzos, Laurent Comas, guided us through the old cellars and a tasting of current releases and archive wines. While the Château Pajzos Eszencia 2000 was ethereal, it was the Château Pajzos Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2006 that unanimously impressed our whole group. Why we love it: The wine was beautiful: stewy notes with primary fruit dialed back; good balance of acid and sugar that paved the way for current drinkability. But what captivated us was the overall beauty of that moment: drinking the wine in the Tokaji cellar (drinking Tokaji wine in a traditional Tokaji cellar should be on the bucket list of every wine lover) with a group of like-minded people.

Mlečnik, Rebula, 2009 (Vipava, Slovenia)

Immediately after the Hungarian wine study trip, we had to attend another press trip in Slovenia. The schedule almost seemed improbable until a virtual friend came to our rescue—coincidently, Sašo Papp of Vinoo.co was attending the same wine event that we were attending in Hungary, and he graciously offered to drive us from the Etyek wine region in Hungary to Vipava Valley in Slovenia.

The Vipavska Rebula event was a sensory explosion. The press trip was sponsored by six quality-minded producers Burja, Batič, Slavček, Guerilla, Mlečnik, and Svetlik along with the Slovenian Tourist Board. We visited Mlečnik in 2017, so we were already familiar with their wines. However, nothing prepared us for the wines they pulled from the archive at the event. Valter Mlečnik and his son Klemen Mlečnik presented their Mlečnik Rebula 2009 and Mlečnik Ana Cuvée 2011. We sampled the Mlečnik Rebula 2009 twice during the trip. It was the best wine of the trip. Hold on, it was the best amber wine we tasted in 2018. Why we love it: Mlečnik Rebula 2009 is the epitome of harmony in a bottle. Nothing sticks out, nothing is left behind. It hits every point on the palate with concentration and focus. A true masterpiece. If this wine is indicative of where Vipavska Rebula (Rebula/Ribolla Gialla wine from Vipava Valley) is heading, then we are in for an enormous treat.

Ramos Pinto, Vintage Port, 1982 (Douro, Portugal)

Shortly after our time in Slovenia, we were on the road again, this time to Portugal. The AEVP (Association of Port Wine Companies, also known as Caves do Vinho do Porto) had invited us to Port Wine Day and the declaration ceremony of the 2016 Vintage Port.

Charine is resolutely partial to Port because her first sip of wine at a tender age was a Tawny Port. We were assigned to visit and stay a night at Ramos Pinto in the Douro. Jorge Rosas, Export Director and heir of the family winery, took us through the Ramos Pinto portfolio including a few older vintage Ports. When Charine tasted the Ramos Pinto Vintage Port 1982, she instantly knew it would be on this list. Why we love it: It’s Matt’s birth year wine, so that gives it an extra sheen. Ramos Pinto Vintage Port 1982 has absolutely the most divine bouquet of walnut cookie and meringue. Medium-bodied palate with resolved tannins. The finish is so long that it can keep one company for the whole evening.

Argentiera, Bolgheri Superiore, 2015 (Tuscany, Italy)

After Portugal, we returned to Croatia for a press tour to all four major wine regions, made a short trip to Vienna for the Orange Wine Festival 2018, and judged at the IWCB wine competition in Romania. As winter approached, we headed back to Charine’s home country Singapore to escape the cold. Along the way, we made a convenient detour to Hong Kong, where we shared a number of memorable wines with our friends including a Ridge Monte Bello 1998 and a Bruno Giacosa Santo Stefano Barbaresco 2007. We also attended Pinot Palooza and James Suckling’s Great Wines of Italy; the latter was where we tasted the final wine on our list. Why we love it: We tasted Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore 2015 next to Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2015. Wine Spectator named the Sassicaia 2015 the number one wine of the year; it’s a stellar wine but the Argentiera is equally impressive and comes at a fraction of the price.

Honorable Mentions:

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Brkić Greda Žilavka 2015 (Mostar), Čitluk Blatina Grand Cru 2011 (Mostar), Nuić Trnjnak 2015 (Mostar) Croatia: Bire Grk Defora 2016 (Dalmatia), Krajančič Statute 2015 (Dalmatia), Benvenuti Muškat San Salvatore 2013 (Istria), Enjingi Venje Bijelo 1998 (Slavonia) France: Château Bel Air Marquis d’Aligre Margaux 2004 (Bordeaux), Château Smith Haut Lafitte Red 2005 (Bordeaux), Liber Pater 2009 (Bordeaux), Damoy Gevrey Chambertin Clos Tamisot 2014 (Burgundy), Tarlant Cuvee Louis NV (Champagne), Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Cuvée Aimé Cazes 1978 (Roussillon) Greece: Château Porto Carras 2008 (Meliton Slopes), Markovitis Xinomavro 2012 (Naoussa) Hungary: Erzsebét Pince Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2003 (Tokaj), Lenkey Úrágya Furmint 2006 (Tokaj), Oremus Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 1999 (Tokaj) Moldova: Chateau Vartely Ice Wine Riesling 2017  New Zealand: Craggy Range Aroha Te Muna 2016 (Martinborough) Portugal: Bulas Porto Colheita 1996, Churchill’s Vintage Port 2016, Ramos Pinto 30 Year Old Tawny Port, Quinta do Vale Meão Vintage Port 2016, Quinta do Vallado Vintage Port 2016, Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port 2015, Vasques de Carvalho 30 Year Old Tawny Port, Vallado Vintage Port 2016, Vieira de Sousa Agua Alta Vintage Port 2016 Italy: Terlan Nova Domus Terlaner Riserva 2015 (Alto-Adige), Fratelli Serra Vernaccia di Oristano 2002 (Sardinia), Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 2013 (Tuscany), Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve 2015 (Tuscany), Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2015 (Tuscany), Antinori Tignanello 2015 (Tuscany), Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2015 (Tuscany), Quintarelli Giuseppe Amarone Della Valpolicella 2003 (Veneto) Romania: Davino Flamboyant 2012 (Dealu Mare) Slovakia: J&J Ostrožović Tokajské Výber 6 Putñový 2003 (Tokaj), Organic Cuvée Marie Vallis Albus Exclusive Biele Suché 2015 (Strekov, Južnoslovenskà/South Slovakia) Slovenia: Batič Angel Pinela 2015 (Vipava Valley), Movia Veliko Rdeće 1998 (Goriška Brda) Spain: R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva 1995 (Rioja), Remelluri Rioja Blanco 2012 (Rioja) USA: Christian Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon 1974 (Napa Valley), Cliff Lede Poetry 2005 (Napa Valley), Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 1979 (Napa Valley), Heitz Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 (Napa Valley), Schramsberg Reserve Late Disgorged 1997 (Napa Valley), VHR Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2015 (Napa Valley), Bonaccorsi Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard 2014 (Santa Barbara), Liquid Farm Golden Slope 2015 (Santa Barbara), Samsara Pinot Noir Las Hermanas 2013 (Santa Barbara), Ridge Monte Bello 1998 (Santa Cruz)  Dishes of the Year: Baby squid ink barley with sheep cheese (Hotel Ola, Croatia), Pag lamb on grill (Boškinac Restaurant, Croatia), pasta with blue crab from Croatia’s Neretva river (Hotel Merlot, Croatia), fresh aoli with escargot from Vallée de l’Agly (Roussillon, France), Burrata cheese from Puglia (Italy), Pasticciotti (1489 Food Pop Gallipoli in Italy), raw seafood at Ristorante Al Pescatore (Bari, Puglia, Italy), Idrijski Žlikrofi (Gostilna pri Škafarju, Slovenia) Food and Wine Pairing of the Year: Meadowood Napa Valley’s roasted squab with smooked cranberry, salted clementine and parsip paired with Chase Cellars ‘Hayne Vineyard’ Zinfandel 2015 (Napa Valley)–wine selected by Gillian Ballance MS Restaurant of the Year: Boškinac (Novalja, Pag Island, Croatia) Sommelier of the Year: Tihomir Purišić (Dubravkin Put Restaurant in Zagreb, Croatia) Wine Event of the Year: Premiere Napa Valley’s Oakville AVA Tasting Winery Visit of the Year: Ramos Pinto (Douro, Portugal)

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The opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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It’s not often that you enjoy a 4,000 Euro bottle of wine.

Liber Pater is one of the most controversial and expensive Bordeaux red wines in the world. The winery is located in the Graves AOC, within the left bank of Bordeaux. Winemaker Loic Pasquet wanted to re-create the taste of Bordeaux before the aged of phylloxera in the late 1800s. He planted ungrafted vines and varieties that existed in Bordeaux in the 19th century. On top of that, he planted his vines at high density (over 20,000 plants per hectare).

Liber Pater is made in tiny quantities and on-release sells for around 4,000 Euros a bottle. On top of that, 2009 was a legendary vintage in Bordeaux. On paper, the Liber Pater 2009 should be something special. So what does it actually taste like?

We were given a bottle of Liber Pater as a gift, with one stipulation that we taste it blind. So when we carried it with us to visit a friend in Oradea, Romania he agreed to organize a blind tasting. As the evening approached, we wondered if the wine would stand out.

The Evening With Liber Pater

The evening started with two Champagnes, a Piper-Heidsieck Brut 2006 and a Piper-Heidsieck Millesimé Rare Brut 2002. The Brut was solid but didn’t get Charine too excited, while the Millesimeé Rare Brut 2002 is another story. It’s a fine Champagne that is still a baby and worthy of at least a few more decades of aging.

After Champagne, the blind tasting commenced. We had no prior knowledge of what wines would be included except the Liber Pater. Our host shuffled and selected randomly after covering the bottles. The wines tasted in order were:

• Giardini Arimei, Da Uve Surmature Dry Passito (wildcard from Ischia, Italy)
• Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia, Macán Classico 2013 (Rioja, Spain)
• Chateau Porto Carras 2008 (Meliton Slopes, Greece) 
• Liber Pater 2009 (Bordeaux, France)
• Crama Oprișor, Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (Oltenia, Romania)
• Heimann, Franciscus 2011 (Szekszárd, Hungary)
• Mapon, Kikone 2009 (Macedonia, Greece)
• Tenuta Carretta Cascina Fererro, Barolo 2008 (Barolo, Italy) 
• Fornaser Monte Faustino L’Amarone del Maestro Fornaser, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Riserva 2008 (Veneto, Italy) 
• Zenato, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2008 (Veneto, Italy)
• J&J Ostrožović, Tokajský Výber 6 Putñovy 2003 (Tokaj, Slovakia) – not served blind

All of the wines showed well but we were most impressed with the following.

The Crama Oprișor Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 is one of the finest Romanian reds we’ve tasted. It’s from Oltenia, the southwestern part of the country. When it was unveiled, we had nothing but applause for it. The wine is full of plum, walnut, black cherry, and pepper. It shows lots of nuances for a big, ripe wine. Chocolatey finish with sweet tannins. The style is in between a left-bank Bordeau and a Napa AVA-level Cabernet Sauvignon.  92/100

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The Château Porto Carras 2008 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and the local grape Limnio. It’s aged in oak for 24 months prior to bottling. This is a helluva wine, especially with the fact that the ex-cellar price is around 15 Euros. Notes of animal, meat, black fruit, and citrus peel with some olive and violet flavors. It’s complex with refined structure. The tannins are developed and are guided by juicy acidity. When it was revealed our friend said, “I visited this estate months ago and it wasn’t showing close to as well as now, it tastes like a 100 Euro wine.”

Wow, wow, wow, what a wine.   93/100

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The Zenato Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2008 showed remarkable balance despite its high alcohol level of 16.5% abv. Notes of black cherry, sweet cedar, nutmeg, and tobacco emerge from the glass. It’s dense and big with chocolate flavors on the finish. The tannins are chewy and this still has a lot of life left in it. Time has served this bottle well.   94/100

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The Liber Pater 2009 was shy at first but everyone immediately recognized that it was a high-quality wine. It was the wine that stirred up the most conversation. After an hour in the glass, it started singing. It lies more on the side of elegance as opposed muscle. This wine is much more accessible now than many of the high-end 2009 Bordeaux that we have come across.

The wine has notes of black fruit, violets, blueberry, and cedar. It’s tangy with firm tannins and a long juicy finish. The juiciness and elegance are what threw everyone off guard. Nobody guessed that it was nearly ten years old, it is still very youthful. Half of us loved it while others were lukewarm about it. Regardless, it was the most talked about wine during the evening along with the Chateau Porto Carras and Crama Oprișor.   94/100

Is it worth the price tag? It’s a beautiful wine, whether it is worth it or not is for you to decide.

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You can find out more about our scoring system on the Wine Rating page.

The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide. 

The post An Evening With The Liber Pater 2009 appeared first on Wine Travel.

Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Corcova Dessert 2013

During an evening in August 2018, we made our way to the Transylvanian city of Oradea. We were recovering from a whirlwind two weeks of nonstop tasting and travel in Sardinia (Italy) and Slovakia. We planted ourselves in Romania for a week to finish up some work and see a fellow #winelover and friend.

Our friend Serban Sincai is a wine enthusiast and member of Millésime, a Romanian group dedicated to culture and wine. The group does wine tastings a few times a month in the old fortress of Oradea. Even though most of the members were away on holiday, Serban called an impromptu meeting in our honor.

We tasted several international and Romanian wines blind during the evening. The wines that stood above the rest were the Château Montrose 2008 and Quinterelli Giuseppe Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2003. The Montrose is still a baby with ripe fruit and chewy tannins, we would prefer to drink it in another ten years. The Quintarelli Amarone is drinking exceptionally well now, it’s a wine for meditation and long evenings by the fire.

Serban also mixed in several Romanian wines blind. We were pleased with the Davino Flamboyant 2012 (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Feteasca Neagra) in addition to the Corcova Cuvée Boheme 2009 (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot). Both wines are plush and ripe with good structure. They’re massive wines that will appease even the most critical of palates.

It was the last sweet wine that was the biggest surprise. The wine was served blind like the rest and it followed the Château Montrose and Quinterelli Giuseppe Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico. We thought that the wine was a Sauternes. When the wine was unveiled, we were shocked.

The Corcova Dessert 2013 is a blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Chardonnay aged in stainless steel. Around 90% of the Sauvignon Blanc was infected with botrytis in this vintage. Notes of honey, stone fruit, and tropical fruit flavors. It’s rich and luxurious on the palate with balancing acidity. Fantastic value for money as it can be found in Romania for under 8 Euros. It’s one of the few Romanian wines at the La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux and for good reason. 

4.2/5 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.)

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You Might Also Enjoy:

Romanian Wine From Dealu Mare
Romanian Wine From Drăgăşani

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We were recently invited by Mihnea Vasiliche of Dagon Winery to visit the Dealu Mare region of Romania. In addition to tasting through the Dagon Winery portfolio, Mihnea also arranged for us to visit a few cellars in the area. We had previously tasted a few wines from the region in various shows and masterclasses, which prepped us for our visit.

Our trip was short and we only scratched the surface of Romanian wines from Dealu Mare. However, we were able to taste over fifty wines during our day and a half in the region. Here are our favorites.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks:

You can find out more about our scoring system on the Wine Rating page.

• Conacul Vinalia, Conacul Ceptura Fetească Negră 2016

Conacul Vinalia is a young winery and this is their first release of Fetească Neagră from estate grown fruit. It has flavors of black plum, baking spice, forest berries, and white pepper. The Conacul Vinalia Fetească Negră is medium bodied and enjoyable. The tannins are chewy enough to make it food friendly but easy enough to allow the wine to be drunk by itself.   3.6/5

The Conacul Vinalia Sauvignon Blanc is also an enjoyable summer sipper that is more New Zealand-like in style.

• Crama Rotenberg, Notorius 2013

Crama Rotenberg is a small producer that produces wines only from Merlot – including a white, rosé, and several reds. They produce minimal intervention wines and utilize long barrel aging on their top bottlings. The Notorius is the mid-range offering from Crama Rotenberg. 

This wine has plum, chocolate, and tomato leaf notes. The Crama Rotenberg Notorius is raw and rustic but has easy-going tannins. The finish is slightly spicy. It’s for fans of crazier wines, it’s a wine for a specific niche.   3.6/5

Crama Rotenberg also produces three cru wines from Merlot but did not offer them to taste.

• Davino, Domaine Ceptura Rouge 2013

We’ve tasted a few wines from Davino prior to visiting and were looking forward to visiting the cellar on this trip. Unfortunately, we were in Dealu Mare during the weekend and Davino was not open. It’s regarded as the leading high-quality cellar in Romania. We found this wine on the wine list at the Conacul Vinalia restaurant and decided to give it a try. 

The Davino Domaine Ceptura Rouge is dark and massive. It is a blend of 55% Fetească Negră and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon aged 12 months in Romanian oak and 24 months in the bottle. Black plum, incense, baking spice, graphite, and white pepper. It’s big on the palate but round. Silky mouthfeel and chewy tannins. Spicy finish.   4.1/5

• Davino, Flamboyant 2012

Our Romanian friend passed us a bottle of this to try. It’s one of the top wines from Davino (in addition to his Rezerva Rouge). The Davino Flamboyant is a Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blend with some Merlot and Fetească Neagră. It’s aged for 10 months in Romanian oak and 30 months in the bottle before release. There are flavors of dark fruit, capsicum, and walnut notes. It’s rich and big with chewy tannins. This is for fans of massive reds. It’s a humungous wine that’s well executed with a long finish.   4.3/5

• Vitis Metamorfosis, Via Marchizului Negru De Drăgășani 2016

Vitis Metamorfosis has Piero Antinori from Tuscany as one of its investors. We tasted through their whole portfolio and came away impressed. Negru De Dragasani is a native red grape from around the village of Dragasani, but Vitis Metamorfosis has planted a small amount in Dealu Mare. It’s noticeably bigger from examples we tried while visiting in Drăgășani.

The Vitis Metamorfosis Via Marchizului Negru de Drăgășani is dark in color and full of dark fruit, herbs, and white pepper. It’s aged in oak for eight months. Silky smooth mouthfeel with fine-grained tannins is what stands out here. Good fruit intensity on the mid-palate and a long finish. The wine is a tad high in alcohol at 14.8 ABV but it’s masterfully crafted.   4.2/5

• Vitis Metamorfosis, Cantvs Primvs Fetească Neagră 2016

The reserve wine from Vitis Metamorfosis. The Cantvs Primvs line was reserved solely for Cabernet Sauvignon in the past and this is the first vintage of Cantvs Primvs Fetească Neagră. This is a massive red that is aged in oak for 16 months. It’s full of black fruit, plum, chocolate, incense, and white pepper. The wine is round and plummy with silky smooth tannins and a medium finish. It’s big, but there are layers of complexity here.   4.2/5

• Lacerta, Fetească Neagră 2015

The Lacerta Winery is located on the eastern end of the Dealu Mare region. They produce around 300k bottles of wine from estate fruit. The Lacerta Fetească Neagră is the winery’s take on this local grape aged in Romanian oak for 12 months. It’s full of black raspberry, forest notes, incense, and a touch of white pepper. This is wild and full of herbal notes. The tannins are firm and chewy. It’s medium bodied and juicy.   3.9/5

• Lacerta, Cuvee IX 2015

The Lacerta Cuvee IX  is the flagship wine from the estate. It’s also a restaurant favorite around the country. This wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Shiraz, and 10% Fetească Neagră aged for one year in 225L barriques. It’s dark in color and complex flavors of mocha, dark fruit, vanilla, and white pepper. It is complex on the palate and more medium bodied than the nose would suggest. Dense, chewy tannins. It’s a highly structured wine that’s well made and should age beautifully in the medium term.  4.0/5

• S.E.R.V.E., Cuvée Charlotte 2011

S.E.R.V.E. is a French-owned winery. It was one of the first high quality, small wineries that was established after the fall of communism in Romania. It was established in 1994. I had tasted several of their mid-range and reserve wines in a master class, which were not so exciting for me. Our visit to the cellar was equally disappointing. After a quick tour of the cellar, we were only offered the basic wines to taste. 

One of our Romanian friends kept insisting that we give their wines another chance. He passed us a bottle of the S.E.R.V.E. Cuvée Charlotte 2011 to taste slowly over an evening. We’re glad that we got the chance to taste it properly.

The S.E.R.V.E. Cuvée Charlotte 2011 a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Fetească Neagră. It’s the flagship wine of the estate. Aged 12 months in new and used barriques. Flavors of plum, graphite, black cherry, and a touch of incense. This is tart and firm on the palate. Good spike of intensity on the mid-palate. The tannins are developed and the wine can still develop further in the bottle. Delicious stuff.   4.2/5

We were invited to Romania by Dagon Winery and Via Sandu whom provided our flights, transport, and accommodation. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers.

The post Romanian Wines From Dealu Mare appeared first on Wine Travel.

Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Crama Rasova Imperfect

Crama Rasova is a young Romanian winery located within the Romanian DOC of Murfatlar, near the village of Cernavoda and the Black Sea. When we visited Romania in the summer of 2018, the region wasn’t on our itinerary. However, wine judge Paul Robert Blom reached out to us and suggested we give the wines of Crama Rasova a taste. Thanks to Paul and Zoe Ghiuri (owner of Crama Rasova), we received a sample pack during our stay in Dealu Mare.

The pack included Crama Rasova’s entry-level wines as well as their top bottlings. The “Imperfect” line consists of their flagship wines. Those wines took us by surprise; they represent a step-up from the other wines in Crama Rasova’s portfolio.

• Crama Rasova, Imperfect Fetească Albă 2017

Fetească Albă translates to “white young girl”. According to the Oxford Companion to Wine, it originates from Moldovia (which is present-day Moldova region of Romania and the Republic of Moldova) and is the second most widely planted grape in Romania. Most examples we’ve had are fresh, crisp, and floral.

The grapes were kept in 10-degrees-Celcius environment for 12 hours, then sorted, and partially pressed while another part was left to macerate for another two days before pressing. After fermentation, 30% was aged in new French oak barriques for 6 months with periodical bâtonnage. 13% alcohol, 1.9g/l residual sugar, 5.2g/l total acidity. 

Crama Rasova Imperfect Fetească Albă 2017 has a more generous yellow hue, unlike most Fetească Albă wines, and gives a hint to oxygenation or maceration. It has a wonderful nose of chamomile, stone fruit, mint, and citrus with a touch of flint. It’s medium-bodied with good texture and a slightly bitter-almond finish. A lot of aromatic grapes can taste great as macerated wine, especially if a good level of acidity is retained—this is the case here with Crama Rasova Imperfect Fetească Albă 2017. It’s one of the best Fetească Albă on the market right now.  4.1/5

• Crama Rasova, Imperfect Fetească Neagră 2015

Fetească Neagră translates to “black young girl” and originates from Moldovia. We’ve tasted several examples of this grape; the majority are rich, high in alcohol, and plummy.

The grapes were kept in 10-degrees-Celcius environment for 12 hours, then sorted, destemmed, and brought into tanks for a 48-hour maceration. Fermentation was inoculated and lasted for five days at 22 degrees-Celcius with daily pump-over and punch-down, followed by a brief post-fermentation maceration, then racking, and preparation for induced malolactic fermentation. Finally, the wine was moved to barrels of all sizes from France and Romania for 12 months of aging, then transferred into bottles for another 12 months of aging before release. 14.5% alcohol, 4g/l residual sugar, 4.1g/l total acidity.

Crama Rasova Imperfect Fetească Neagră 2015 has a dark red color with notes of blackberry, violet, dried herbs, and white pepper. The wine is full-bodied and rich on the palate. It shows good oak integration and chewy tannins that lead to a spicy and smokey finish. Fetească Neagră wines can often be quite jammy, and this wine has managed to avoid crossing the line (Matt appreciates this wine more than Charine, who prefers to have more fresh and uplifting fruit flavors). The high alcohol doesn’t mask the flavors but carries them forward. This wine is built to age and will need a few more years before it shows its true potential. 4.0/5

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For a long time, we’ve been a little prejudiced about Romanian wines. Last year, we attended a masterclass lead by a Romanian sommelier working in London. He presented what he believed were the finest examples of Romanian wine. While some of the wines were good, I walked away far from impressed.

Within our first few minutes in Drăgăşani, it was obvious that our preconceptions were about to become shattered.

Drăgăşani Wine Region

The wine growing hills of Drăgăşani lie on the west banks of the river Olt. They are located in the Oltenia Hills, which are foothills of the Carpathians. It’s around a three and half hour drive north-west of Bucharest. The Drăgăşani DOC consists of twelve small producers working towards bottling only high-quality wines. Most of the best vineyard positions face east and southeast, towards the river Olt.

Dragasani is home to two excellent local varieties, the white grape Crâmpoşie Selecţionată and the red grape Negru De Drăgăşani. Other Romanian grapes such as Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, and Tămâioasă Românească (Muscat Blanc) also thrive as do international grapes like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc.

T

We’re working with a rather intense schedule this weekend. So no thoughtful wine notes for now. But here are a few shots of the breathtaking Drăgăşani wine region in Romania (2/3).

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Jun 30, 2018 at 5:21am PDT

We only got the chance to stay one day/one night in the region and wish there was more time. There are some excellent wines being made in the region. The white grape Crâmpoşie Selecţionată produces wines with mineral flavors and vibrant acidity while the red grape Negru De Drăgăşani produces dense wines with peppery notes and fine-grained tannins.

The international grapes seemed to be thriving as well. Wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon express beautiful capsicum notes without high levels of alcohol that can be found in many places around the world. It is a region that seems well suited for white and red wines, which is in itself unique.

We only visited four producers but it was enough to convince us of the quality of the region and the winemakers here. Next time we are in Romania, Drăgăşani will be the first priority on our list.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks:

You can find out more about our scoring system on the Wine Rating page.

• Prince Știrbey, Sauvignon Blanc Vitis Vetus 2012

Vitus Vetus is Latin for “old vines.” The Prince Știrbey Sauvignon Blanc Vitus Vetus is one of the most unique examples of the grape we’ve come across. Rich kiwi fruit, minerals, green herb, and yogurt. Medium bodied with some punch and beautiful nuances. It has a little bit of pungent New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with a little bit of herbaceousness from the Loire and a touch of ripeness from California.   4.1/5

• Prince Știrbey, Negru de Drăgăşani Rezerva 2016

Negru di Drăgăşani is a local black grape that is already producing some gorgeous wines and the Prince Știrbey Negru de Drăgăşani Rezerva is no exception. The wine ages in oak for 24 months. It has brambleberry, pepper, violets, and black raspberry flavors. Rich and textured. Full bodied but not huge. This has high acidity with a long finish.   4.2/5

• Prince Știrbey, Dessert Stirbey 2011

Made from Tămâioasă Românească – the local name for Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. The Prince Știrbey Dessert is made from late-harvest berries that are selected and dried on the vine, making it a TBA wine. It’s full of honey, white flower, and apricots. This has 195 g/L  of RS but it never feels sappy on the palate due to the beautiful acidity. Full on the palate with fresh acidity and a long finish.   4.2/5

• Domeniel Drăgaşi, Pelerin Cabernet Franc 2015

Domeniel Drăgaşi is a new boutique winery that boasts beautiful views over the river Olt. Their Pelerin Cabernet Franc is aged for 15 months in oak. It’s dark in color for the grape. It has notes of violets, black olive, and black cherry with a touch of capsicum. Big wine but it hasn’t lost the prettiness of Cab Franc. The tannins are still fierce but they are ripe and will resolve. It’s a chewy, extracted wine but it should cellar well in the short term.   3.8/5

The Domeniel Drăgaşi Pelerin Merlot is also recommended.

• Crama Bauer, Sauvignonasse 2017

Oliver Bauer is a German who moved to Romania because of the potential. He makes wine for Prince Stirbey and his own project Crama Bauer. Oliver makes wines with clean, precise flavors.

The grape Sauvignonasse is also known as Friulano in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The Crama Bauer Sauvignonasse is a pretty effort. It has herbal and tropical fruit flavors. This is grassy but not over the top. The wine is crisp and has a green apple and mineral finish. It’s fresh and easy to drink yet serious at the same time.    4.1/5

• Crama Bauer, R.A.W. 2017

The Crama Bauer R.A.W. is made from Sauvignon Blanc which was macerated for seven days and fermented with wild yeasts. There are notes of wildflowers, yeast, white nectarine, and kiwi fruit with a touch of grass. This has a touch of tannins and a long finish. Powerful mid palate with a pungent, Sauvignon Blanc finish.   4.3/5

• Crama Bauer, Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

The Crama Bauer Cabernet Sauvignon is lighter in color for the grape. It has a pretty nose with flavors cherry and mocha. This has a touch of wood on the palate and the tannins are very fine for a young Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s medium bodied and juicy.   4.0/5

The Crama Bauer Merlot is also highly recommended.

• Crama Bauer, P.V. 2016

The Crama Bauer P.V. is one of Oliver’s most popular wines, it is regularly sold out upon release. Flavors include dark fruit, violets, mocha, and earth. This is round and big on the palate while being fruity, earthy, and refined. This is savage and sexy with a long finish. This is my favorite wine from Bauer.   4.3/5

• Via Sandu, Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Via Sandu is owned by Cornel Sandu. He makes wines with minimal intervention from 18 hectares of vineyards. We tasted this from a tank sample. The Via Sandu Cabernet Sauvignon is a fresh style that doesn’t see oak. Flavors include black cherry, pepper, and a touch of baking spice. This is medium bodied and easy to drink. The tannin level is low for Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a food wine and a delicious one at that.   3.7/5

• Avincis, Crâmpoşie Selecţionată 2017

Avincis is a beautiful property in Drăgăşani that boasts state of the art facilities and beautiful views of the River Olt. Crâmpoşie Selecţionată is a local grape that makes wines with taut acidity. This has notes of pineapple, white pear, and a faint hint of white flower with a touch of spiciness. This is medium bodied, crisp, and mineral laden. It’s bigger in body than examples from other producers in the area. A slight bitter flower finish.   3.9/5

• Avincis, Domnul de Rouă in Rosu 2016

The Domnul de Rouă in Rosu is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. This is an entry-level red wine that does not see oak. It has a tangy red fruit aroma on the nose, like a Tuscan red. This is medium bodied with chewy tannins. It has the red fruit and some earthiness with a hint of complexity. At this price, it’s a fantastic wine for everyday drinking.   3.8/5

• Avincis, Cuvée Andrei – Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

The Avincis Cuvée Andrei Cabernet Sauvignon is a stellar wine. Around 30% of the wine is aged in oak for 14 months. The capsicum jumps out of the glass with tobacco notes, violets, asphalt, and black cherry. This is medium bodied Cab that is smooth on the palate. It has fantastic length with bright acidity. It is for fans of Old World wines, there are other flavors here rather than fruit.   4.2/5

• Avincis, Cuvée Grandiflora 2013

The Avincis Cuvée Grandiflora is a blend of CS, Merlot, and Negru de Dragasani. Fifty percent of this wine is aged 16 months in barrel. This has notes of black fruit, white pepper, and tobacco. It has a silky mouthfeel with fine tannins and a spicy finish. Big bodied while being spicy at the same time. It’s complex, big, and refined.   4.3/5

We were invited to Romania by Dagon Winery and Via Sandu. Our flights, transport, and accommodation were provided by the winery. However, the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers.

The post Romanian Wine From Drăgăşani appeared first on Wine Travel.

Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Dagon Winery

We were invited to Romania by the proprietor of Dagon Winery, Mihnea Vasilache. The winery is young and currently has 14 hectares of planted vineyards within the Dealu Mare DOC. Dagon doesn’t have a physical location as of yet, they make wines on the property of the beautiful Conacul Vinalia estate.

When we visited the property, we got a chance to taste every vintage from the Dagon Clan lineup – which spans back to 2014. Several local writers and bloggers joined us during the vertical tasting including our friend Alexandra from Macedonia21, in addition to Sandra and Adrian from The Winderers.

Dagon winery runs against the grain of most of the wines coming from the Dealu Mare region, which are often heavy and sometimes sappy. The Dagon winery focuses on mouth-watering acidity and drinkability. During the vertical tasting, it seems as this young estate has achieved it. Not all of the wines showed great but there were several standouts. It was evident in the later vintages that the winery has become more confident about its style.

There are a few wines in the Dagon Clan lineup that really shine, which shows the potential for these local grapes and the region. The first estate wine, the Dagon Estate Fetească Neagră Sandstone 2016 is outstanding. We can’t wait to see what the winery creates as its own vineyards are at full capacity. 

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks

• Dagon Clan, Clar 2014

This came to a shock to both of us. Most of the Fetească Albă whites that we have tasted are simple, floral, and fruity wines. We didn’t realize the grape had the potential to make a head turner. 

The Dagon Clan Clar is made mostly of Fetească Albă and a touch of Sauvignon Blanc co-fermented from old vineyards. The wine is barrel fermented and then aged for 12 months. It’s full of mushroom, dried stone fruits, almonds, citrus fruit, and crushed flowers. It has a noticeable amount of oak but it works great in the wine. The acidity really pops here and is a fantastic contrast to the round, big body of the wine. The wine finishes long and pure.   4.1/5

• Dagon Clan Jar 2014

This vintage of the Dagon Clan Jar was the wineries first and it received a score of 90 points from Decanter Magazine. It is a blend of Fetească Neagră and Pinot Noir. The wine has flavors of mushroom, red fruit, spice, and a touch of tanginess. This is medium bodied and chewy with a touch of spiciness. It really tastes like an Etna Rosso. The long finish is accompanied by a touch of rusticity – in a good way.

This doesn’t have a ton of life left, but it sure is fun to drink.   4.0/5

• Dagon Estate, Sandridge Fetească Neagră Reserve 2016

Wowzaaas, this wine shows the potential of Fetească Neagră. It’s a local red grape that I am not always been fond of. It is the first estate wine from Dagon Clan made with fruit from their own vineyards. The Dagon Estate Sandridge Fetească Neagră Reserve is aged in 500 L oak. The vines are grown in a strip of sandy soil. 

This isn’t jammy like many other examples from Dealu Mare. It is more red fruit driven with other flavors like white pepper, yellow flower, and a touch of green herbs. It’s full-bodied with a peppery finish. The tannins are chewy and sweet. The grape offers flavors that are different and exciting to even the most adventurous drinker. 

This is an impressive first estate wine from Dagon Winery. It will be exciting to see what else they produce as their vines start coming into production. This wine is one of the better examples of Fetească Neagră we have come across. We aren’t experts on the grape but the local wine writers put it best as one said, “it will be hard to find a more impressive Fetească Neagră in Romania.”   

4.2/5 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the Wine Rating page.)

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