Feteasca Neagra Purpura Valahica Davino 2007

Purpura Valahica (Feteasca Neagra) 2007 Ceptura, DAVINO, dry red, 14.1%, prod. Unicom Ceptura, in wine shops only, 19 euro

I confess I delayed publishing this post because the heraldic image of the label intrigued me. Far from being a fanatic of this auxiliary discipline of History, I can only notice the strange totemic representation that hardly resembles the ordinary heraldic sign of Wallachia (Romanian Country)- the eagle with the Christian cross in its beak on blue background. So we observe a false cross, with a rider on top. In my opinion, we are dealing with a pre-Christian or pagan representation of the Celtic origin- both the Celtic cross and the image of the rider (the horse is a totemic animal for pre-Celtic and Celtic population) reinforce this hypothesis. Another theory, not necessarily contrary to former, is that these images depict a Danube Knight (which would explain w the similarity with the representations of Mithra). I do not know if the helmet of the rider is backed by an aura or decorated with feathers, in which case clearly we are dealing with a medieval western image. However, details are difficult to observe.

Well, each with his/her puzzles! Perhaps Mr. Moisescu (the creator of the brand), or maybe someone from the producer itself could satisfy my thirst for knowledge (and not just… )

The wine: Everything about the product DAVINO requires respect. All items are of good quality: glass, cork, caps, paper label, and obviously the wine itself. Wine show a beautiful intense red-ruby colour. Forest fruits. Pepper (a lot!). Light wood notes. Fruit in taste, fresh acidity and soft tannins, long aftertaste with a lingering finish interesting but sweet (prune gem like).

What to say nothing but- that is an exceptional feteasca neagra, produced with great care and skill. Fine round wine, that surpasses any other version available on the market. And first of all, as said by many others, it is the proof that our feteasca is alive & kicking. For me it was an event!

Maybe we should have patience with this bottle, forget it for 2-3 years! They didn’t find the man for it! Eh, the decadence…

Conclusion: It is by far the best feteasca neagra I had ever tasted! It's a novel by a great stylist: Each glass requires more effort from the receiver, more time and resources to be fully appreciated.

Buy it: here

romanian version: here

Feteasca Alba 2008 Crama Ceptura

Feteasca alba, 2008, Dealu Mare, DOC-CMD, Crama Ceptura srl, dry white wine, 23 lei (5€)

Ceptura area is a pretty crowded place. Strange is that most of the “inhabitants” do good things. DAVINO has already taken the cream, as leading high-end producer, Rotenberg began with Oscars in the Merlot category, Domeniile Urlati invested plenty and the results look promising, here they come and those of the Crama Ceptura!

It is the second wine produced by them about which I am writing. First, a bottle of feteasca neagra from Prahova Estate brand, did not receive cheers from me, but I remember it was especially smooth. Well, they have added a range called "Non vi sed arte" ( "not by force but by skill"), an appropriate motto for a smaller producer, and well represented by the heavy bottle and sober illustration .

For this I am glad, because I didn’t yet tried a feteasca alba I could applaud without reserves. Well, I had! It has everything you expect: yellow-green colour, a floral nose, outdoorsy, field flowers, sugar, a fine and smooth green peach taste but almost bloomed (maybe you know it: a little sweet-sour, little bitter, lightly perfumed). It resembles other feteasca alba on the supermarket shelves, but this is better, period. Finish is long, citric and doubted by a rest of sugar, a chic thing, if you ask me.

Conclusion: 1. I liked it! 2. I do not find faults where I do not look for:)

romanian version: here

Tom Stevenson about Romanian Wines

The 's Encyclopedia article written by the renowned Tom Stevenson is a view so objective, that only strangers are capable of. We would find ourselves 1001 mitigating circumstances, but they don't, they see through the wine industry in Romania like through the glass of wine.

However, the findings cautiously hidden between the lines are clear and common sense: indigenous varieties should be encouraged, wines are a little "rustic", but show promise. Once the clone problem will be solved, when varieties are grown only in recommended areas, and winemakers will hire more competent employees then (and only then) Romania will not be stopped to take place that it deserves in the world of wine.

I allow a widely quote, in academic purpose:

"Romania has at least as much potential as any other Eastern European winemaking country. It has a growing reputation for Pinot Noir, particularly from the Dealul Mare region, but has received afraction of the foreign investment that Hungary has enjoyed, and needs both financial and technical expertise to compete internationally.

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN ROMANIA has been a lack of consistency. Since the early 1990s, we have seen flashes of

promise—from exciting Gewürztraminer from Transilvania to deep,

dark, brooding Cabernet Sauvignon from Dealul Mare, only to

see some of these wines followed up by vintages of barely vin de

table quality. Only a handful of wineries have received significant

foreign investment and expertise, and it is no coincidence that

they generally make the best wines in Romania today.

MORE IMPORTANT THAN RUSSIA

Viticulture and winemaking is an old tradition in Romania, dating

back 4,000 years. In Europe, only France, Italy, Spain, and Germany

are bigger wine-producing countries. Romania is significantly more

important than Hungary or Russia in winemaking terms. As in

Bulgaria, there was a massive planting program in the 1960s,

when the country was geared up to supply Comecon states with

bulk-blending fodder, but most wine today is purchased and

consumed on the home market. After the fall of Ceausescu in

December 1989, the area under vine increased, going against the

trend of other Eastern Bloc wine-producing countries. However,

much of the replanting saw vinifera varieties being replaced with

hybrids, as the new private owners did not know how to look

after their vineyards—or if they did, they could not care less—and

hybrids are much hardier, yielding the highest volumes for the

least effort. This expansion continued until 1995, when it started to

decline. Both new planting and the replanting of old vineyards now

represent less than two percent of the total area under vine, with

a staggering amount of land planted with hybrids (estimates vary

wildly between the official 75,000 acres and external observers’

297,500 acres). Furthermore, despite privatization, almost 23

percent of the vineyards still belong to the Romanian state. There

are now eight wine regions encompassing 37 winegrowing districts,

and vineyard registration is slowly coming into operation in

preparation for Romania’s EU membership in 2007–2010. The two

largest wine-producing regions, Moldova and Mutenia, together

account for more than 60 percent of all Romanian wines.

THE FUTURE

Despite the difficulties of the past and accession to the EU, which

will present the growers with as many problems as solutions,

Romania has an excellent future—if it can be grasped. According

to pre-membership agreements between Romania and the EU, all

hybrids must be removed by 2014; although, on past experience,

this will no doubt be extended. And extended. And extended.

Far more important than replanting hybrid vines with vinifera is

to ensure that only the best vineyards are replanted and that an

emphasis is put on growing the best indigenous varieties, such

as those of the Feteasca˘ family: Feteasca˘ Alba˘, Feteasca˘ Neagra˘,

and Regla˘. Other potentially interesting local varieties include

Ba˘beaska˘, Busuioaca, Francusa, Galbena˘, Grasa˘, and Ta˘maîoasa˘.

Most wines currently produced from these grapes are a bit rustic,

but they do show promise. Once the clones are sorted out; the

vines are grown in the best-suited sites, at low yields; and skilful

winemakers are employed to hone the style of the wines they

produce, there will be no stopping Romania taking its rightful

place in the world of wine."

Tom Stevenson, THE SOTHEBY’S WINE ENCYCLOPEDIA, Fourth Edition, 2005, Dorling Kindersley Limited, London, pg. 420-421

Babeasca Neagra, Vinia Iasi, 2006

"Perhaps a more competent winemaker could promote Babeasca as a Romanian Beaujolais, and maybe, who knows, the showcases of our restaurants would add the announcement as a while ago in France: La Babeasca Est Arrivé!”

Babeasca Neagra (if feteasca neagra could be translated as girlish black, then babeasca neagra is something like gammer (old woman)’s black) is a Romanian traditional variety of red wine. Her homeland is found around the village Nicoresti, Galati County, but as the vines do not take into much consideration the territorial-administrative account of the period, babeasca live well in the surrounding villages of Vrancea and Vaslui county, and even crossed the Danube to Babadag and mountains all the way to Minis.

The growing area for Babesca has diminished over the last 50 years, for many reasons, most important is the fact that this variety does not give consistently superior wines and for sparkling wines- are more profitable varieties. Nowadays, as noticed on the supermarket’s shelves, it became a rarity. More accessible is a rara neagra (the synonym in Basarabia aka Moldova Republic)!

There is a prejudice that babeasca is a black, "hard", tannic wine, when in fact it is the most "light" of red Romanian wines. It has a ruby-red, sometimes low-intense color (especially during unfavorable vintages), low tannin and a acidity unusually high for a red wine. It is recommended to consume it in the same vintage year, thus being par excellence a "new wine". It's true that in the years particularly suitable for this wine with adequate production methods, it can deliver superior wines that can be ennobled by aging. The 1996 vintage for Babadag winery, is such an example. Sometimes, at online shops, or from various entrepreneurs, you can buy bottles of Nicoresti Babeasca from 1977 or 1983 vintages.

Recently I tried a Babeasca Neagra from Vinia Iasi- Iana Center from south of Vaslui County (11 lei-2.5 euro). I found a wine as described above, dry, pleasant, with fruity nose with a spicy taste, light body, with a short-medium finish, which reminded me of two foreign wines (you can compare somewhat, not to understand that are the same: Zinfandel and especially: Beaujolais Nouveau). This light wine can be associated with light cooked red meat, although it would withstand a chicken with red sauce, or Moldovan tochitura. What intrigued me is that although the label says "recommended consumption: closer to production date”, such date is January 2007. Where you stayed, Grandma, so far? No more walking helter-skelter through the warehouse! Even that reminds me of Beaujolais Nouveau of Real that is 2-3 years old! The second aspect is the price: if the French Beaujolais (and who honestly serve the purpose) does not jump to 8-9 lei, our alternative cost 11 lei. But whatever, is good and so ...

Perhaps a more competent winemaker could promote Babeasca as a Romanian Beaujolais, and maybe, who knows, the showcases of our restaurants add the announcement as a while ago in France: La Babeasca Est Arrivé!”

Conclusion: A good, everyday wine. Let’s not sin having too high expectations from it!

About:

"The grapes variety Babeasca does not accumulate large amounts of sugar and this is why wines are moderate in alcohol content of 10% vol - 11.5% vol, in turn have more acidity than other red wines. The color is ruby red - not too intense, but lively and bright, in the first year of preparation. Characteristic of these wines is that they develop a specific flavor, easily recognized, like ripe grapes of Babeasca. Younger wines have obtained a Fruity and characteristic freshness, due to higher acidity available. In general, wines made from this red wine variety are light, with serving temperatures between 10 ° and 15 ° C. It is best to consume foods based on poultry, beef, cheese. Due to moderate in alcohol and high acidity, wines made from black Babeasca are an excellent raw material for the making of sparkling wines."Dr. Pusca

romanian version: here

Cadarca, 2005, Minis-Maderat, Wine Princess

Question: Is Cadarca a Romanian grape variety?
Answer: Igen!

In one evening last week, along with the "doctor" Bogdan Rusu, returned temporarily from the land of Rabelais and Asterix, with the participation of Mr. Alexandru Ioanovici, self entitled "King of parsnip" (actually I offered the surname and he assumed it with much nobility), under the complacent eyes of the wife and our daughter, we tasted Cadarca of Minis, 2005 - Wine Princess, red dry wine(30 lei- 7euros).

The general opinion was that it is one of the best Romanian wines that we ever tasted. Only its limited regional character makes Feteasca Neagra sleep quietly (but really, feteasca sleeps "the sleep of death" for a long time). Finesse, full, balanced, living in each glass a different incarnation, constantly deceiving your taste buds with a flavor wasn’t there a sip behind. Raspberry, strawberry and spices. A wine with a complex personality, of which reside respectful winemaking methods applied by the wine producer, to which we return our respects.

Some time ago I tried a Cadarca from Pancota Cellars (10-15 ron, 3,5 euro like) but the comparison reminds me of "Prince and the Pauper". Popular taste, brutal, and with a more "questionable" character. However, is still a Cadarca, even if more "rural" and "unrefined" but for the evening glass of wine could be a solution, if the price means something in this business ...

PS: while tasting I told my brothers-in-arms that our neighbors in the West claim Cadarca as their traditional wine. Bogdan Rusu replied: " Cadarca? It just sounds Hungarian!" (the irony included). Leaving the joke aside, considering in what kingdom / empire was the Minis region for about 800 years , any discussion about the origin of this wine goes into pure ideological confrontation without historical support (or better said: historiography support ), rather barren, and lacks any rational purpose. I would rather use my mouth to drink the wine, than to argue with a stubborn Hungarian / Romanian. Cheers! Noroc! and Proszit!

About:

"Cadarca or Cadarca de Minis is the traditional Romanian wine originating from Miniş - Măderat, Arad county where he was prepared for the first time in 1744. It is produced in west of the country, both in Crisana - Maramures and the vineyards Recaş of Banat. Wine is produced with the addition of raisins and it contains sugar between 150 and 220 g / liter. Cadarca has a color ranging from bright red to dark red, a particular flavor of fresh fruit, consistent, full, velvety sometimes acid. Develop a complex bouquet after 2-3 years. When there are conditions to obtain wines oxidative raisins flavored with cloves and slightly astringent. Typically, to obtain less colored wine with a pleasant aroma of fresh fruit, balanced. ^[1]

Cadarca from ancient times is called "blood of a bull" reputation that locals keep it at present, defining them by this red-ruby color, personality and power. "Wiki

"It is a sort of Hungarian origin grown for centuries in Vineyard Minis. The time when the area belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the variety was virtually no competition between red wines obtained in the empire. But when the territory passed to Romania, variety Cadarca came into confrontation with the great wines by Dealu Mare, Samburesti, Mehedinti or Murfatlar, and as seen is losing the battle. In a certain way Cadarca variety is overwrought, that is required especially by German importer more than he can give in reality. Cadarca give the Minis very pleasant wine, balanced degree alcohol, full bodied and medium intensity, without a specific wine varietal character, but wine which unfortunately can not be made at a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-even level. So, wine should be placed in Cadarca's real level, that is an average. oniv

Photo: from the manufacturers sites

Feteasca Alba Urlati, Dealu Mare

Feteasca Alba Urlati – dry white wine 2006, Urlati, Dealu Mare region 27 lei(6 euros)

Note: The name of the town- Urlati- may be traslated as the verbs: Scream! or Yell!

"Urlaţi is a tiny patriarchal town. In Petrache’s restaurant - a sort of cultural home ground - I saw gathered together: lawyers, magistrates, administrative inspectors, parish priest and a musician ... My brother Demetrius Pişculescu - a true heir of Nicolache Piua-Petrii of Mahmud's Slippers - is one of the columns of fun, pride and glory of Urlaţi. A philosopher in his own way, my brother has had in the life than an attitude: to be excited about life and celebrate it , for ever, but not the mystic way, but with cup in hand "` Gala Galaction Journal,vol II, Minerva, Buc, 1977, p. 463

Despite the famous joke about the train’s ticket controller announcing the incoming station: "Urlati(Scream) three minutes!", the city from Prahova is not metalheads fief, nor any community of alienated madmen, but is a quiet and typical provincial town, with a history of millennia. It is said that the local name would come from people who came down from the nearby hills to gather the “urlatoarea”, that is “fair”. Then there are the theory that it originated from Uralt - Germans word meaning "old" (hence the suspicion that comes from the Goths invaded the land inhabited by people who you now call Romanians, with much love and friendship). Nicolae Iorga notice that the city name has nothing to do with word "scream" and most likely comes from the Slavonic (Orlu, Orlat), also a met name in Serbia or Bulgaria .

Here were some of the royal vineyards, like those of Lord Brancoveanu (who left a beautiful house in the middle of its former royal estates). Finally, a viticultural town, by tradition, as there aren’t many in our country.

I noticed the Feteasca Alba (girlish white, if you ask me for a translation)- Urlati due the elegant bottle (way-out!) and the price at all devout, out of the ordinary for this variety, usually much less appreciated. So is 27 lei(about 6 euros). Inside- a wine almost colorless to straw-beautiful reflections. The nose is fruity, floral, but also with a distant, fade nose of unpleasant burnt rubber, came form don’t know where, but the taste is fine, worked, but he carries the metaphysical baggage slightly bitter, slightly sour and slightly indigestible owned unfortunately by many bad-done wines obtained from this old Romanian variety. It's like the political talk-shows from Antena 3, in which although the hosts are ok, the guests are ok, and the spectators are ok-like, not know-how everything turns into an obsessive chase a absent mythical animal. Aftertaste is not memorable.

It has the feeling of a wine made with care, with finesse, but for various reasons- resulted a model of nickel farm tool, encrusted with Swarovski crystals. I think we should question ourselves on the spread of this variety, and its ability to cope with a Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling.

Conclusion: I’ll add a bottle of my old-traditional Romanian wines collection, as one of the finest and worked Feteasca Alba in the market, but I’ll not drink it any time soon. We all know that Istoria Ieroglifica (Hieroglific history- a book written by the 17 century moldovian scholar Dimitrie Cantemir, in old romanian language, very hard to read by a modern romanian) is a defining work in Romanian literature and philosophy, but we aren’t reading it with great enthusiasm, are we?

PS to the winemaker: I'm useless stupor manifest (again, again, again) towards the pompous names, snob (in the classical sense, and the worst of the pejorative word) face the wrath of some unfathomable to denote life, their vineyard - simple and innocent, with the French appellatives like chateau or domains. Monchers, if there were royal domain (because only the king’s is called "domeniu" and not mosie- the Romanian usual for “domain”) on your present property, you should phone the King, ask him if he has nothing against! Then- "Scream Domains " - let's be serious! Why did all these producers name their vineyard - “domains" (usually names of villages that have nothing in common with aristocracy)? Very few say how they should be: Cellar X, Vineyard W, let's say: Moshiah Y.

The investments done are more than welcome, and after seeing the photos of the presentation I go thinking about a happy combination of modern and traditional. This is how winemaking is done today!

romanian version: here

Feteasca Neagra Private Reserve 2007 Halewood Romania

Feteasca Neagra, Private Reserve, 2007, medium-dry, 13%, Prahova Valley , Prod. Halewood, 25 lei (6 euro).

About Feteasca Neagra (a romanian wine variety usually translated by Black Maiden- but I think a more apropiate translation would be Girlish Black)- Private Reserve- one could usually hear good things. Even the bottle demands respect. Looks serious, as an aristocratic starched from other times. But ... there isn’t an aristocratic pure-blood, but one that has awarded the title by a scandalous marriage with a French baron reaching 70. You look at it, so elegant and punctured as is, and think of her ancestors stood at enormous massive oak-table in their castle’s dining room entertained by minstrels. So fake! In fact, she was born in a village in the hills of Prahova, where he ran away with the circus Frederico & Co., arrived in Paris-"artist" of vaudeville, where she charmed the innocent Baron of Merle. After the old aristocrat finally succeeded into dying, the famme-fatale returned to his native country on high horses, not with many francs, but with a name if not great, fashionable at least!

So why our black feteasca sings like a black-bird (black-bird is merle in french, merlot in the Occitan dialect)? Exactly how - I don't know. All I know is that this wine resembles a merlot rather than the old black feteasca. The color is intense ruby-red, denoting a cherry flavor, prunes, pepper and medium aftertaste with shades of cinnamon. Not the way-out of stout, or velvet, and has an unusual astringency which paralyzes your gums as a tannic kiss. The above description may fit very well a merlot. The wine can be descrided as “manly”, an atribute which obviously we cannot assign to a feteasca, her nature being delicate.

Conclusion: It is a good wine, in relation to its price, but it seems like an winemaker’s experiment and fans of this Romanian variety will get a little confused and a bit disappointed.

Romanian version: here