TIMBRUS | Rara Neagra | Oak Aged | 2016
rara neagra

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Tonight we are going to review a single varietal rara neagra wine, which is a romanian variety with moldovan origins – Rara Neagra Oak Aged 2016 by Timbrus. The wine has been aged for 12 months in oak barrels in order to add elegance and complexity. Rara neagra, also known as babeasca neagra, is an indigenous grape variety that is famous for its ability to highlight terroir and produce wines with light body, velvety tannins and high acidity. Some experts even compare rara neagra to pinot noir in terms of structure and finesse, but let’s not get carried away by the the theory side – on to the tasting!
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

Visual
Pale and transparent garnet color, with hazy copper shades towards the rim of the glass.

Olfactory
The nose is strong, filled mostly with red fruits and savory flavours: redcurrant, red plum, cranberry, sour cherry, dried red cherry, dried cranberry, tomato leaf, wormwood and some nuanced irony-meaty hints. An instant later the nose is filled with notes of clay, dried oakwood, red pepper, cherry tree wood and some delicate hints of leather and horse saddle.

Gustatory
The wine is medium-dry, with moderate alcohol level, high acidity and green tannin. It feels round, lean and supple, with a nuanced fruity-opulent profile. This is a quite soft, plump and delicate rara neagra wine, as it tastes savory, a bit seedy and slightly tart. The wine is a bit off its balance, as it lacks some much desired structure and complexity on the mouthfeel, yet it has a fair overall balance and overwhelming acidity.

Aftertaste
The wine has a medium-plus finish and an balanced, tart and lean aftertaste.
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 90.0 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Conclusion: this is a fine example of a wine that lacks muscles and complexity, as it is a bit off its balance – supposedly in its prime form or on the edge of decline. Still, this is a quite lean, round and easy to drink rara neagra wine, that feels fruity and savory – one that does not hold any promises for further development, as there’s little reason for bottle ageing. Our suggestion is to pair this wine with meaty dishes that are rich in natural umami flavour and soft textures, like for example roast beef tenderloin with red wine sauce or medium-rare filet mignon steak seared in garlic herb butter. Cheers!

WineStatistics tasting results:

TIMBRUS
Rara Neagra | Oak Aged | 2016

grape: | rara neagra |

region: Moldova | Stefan-Voda

overall rating: | 90.0 |

maturity: in its prime

conclusion: fine | (highly recommended)

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.