FÁUTOR | Negre | 2017
feteasca neagra | rara neagra

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Today we are going to perform a trip into the past and re-evaluate a wine that we’ve already reviewed before – Negre 2017 by Fáutor Winery. This is a wine that we hold close to our hearts, as it is a 100% genuine Wine of Moldova, made only with local, indigenous grape varieties – a blend of feteasca neagra and rara neagra, that has been aged for 12 months in french oak barrels and produced in a relatively limited edition of 19000 bottles. We have already mentioned the enormous potential of the two red indigenous varieties, and it seems that we are now witnessing a historical rise in overall quality and popularity of indigenous wines, a rise that has been also mentioned by Andreas Larsson. This is also a wine with a story behind the bottle, as there is a swallow depicted on the label, with the tail separated by the label frame, which is done intentionally, as feteasca neagra is also known as ‘coada rândunicii‘ (the swallow tail) in folklore. But enough theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results and find out how the wine has evolved.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

(rev.2020)

(rev.2021)

//Visual
concentration: medium
colour: ruby
clarity: hazy
hue/rim: garnet

//Olfactory
intensity: rich
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry | red plum | red currant | cranberry
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | blackcurrant | blackberry
fruit character: ripe & overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | other
__spice: red pepper | black pepper | nutmeg | cloves | cinnamon
__oak: roasted oakwood | cherry tree wood | black tea | tobacco
__other: cherry tree sap | black soil | leather
__wood: new / light & medium roast

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: med(+)
alcohol: med(+)
tannin: medium
__grip: fine
body: round | medium
balance: fair
__dominant: alcohol
complexity: moderate

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits & black fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: seedy-crisp

//Scoring
FÁUTOR | Negre | 2017
variety: feteasca neagra | rara neagra
country: Moldova
region: Valul lui Traian
rating: 91.1

//Conclusion
maturity: past its prime | close to decline
suggestion: drink in 2021 through 2022
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 91.1 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.

Verdict: this is a very fine and delicate wine blend that is ready to be enjoyed today – a wine that has already reached the summit of its prime form. thus one that does not require any more bottle ageing. It feels supple, round and plump, with mouth-watering acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through on the mouthfeel. With fine-grained tannins, voluptuous palate and a seedy crisp finale, this is a fine example of how a terrior-driven wine can be crafted using tradition and technology. It tastes ripe and fruity, with a medium body and a noble mixture of ripe red and black fruits and some very nuanced spicy-oaky flavours of roasted oakwood and tobacco. This is definitely a wine that has both, distinctive personality and the footprint of the Valul lui Traian terroir. All in all, this is a wine with a very appealing palate and a slightly austere mouthfeel – a wine with a very nice balance on the nose between primary fruit and oak-infused flavours. We would suggest to drink this wine today rather than tomorrow and pair it with naturally flavoured meats, like for example some beef rossini medallions with foie gras and truffles or a very-rare T-bone pepper steak. Enjoy!

(rev.2020)
(rev.2021)

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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.