THE ICONIC ESTATE | Rhein Extra | Imperial | Brut | #
chardonnay

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Today we are going to review a very intriguing sparkling wine, rightly considered to be one of the best crémant wines ever made in Romania – Rhein Extra Imperial Brut by The Iconic Estate. This is a single-varietal sparkling wine, made of chardonnay grapes (this style is called ‘Blanc de Blancs‘) and produced in accordance to the classic champenoise method, also called ‘méthode traditionelle’, with second fermentation in the bottle. With extensive ‘sur lie’ ageing (ageing on fine lees), this wine is the winemaker’s flagship cuvée. Due to long term second fermentation in the bottle and further bottle maturation, the wine develops extra complexity and delivers enhanced creaminess on the palate. The Iconic Estate was formed in 2018 after Alexandrion Group has acquired Halewood Wines and Spirits Romania. Rhein Extra is the oldest romanian classic sparkling wine, making its first appearance at Pivnitele Rhein in 1892, while in 1920, Rhein Extra becomes the official supplier for the romanian royal house. But enough theory, that said and without further ado, let’s move on straight to the tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
color: straw-yellow | medium intensity
clarity: clear pale-yellow hues

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & noble
fruit profile: sweet fruits | citrus fruits
__sweet fruits: apple | quince | asian pear
__citrus fruits: pomelo | sweet lemon
fruit character: ripe & overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: herbal | lactic
__herbal: wheat | hay | buckwheat | dried leafs
__lactic: bread crumbs | bread crust | baguette | brioche | toasted bread | butter
__wood: none

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: med(+)
tannin: low
__grip: green
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: round & creamy | medium

//Taste
fruit profile: sweet fruits | citrus fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: sweet & lactic
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: crisp & seedy

//Scoring
THE ICONIC ESTATE | Rhein Extra | Imperial | Brut | #
variety: chardonnay
country: Romania
region: Dealu Mare
rating: 91.9

//Conclusion
maturity: on the rise | age for 3-4 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Romania and with a total of 91.9 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 definitely one of the best crémant wines that we’ve tasted so far: noble, round and creamy – a wine that is still too youthful to be enjoyed today, theretofore at least 3 or 4 more years of bottle ageing should be seriously considered. The wine feels fruity, crisp and seedy, with a very nuanced lactic accent and some hints of future elegance. In its current state, the wine has overwhelming acidity, which creates the sensation that it might lack some body and structure. Overall this is a very fine sparkling wine: voluptuous, smooth and sweet – a wine that needs time to develop and round up its edges – one that will do well if paired with with creamy dishes or soft cheese, like brie or camembert.

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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.