DOMAINE BESSA VALLEY | Grande Cuvée | 2015
merlot | syrah | cabernet sauvignon | petit verdot

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Today we are going to review a very special wine, a masterpiece from Bulgaria – Grande Cuvée 2015 by Domaine Bessa Valley. This is the winemaker’s flagship wine – a classic Bordeaux blend made only in the best years and a reference point for many other bulgarian reds. This wine is a blend of merlot, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot grapes sourced from the Thracian Lowlands wine region from clay and limestone soils, where merlot forms the main body and flavour profile, syrah adds spiciness and color to the wine, cabernet sauvignon enhances the wine’s structure, while petit verdot brings on the local terroir notes to the final blend. The Bessa Valley estate is owned by the Count Von Neipperg (owner of Canon la Gaffelière, La Mondotte and Château Guiraud) and is focused on producing wines that allies Bordeaux expertise with the bulgarian terroir. This particular wine has been aged exclusively in new french oak barriques and the result is astonishing – an exquisite wine that is mixing power with finesse. Needless to mention that it has been produced in a limited edition of only 9515 bottles, thus the wine is a rarity even in Bulgaria. That said, without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: medium to deep ruby
clarity: hazy ruby hues

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & sweet
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: black plum | black cherry | black mulberry | blackcurrant | aronia berry
fruit character: ripe & overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | sweet | savory
__spice: black pepper | nutmeg | cinnamon
__oak: liquorice | sweet tobacco | roasted oakwood | hints of vanilla
__sweet: black cherry jam | blackcurrant jam | dried figs
__savory: leather | subtle hints of barnyard
__wood: new / medium roasted

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: noble & round | full body

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: overripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: appealingly rich

//Scoring
DOMAINE BESSA VALLEY | Grande Cuvée | 2015
variety: merlot | syrah | cabernet sauvignon | petit verdot
country: Bulgaria
region: Thracian Lowlands
rating: 94.7

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | can age for 3-4 more years
verdict: great | a must try

//Prediction
RP rating: 91
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This is definitely a great wine of Bulgaria and, with a total of 94.7 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 great and extremely appealing wine blend – very extracted, fruity-oaky and expressive – a wine that is yet too young to be enjoyed today, therefore one that will definitely benefit from another 3 or 4 more years of bottle ageing. It feels sweet, rich and bold, with a seductive mix of power and finesse on the palate that we haven’t tasted for a long time. This is a well structured, complex and nicely balanced wine blend, with mouth-watering acidity and well integrated alcohol, that is supported by a firm tannins and a velvety finale. To be honest, this wine is worthy of a fair comparison with some of the first growths, as this is a wine delivers an amazing balance between fruit and oak, with some subtle savoriness in between, making it a perfect pairing partner for any spicy-sweet meats, like for example glazed lamb ribs or smoked veal cuts – a wine to enjoy.

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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.