DOMENIILE VINARTE | 1998 | Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon | 2017
merlot | cabernet sauvignon
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Today we are going to review another Bordeaux-style blend, but this time from the Samburesti region in Muntenia – 1998 Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 by Domeniile Vinarte. This is the wine is a blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon, where merlot forms the main body and flavour profile, whereas cabernet sauvignon adds structure and color depth to the blend. This particular wine is a very good example of a modern Bordeaux blend that was vinified in the trending, new-world style, aged in oak barriques in order to gain complexity and more flavour extract. The wine’s name is a tribute to the year when Vinarte was founded, back in 1998, and today the domain is proudly owning the three vineyards that are considered amongst the best terroirs in Romania: Samburesti, Starmina and Zoresti. But enough with all that theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results below.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:
//Visual
colour: medium to pale ruby
clarity: hazy garnet shades
//Olfactory
intensity: rich & clean
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry
__black fruits: black plum | black cherry | blackcurrant | blackberry
fruit character: overripe
//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | sweet | savory | earthy
__spice: anise | nutmeg | black pepper
__oak: liquorice | tobacco | charred oakwood | black tea
__sweet: black cherry jam | dried aronia berry | dried figs
__savory: hints of leather & veal
__earthy: black soil dust
__wood: new / heavy toasted
//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: med(+)
tannin: high
__grip: firm
balance: good
__dominant: acidity & alcohol
body: round | medium+ body
//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits & black fruits
fruit character: overripe
non fruit: spice & oak & sweet
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: crisp & seedy
//Scoring
DOMENIILE VINARTE | 1998 | Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon | 2017
variety: merlot | cabernet sauvignon
country: Romania
region: Samburesti
rating: 91.6
//Conclusion
maturity: on the rise | still developing
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Romania and, with a total of 91.6 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 wine that is still developing, hence one that can age for another 2 or 3 years in the bottle, as in its current state it feels crisp, tannic and very grippy. The wine tastes plump, round and excessively oaky, with an extracted fruity accent, overwhelming acidity on the palate and a seedy-crisp finale. This is a quite firm and spicy wine blend with a medium-plus body and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel, where oak clearly dominates over the fruit. All in all it has a well structured body, with a fruity foreground, that is supported by some very pronounced oaky notes, yet the wine clearly lacks some much desired elegance and finesse. Our recommendation is to keep it in the bottle for a couple more years, as the wine already displays some promising, subtle earthy-leathery hints on the nose, which might turn into some very appealing tertiary notes over time. Cheers.
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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.
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By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
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WineStatistics is a non-profit community. We produce independent and highly detailed wine reviews.
By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
In order to continue our work we need support from people like you. People who appreciate our contribution in spreading wine knowledge and raising wine awareness across the borders.
You may now support us by contributing with a monthly donation so that we can review even more wines.
WineStatistics is a non-profit community. We produce independent and highly detailed wine reviews.
By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
In order to continue our work we need support from people like you. People who appreciate our contribution in spreading wine knowledge and raising wine awareness across the borders.
You may now support us by contributing with a yearly donation so that we can review even more wines.
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