PURCARI | Feteasca Neagra de Purcari | 2019
feteasca neagra

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Today we are going to review a single-varietal feteasca neagra wine that comes from the famous Stefan-Voda region in Moldova – Feteasca Neagra de Purcari 2019 by Purcari. Feteasca Neagra is an indigenous romanian variety that has been grown for hundreds of years on substantial plantings in the south of Moldova and eastern Muntenia and today, this is the most famous red variety in Romania. Wines made from feteasca neagra grapes are usually fruit-forward, structured and complex, wines that often are compared to merlot and cabernet franc, mostly due to their full body, robust tannins and elegant textures. There is a rising demand for feteasca neagra wines both, on the local market as well as on the international markets and many experts name this variety as the visit card of both, Romania and Moldova. That said and 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: pale garnet
clarity: hazy garnet shades

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

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | savory | earthy | other
__spice: red pepper | cloves
__savory: iron | veal | leather | hints of barnyard & horse saddle
__earthy: brown soil dust | clay | loam
__other: fresh oakwood | cherry tree wood | red bell pepper & wormwood
__wood: old & new / light toast

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: med(+)
tannin: med(-)
__grip: fine
balance: good
__dominant: acidity & alcohol
body: lean | medium-

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: savory & earthy
finish: medium+
aftertaste: seedy & supple

//Scoring
PURCARI | Feteasca Neagra de Purcari | 2019
variety: feteasca neagra
country: Moldova
region: Stefan Voda
rating: 91.7

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 1-2 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 91.7 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 fine and delicate feteasca neagra wine indeed – savory & earthy, lean and quite rustic – a wine that is still developing, therefore one that has yet to reach the summit of its prime form, it definitely requires at least 1 or 2 more years of bottle ageing. It feels slightly green and supple on the palate, with mouth-watering acidity, a fine-grained tannic bite and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel – a wine that maybe lacks just a bit of complexity and finesse. The nose is filled with a noble mixture of ripe red & black fruits, supported by those nuanced, rustic-meaty flavours in the foreground and subtle vegetal hints in the background. What makes this wine stand apart from its peers is that old-world accent on the nose, as it first displays the savoriness within (some may call it terroir, other may point to the vinification procedures implied) and only then the wine releases its fruitiness. This is definitely a wine that will go well alongside meaty dishes that are rich in savory-natural flavours, like for example beef carpaccio, duck breast or venison steak. This wine showcases that Stefan Voda region can produce wines rich in identity, wines that are capable to showcase the varietal characteristics of the grapes, covering both, new-world and old-world styles, depending on what consumer asks for at any particular moment in time.
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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.