CRAMA BAUER | P.V. | 2018
petit verdot

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Today we are going to review a single-varietal petit verdot wine that is unique in its own way, a rare find from the Dragasani region in Oltenia – P.V. 2018 by Crama Bauer. Petit Verdot is an old, french variety that originates in the famous Bordeaux region, and due to the fact that it is a late-ripening grape variety, it is rarely produced as a single-varietal wine and mostly used in blending (usually added in less than 10% of the volume) in order to add more color depth, tannin extract and the much-desired earthy-floral notes to the final blend. However, a dedicated wine enthusiast might find here and there some rare examples of a single-varietal petit verdot wine, mostly from warm sub-regions within Australia, Chile, Spain and USA, as lately, winemakers have realized that in the best years it can produce intensely fruity, floral and gravely-earthy wines with nuanced tannins and high natural acidity. This particular wine is made from hand picked grapes from the winemaker’s best sites, fermented only on wild yeasts without temperature control, aged for at least 12 months in big oak barrels and produced in a limited edition of only 1950 bottles. 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: medium-deep ruby
clarity: bright indigo hues

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & flamboyant
fruit profile: black fruits | blue fruits
__black fruits: black cherry
__blue fruits: blue plum | blueberry
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: floral | spice | oak | sweet | other
__floral: violets
__spice: nutmeg | cinnamon | anise | black pepper
__oak: liquorice | smoke | cherry tree wood | cocoa | sweet tobacco
__sweet: blueberry jam
__other: wood polish
__wood: used / medium roast

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

//Taste
fruit profile: blue fruits & black fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: spice & sweet
finish: medium+
aftertaste: crisp

//Scoring
CRAMA BAUER | P.V. | 2018
variety: petit verdot
country: Romania
region: Dragasani
rating: 92.2

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3 to 5 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended

//Prediction
RP rating: 89
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This is definitely a fine wine of Romania and, with a total of 92.2 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 even flamboyant petit verdot wine: fruity-expressive, rich and extracted – a wine that is still developing, thus one that requires at least 3 more years of bottle ageing. It tastes crisp, spicy and slightly seedy, with lots of ripe blue fruits in the foreground, supported by some mesmerizing oaky-sweet flavours in the background (think liquorice, cocoa powder, sweet tobacco and smoke). The wine feels nicely structured, explosive and extremely appealing, with fine-grained tannins, overwhelming acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel. This is a wine that in its current state lacks a bit of harmony and finesse on the palate, as it feels angular and tastes slightly tart on the finale. All in all, this is a very aromatic petit verdot wine with a great ageing potential – a real crowd-pleaser. Cheers!

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