CRAMA BAUER | F.N. | 2018
feteasca neagra

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Today we are also going to review a single varietal feteasca neagra wine from the Dragasani vineyards in Oltenia – F.N. 2018 by Crama Bauer. 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, complex and structured, wines that often are compared to merlot and cabernet franc, mostly due to their 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 romanian wines. This particular wine has been produced in a very limited edition of only 2000 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 purple color
clarity: hazy indigo shades

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & youthful
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits | blue fruits
__red fruits: wild cherry | sour cherry
__black fruits: blackcurrant | blackberry
__blue fruits: blue plum | blueberry
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earthy | other
__spice: cloves | red pepper
__oak: liquorice | cherry tree wood
__earthy: alluvial soil hints
__other: violets & hints of leather
primary layer: fruit

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

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

//Scoring
CRAMA BAUER | F.N. | 2018
variety: feteasca neagra
country: Romania | Oltenia
region: Dragasani
rating: 92.5

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3 or 4 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Romania and, with a total of 92.5 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 feteasca neagra wine: fruity-forward, lean and crisp – a wine that is still developing into the bottle, thus one that requires 3 or 4 more years of bottle ageing. It tastes supple and hot, with overwhelming acidity and quite an alcoholic touch on the mouthfeel, which leads to a crisp & warm finale. This is a wine that lacks a bit of harmony on the palate, as in its current state it feels a bit seedy and slightly angular (mostly due to elevated alcohol and acidity). On the nose the wine delivers ripe blue and black fruits in the foreground, supported by an earthy and slightly spicy background, with a layer of very appealing notes of violets and liquorice in between the two. All in all this is a very fine wine, with fine-grained tannins and a voluptuous mouthfeel – a fine example of how a terrior-driven wine can be crafted using tradition and technology – a real crowd-pleaser. Enjoy!

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