THESAURUS | Reserve | 2016
syrah | cabernet sauvignon | merlot

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Today we are going to review a wine blend from Banat region in eastern Romania, more precisely from the vineyards of the Dealurile Silagiului area – Reserve 2016 by Thesaurus. This wine is a blend of three major grape varieties: syrah, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, where cabernet sauvignon is responsible for the body and structure, merlot rounds up and smoothens the blend, while syrah adds more tannins, color extract and enriches the nose with those spicy-peppery notes in the background. Thesaurus Reserve is the winemaker’s flagship wine, made only in the best years from the best grapes, thus it is quite a rarity even in Romania. 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 ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby hues

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & mature
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: black plum | black cherry | black mulberry | blackcurrant | blackberry | dried black cherry
fruit character: overripe & dried

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | savory | earthy
__spice: black pepper | cloves
__oak: tobacco | roasted oakwood | liquorice | black tea
__savory: leather
__earthy: black soil | slate
primary layer: fruit

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: high
__grip: firm
balance: good
__dominant: alcohol
body: firm & plush | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: overripe & dried
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium-
aftertaste: hot & rough

//Scoring
THESAURUS | Reserve | 2016
variety: syrah | cabernet sauvignon | merlot
country: Romania | Banat
region: Dealurile Silagiului
rating: 91.6

//Conclusion
maturity: past its prime | do not age
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 quite plush but firm wine blend that feels slightly opulent and rough on the palate – a wine that has already passed over the peak of its form, thus one that is about to step on the decline slope. It tastes a bit flat, a bit angular and quite supple, with elevated acidity, firm and grippy tannins and an overwhelming alcoholic warmth showing through on the mouthfeel. On the nose the wine delivers overripe and dried black fruits the foreground, supported by a spicy-oaky background, followed by some subtle, earthy-savory hints. Overall the wine feels slightly off-balanced and wide, as in its current state it lacks structure and complexity on the palate, with a hot and rough finale. Our recommendation is to pair this wine with meaty dishes that are rich in natural fat, like for example a Worcestershire fillet steak, so that all that acidity and tannins in the wine will cut through the fat in the meat, thus filling the gaps in the wine structure with the richness of flavours in the food. Some wines are just meant to be paired with food.

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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.