BALLA GÉZA | Cuvée Aradinum | Grand Selection | 2017
cabernet sauvignon | cabernet franc | kadarka
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Today we are going to review a very intriguing and in a way even unique wine blend from the relatively unknown Minis region in western Romania – Cuvée Aradinum Grand Selection 2017 by ‘Wine Princess’ Balla Géza. This wine is a blend of three grape varieties: 40% cabernet sauvignon, 35% cabernet franc and 25% kadarka (also known as cadarca in Romania), where cabernet sauvignon form the wine’s main body and structure, cabernet franc creates a leaner mouthfeel and brings some earthy savoriness to the blend, while kadarka adds color depth, additional black fruit extract and spice. The wine is named after the Arad town and is made from late harvested grapes that were sourced from the best vineyards in the Minis region, grown on very old rocky, granite soils. The wine has been aged for 24 months in hungarian oak barriques and another 24 months in the bottle before being released on the market. But enough theory, 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: deep garnet color
clarity: hazy garnet shades
//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & earthy
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: black plum | blackcurrant | black cherry | dried black plum | dried black cherry
fruit character: overripe & dried
//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | savory | earthy
__spice: black pepper | paprika | basil
__oak: oaktree bark | black tea | roasted oakwood
__savory: black olive | leather | hints of iron
__earthy: black soil | granite | forest floor
primary layer: fruit & earth
//Palate
sweetness: bone dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: firm
balance: good
__dominant: alcoholic bitterness
body: firm & grippy | full body
//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: overripe & dried
non fruit: spice & earth
finish: long
aftertaste: bitter-seedy
//Scoring
BALLA GÉZA | Cuvée Aradinum | Grand Selection | 2017
variety: cabernet sauvignon | cabernet franc | kadarka
country: Romania
region: Minis
rating: 93.9
//Conclusion
maturity: developing | can age for 5 to 7 years
verdict: great | a must try wine
//Prediction
RP rating: 91
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This is definitely a great wine of Romania and, with a total of 93.9 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 immense and impressive wine blend: fruity-earthy, firm and grippy – a wine that is still developing, yet one that can mature for up to 7 more years in the bottle. It feels bold, muscular and powerful, with well integrated acidity, firm and grippy tannins and an overwhelming alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel, which leads to a bitter-seedy, slightly rough finale. On the nose, the wine delivers overripe and dried black fruits in the foreground, supported by a pronounced earthy-savory background and a spicy-oaky layer in between the two. All in all this is a well structured, potent and tannic wine, with a full body and some angulary-sharp edges on the palate – a very imposing and muscular wine blend that has its own distinctive personality and the footprint of the Minis terroir. This is definitely a wine that requires some more bottle ageing in order to round up those sharp edges and settle down some of its power, as in its current state it lacks some finesse and elegance, especially on the palate. 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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