ANIMA | 3 Fete Negre | Seria 007 | 2015 + 2016 + 2017
feteasca neagra

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Today we are going to review a legendary feteasca neagra wine from the famous Dealu Mare region – Anima 3 Fete Negre Seria 007 by Domeniile Sahateni. 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 quite often are compared to merlot and cabernet franc, mostly due to their body, fine 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 (Seria 007, which indicates that the wine is at its seventh year of producing) is a non-vintage wine because it is a blend of three different vintages of feteasca neagra grapes: the 2015 vintage (23% of the wine) was aged for 12 months in new romanian oak barrels, the 2016 vintage (45% of the wine) was aged for 18 and 24 months respectively in new and used french oak barriques, while the 2017 vintage (32% of the wine) was left unoaked in order to preserve the varietal characteristics of the feteasca neagra grapes. The wine is conceived and blended under the supervision of Aurelia Visinescu, and has been awarded 91 points by Mark Squires of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. 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: rich & oaky
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | bramble | blackberry | dried black plum | dried black cherry | aronia berry
fruit character: overripe & dried

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak
__spice: peppercorn | cloves | nutmeg | tonka seeds
__oak: roasted oakwood | sun-dried oak | oaktree bark | tobacco | black tea
primary layer: fruit & oak

//Palate
sweetness: bone dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: alcohol
body: firm | full body

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

//Scoring
ANIMA | 3 Fete Negre | Seria 007 | 2015 + 2016 + 2017
variety: feteasca neagra
country: Romania
region: Muntenia | Dealu Mare
rating: 94.2

//Conclusion
maturity: in its prime | drink now or age for another 2 to 3 years
verdict: great | a must try wine

//Prediction
predicted rating: 91

//RP Rating
actual RP rating: 91
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This is definitely a great wine of Romania and, with a total of 94.2 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 quite firm, plump and voluptuous feteasca neagra blend that fells ripe and seedy. The wine is right there, at the peak of its form, therefore we would recommend to drink it today rather than tomorrow in order to enjoy it at its finest, as we firmly believe that it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late, nonetheless the wine is still capable to age for another 2 to 3 years in the bottle. On the nose it brings a mixture of overripe and dried black fruits in the foreground, followed by a very nuanced, spicy-oaky background. On the palate the wine delivers well integrated acidity, ripe tannins and an overwhelming touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a seedy-hot aftertaste. All in all, this is one of the best feteasca neagra wine that we have tasted so far: bold, complex and expressive, a wine that is mixing power with finesse in a very elegant way. We would recommend to pair this wine with delicate meats, like for example Tournedos Rossini or peppercorn-crusted fillet mignon. Enjoy!

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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.