CRAMA FERDI | Cuvee Paul – Rezerva | 2019
feteasca neagra | cabernet sauvignon

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Today we are going to review a quite intriguing wine from the famous Dealu Mare region in Muntenia – Cuvee Paul – Rezerva 2019 by Crama Ferdi. This wine represents the marriage between the two most popular red grape varieties in Romania: feteasca neagra and cabernet sauvignon, where feteasca neagra forms the wine’s body, builds structure and enhances the main aromatic profile, while cabernet sauvignon adds more boldness and complexity, delivering some much desired muscles and tannins on the finish. This wine is a classic example of modern microvinification, with 18 months of oak ageing, it is produced in a very limited edition of only 860 bottles, thus it is a rarity even in Romania. 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: medium-deep ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & oaky
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: black cherry | blackcurrant | black plum | aronia berry | blackberry | black mulberry
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth
__spice: peppercorn | cloves | nutmeg | tonka seeds
__oak: roasted oakwood | black tea | hints of coconut | vanilla | oaktree bark
__earthy: graphite | granite
primary layer: fruit & oak

//Palate
sweetness: bone dry
acidity: medium+
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: rough
balance: good
__dominant: phenols
body: firm | full body

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

//Scoring
CRAMA FERDI | Cuvee Paul – Rezerva | 2019
variety: feteasca neagra | cabernet sauvignon
country: Romania | Muntenia
region: Dealu Mare
rating: 92.3

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3 to 5 more years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Romania and, with a total of 92.3 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 rough, firm and angular wine blend, with a grippy mouthfeel, where the phenolic bitterness dominates over the palate. It is still in the development phase, therefore we would recommend to give it 3 to 5 more years of bottle ageing, in order to allow it to reach its full potential, but don’t overdo it as it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. On the nose the wine brings a mixture of ripe black fruits and some very nuanced oaky notes in the foreground, followed by a spicy background, with a subtle earthy layer in between the two. On the palate the wine delivers crisp acidity, rough and grippy tannins and an overwhelming touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a seedy-rough aftertaste. All in all, this is a slightly angular and austere wine, that in its current state lacks some finesse, as it feels a bit harsh. We believe it will pair lovely with spicy or barbequed meats, like for example peppercorn fillet mignon or beef tenderloin. 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.