RASOVA | Macici | Feteasca Neagra | 2018
feteasca neagra

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Today we are going to review another iconic, single varietal feteasca neagra wine from Dealu Mare – Macici Feteasca Neagra 2018 by Crama Rasova. 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 is made from feteasca neagra grapes that were harvested in the famous Dealu Mare region in the south of Romania and is signed by none other than Razvan Macici – the world famous romanian oenologist that made his name in South Africa. In order to preserve the expressivity of the fruit, this wine was bottled unfiltered and aged for 32 months in new, romanian oak barrels, followed by 4 more months of bottle ageing. 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 ruby color
clarity: hazy garnet shades

//Olfactory
intensity: pronounced & expressive
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | blackberry | dried aronia berry
fruit character: ripe & overripe

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

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

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

//Scoring
RASOVA | Macici | Feteasca Neagra | 2018
variety: feteasca neagra
country: Romania | Muntenia
region: Dealu Mare
rating: 93.9

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3 to 5 more years
verdict: great | a must try wine

//Prediction
predicted RP rating: 90

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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 very expressive, firm and extracted feteasca neagra wine, with a quite complex and well structured mouthfeel. The wine is still in its developing phase, therefore we would recommend to give it 3 to 5 more years of bottle ageing, in order to allow the wine to gain further complexity and round up some of its sharp edges. On the nose the wine brings a mixture of overripe black fruits and some very nuanced, oak-derived notes in the foreground, followed by a spicy background and a subtle earthy layer in between. On the palate the wine delivers crisp acidity, ripe but seedy tannins and an overwhelming touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a crisp and seedy aftertaste. All in all, this is one of the best feteasca neagra wines that we have tasted so far: fruit-forward, rich and slightly angular due to its youthfulness, a wine that in its current state lacks some harmony and finesse on the palate. Taking into the account its aromatic profile and structure, we would highly recommend to pair this wine with spicy or barbequed meats, like for example a grilled T-bone steak or a barbequed rib-eye steak. Enjoy!

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