PRINCE STIRBEY | Cuvée Genius Loci | 2018
novac | negru de dragasani

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Today we are going to review an indigenous wine blend from the Dealurile Olteniei region in the south of Romania, a very rare wine that has achieved a legendary status over the years – Cuvée Genius Loci 2018 by Prince Stirbey. This wine is an authentic blend made of two local varieties: novac and negru de dragasani, conceived as a pure representation of the place of its origin, hence the wine’s name – ‘Genius Loci‘, which is the latin for ‘God of Place‘ or ‘spirit of the place‘. Novac grape variety is widely different from international mainstream ones, as the resulting wines are neither extracted nor concentrated, but finely nuanced and elegant, with a pronounced rustic profile. Negru de Dragasani on the other hand, has a fuller body and more complexity, with deeper color depth and nuanced black fruits flavours. Both grape varieties were harvested together and vinified as a cuvée in order to obtain a true vineyard blend, thus highlighting the local terroir notes as much as possible. The wine was then aged for 12 months in romanian oak barrels in order to gain a bit more complexity and body before it was deemed ready for release on the market. Needless to mention that it has been produced in a very limited edition of only 2193 bottles. 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: pale ruby color
clarity: hazy indigo shades

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & delicate
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits | blue fruits
__red fruits: cranberry | redcurrant
__black fruits: blackberry
__blue fruits: blueberry | blue plum
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | savory | earthy
__spice: cloves | nutmeg | cardamon
__oak: lightly roasted oakwood
__savory: leather | brown olive | iron
__earthy: clay | loam | marl
primary layer: savory-earthy

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: low
__grip: fine
balance: good
__dominant: none
body: lean | medium-

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits & blue fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: spicy–savory
finish: medium
aftertaste: velvety

//Scoring
PRINCE STIRBEY | Cuvée Genius Loci | 2018
variety: novac | negru de dragasani
country: Romania | Oltenia
region: Dealurile Olteniei
rating: 93.2

//Conclusion
maturity: in its prime | drink now or within the next 2 years
verdict: great | a must try wine
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This is definitely a great wine of Romania and, with a total of 93.2 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 very fine and delicate wine blend indeed: lean, savory and rustic – a wine that is on the footsteps of its prime form, therefore one that can be enjoyed today or within the next 2 years. It feels round, supple and velvety, with mouth-watering acidity, fine-grained tannins and just a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel. On the nose the wine delivers a very nuanced earthy-savory accent in the foreground, mixed with ripe red and blue fruits in the background, supported by a a very subtle, spicy-oaky layer in between the two. All in all, this is a quite plush and voluptuous wine that feels well balanced and elegant, with well preserved varietal characteristics and a terroir-driven, rustic delicacy – a wine that has its own distinctive personality and the footprint of the Dragasani terroir. Judging by the wine’s structure, our recommendation is to pair this wine with delicate meat cuts, like for example Tournedos Rossini or peppercorn-crusted filet mignon with wild mushrooms. 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.