DAGON | Last Barrel | Pinot Noir | 2022
pinot noir

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Today we are going to review a single varietal and single vineyard pinot noir wine from the famous Dealu Mare region of Romania – Last Barrel Pinot Noir 2022 by Dagon Estate. Pinot Noir has reached a legendary status over the last decades and today it is the most sought-after red wine in the world. The grape itself is quite vulnerable, suffering from a multitude of diseases and its genetics make it highly susceptible to mutation. But despite all the difficulty to grow pinot noir, when treated with utmost care, it is capable of producing the very best expressions of terrior. The grapes for this wine were sourced from the young pinot noir vines planted on sandy-rich soils on the slopes of Valea Nucetului in Urlati (Prahova county). What makes this wine truly special is that it has been vinified in the so called ‘low intervention‘ style, fermented using only ambient yeast (also called wild yeast), where the winemaker is trying to emphasize the grape variety and the local terroir, rather than imposing his ‘fingerprint’. In order to add a layer of extra complexity and sophistication, the final wine has been aged for 12 months in oak barriques. Needless to mention that it has been produced in a very limited edition, but enough with all that 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
color: pale garnet color
clarity: hazy garnet shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & vegetal
fruit character: ripe

The first nose is immediately inviting, offering a burst of ripe red fruit character, like sour cherries, redcurrants and cranberries. Woven throughout these primary fruit notes are nuanced hints of oak, that remind of coconut, sun-dried oakwood and cloves. That oak influence adds a layer of extra complexity and warmth, but doesn’t overpower the fruit. In the background, a pronounced vegetal layer spreads out, with hints of tomato leaf, red bell pepper and asparagus. Those vegetal undertones build another layer of intrigue and keeps the fruit from feeling overly sweet. Intriguingly, there’s also a whisper of savory nuance in the background, hinting at herbs like thyme or oregano.

//Palate
sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: medium- | balance: good
finish: medium+ | aftertaste: crisp & green

The palate throws a bit of a curveball compared to the nose. While the initial flavors echo the aromas of red fruits, they come across as slightly underripe, lacking the sweetness one might expect. Earthy and herbal notes emerge here as well, adding complexity but perhaps overshadowing the fruit a touch. The exuberant acidity cuts through the flavors, but struggles to keep up with a prominent alcoholic warmth that dominates the mid-palate. The tannins are present and quite noticeable, feeling a bit seedy on the tongue. Despite the warmth, the aftertaste itself remains crisp and finishes with a slightly green character. The overall mouthfeel is interesting, a bit opulent and a bit disjointed due to prominent acidity and alcoholic warmth on the palate.

//Verdict
maturity: developing | drink now or in the next 2-3 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended | a wine of premium quality

All in all, this Pinot Noir exhibits an intriguing, oaky-vegetal nose, while the palate presents a different story. The exuberant acidity keeps the wine crisp initially, but struggles to tame a noticeable alcoholic warmth. Despite an ample body, the wine feels a touch disjointed at this stage, mostly due to the seedy tannins, that form a slightly green character on the finish, thus resulting in a mouthfeel that’s a bit austere and lacks the finesse one would expect from a well-crafted Pinot Noir wine. That said, the wine shows good varietal typicity, even though it feels a touch hot and unbalanced in its current state. It might benefit from additional bottle aging to allow all its elements to integrate and soften some of those rough edges.

//Scoring
DAGON | Last Barrel | Pinot Noir | 2022
variety: pinot noir
country: Romania | Muntenia
region: Dealu Mare | Valea Nucetului
rating: 92.3
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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.

Pairing: Judging by the wine’s emphasis on slightly underripe red fruits, crisp acidity, and seedy tannins, it would be best suited for lighter dishes that won’t overpower the wine’s delicate character and that can stand up to its crispness. Seared salmon with fennel orange salad and roasted potatoes would be a fantastic pairing option. The richness of the salmon would be counter-balanced by the acidity in the wine, while the fennel and orange salad would complement the herbal and savory hints in the wine. The light nature of the dish wouldn’t overwhelm the wine’s fruitiness, while the acidity in the wine would help cut through the oiliness of the fish. This pairing would allow the wine’s delicate character to shine through, while the citrus flavors in the salad would add an extra layer of sophistication to the overall tasting experience. Cheers!

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