2020 Weingut Edgar Brutler Vinul Casei Alb, Romania, Transylvania, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

This was a fun bottle.  It is a white wine that comes in a one-liter bottle with a crown cap.  Light golden in color.  It is made from Welschriesling, Feteasca Regala and Grünspitz grapes.  Light golden in color with silvery hues, clear and bright.  Light bodied.  The nose has pears with minerality.  on the palate, this is dry.  Pears with minerality.  Crisp and clean.  Easy to drink.  Thise drinks well on its own and would be nice with lighter foods and salad.  Drink over the next few years.  

2011 Cotnari Grasa de Cotnari Semi Sweet, Romania, Moldova, Cotnari, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
86
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$8.00USD

This is a semi-sweet dessert wine from the obscure Grasa de Cotnari grape in the region of Cotari from the  winery called Cotari.  They actually have been making wines here since the 1800's.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with honey, slight vanilla and herbal notes.  Light bodied.  On the palate, the honey comes thru.  It is slightly sweet with moderate acidity.  This bottle at age ten seems to be showing some age although the sweet versions of this wine apparently last for decades.  Still for the price, this drinks easy and is a nice value.  It works well with a sele

2011 Cotnari Feteasca Alba Semi Sweet, Romania, Moldova, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$8.00USD

This is semi-sweeet wine from Romania.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  Despite the age (ten years from vintage) there is still a very floral quality to the wine but also showing some dried flowers, slight honey and a hint of peach.  Medium bodied.  Sweet but not overtly.  Slightly viscous.  On the palate, this has a honeyed quality with slight apricots.  Moderate acidity.  Light bodied.  It drinks easily and paired well with soft cheeses but also a peach cobbler.  Still drinking well at age 10, it did seem a bit past prime.  

2017 Budureasca Noble 5, Romania, Muntenia, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$19.00USD

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz, Feteasca Neagra from Romania.  It is quite a nice wine and good value for a serious red wine.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, sour cherries, spices and some dark chocolate.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis, cherries, chocolate with good acidity.  This is complex, deep with some layering that unwind in the glass.  It may still benefit from a few more years of cellaring but should drink well for another ten years.  This drinks well on i

2015 Cramele Recaş Cuvée Uberland, Romania,Transylvania, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$39.00USD

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Romania.  Deep garnet in color, flat, and opaque.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, and some cassis, along with some smoke.  There is a slight stewed raisin quality to the fruit which is intentional.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cherries, some char, some black pepper and some raisin especially on the finish.  A resemblance to an Amarone with a bit less acidity.  This seems like it should drink well for the next eight to ten years.  It will work well with meats or fowl in a wine reduction sauce and would be nice at

2016 Cramele Halewood Burebista Fetească Neagră/Shiraz, Romania, Dealurile Munteneiei, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is 70% Fetească Neagră and 30% Shiraz(Syrah) from Romania.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is very nice with cherries, black olives and a slight anise note.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, tart cherries with some complexity.  Cherries and some black cherries.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  This should continue to drink well for another five to seven years.  It drinks nicely on its own but will work better with food.  A hearty beef stew would work well.  

2016 Serve Fetească Neagră Terra Romana Cuvée Guy de Poix, Romania, Dealu Mare, wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$34.00USD

Made from the Fetească Neagră grape in Romania, this is a really interesting wine.  Ruby in color with slight browning, mostly opaque and bright.  Lovely nose with black cherries, char, some volatile acidity which really  brought out the aromatics.  Some balsamic comes up with air.  Medium to full bodied.  Lighter but non-obtrusive tannins.  On the palate, black cherry fruit with some chocolate and char and also a meaty quality.  Layers of complexity.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  The wine seems close to maturity but may benefit from further cellaring.  Either way, it should drink well for

2011 Cotnari XL Cotnari, Romania, Moldova, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
86
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$8.00USD

A blend of Frâncușă, Fetească Albă, and Tămâioasă Românească.  This wine is off-dry.  At age 10, it is very interesting and it would be great to try it a bit younger.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has this unusual quality which I describe as "orange berries" (and yes, such a thing probably doesn't exist).  Sort or tart orange zest.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is just perceptibly sweet.  Nice minerals.  A bit of orange citrus.  Nice finish.  This is probably better on its own than  with food but soft cheeses would work.  

2013 Senator Prodimpex Şarbă Monşer Romania, Moldova, Dealurile Huşiului, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$9.00USD

The label says this is for "fat cats and aristocrats".  The name of the grape is Şarbă which is a cross between the ancient Romanian grape Tămâioasă Românească and Italian Riesling created in 1972.  Deep golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has minerals and sea air.  Maybe some peaches as well.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is interesting.  There is a burnt orange quality and a bit of an herbal note,  Clean with a moderate finish.  This seems like it is probably past prime at age 8 but still has something to offer.  It would be great to try something a bit younger.  It will w

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