After a busy week at work I had a lovely FRI dinner with our friends Calin, Anne, Razvan and my better half, Andreea. Food was very good, company amazing and the wines pretty decent. We had 2 red wines and 3 whites. Here they are:
2007 Trapiche Malbec Single Vineyard Vina Fausto Orellana de Escobar
As I wrote in an older post dedicated to another one of the three 2007 Single Vineyard bottles, each year Trapiche chooses the three best producers of Malbec of the vintage and releases them in a special wooden case with large and heavy bottle format. I already had the chance to taste Vina Adolfo Ahumada 2007 and I didn’t like it, as it had too much oak and had a very short aftertaste. The Fausto Orellana de Escobar is a totally different story. This Vina was included in 2005 Trapiche SV selection and I remember the wine having all the ingredients of an excellent bottle of Malbec. The 2007, even though is young, already impresses. The wine has a red purple color. The nose has strong mineral characters: graphite and ink., floral with violets and also black pepper. There is a very discreet hint of oak, but it just gives the wine more complexity. In the mouth the wine is concentrated with full body, sour cherries, blackberries and blackcurrant, has a nice acidity to balance the 14.5% alc and again a very nice hint of oak that balances all these components in a harmonious way. The aftertaste is medium plus. One thing that is disturbing about this wine is a hint of heat you can feel on the back end. I think that in 8-12 months the alcohol will integrate well creating an excellent bottle of Malbec.
2006 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. Pinot Noir has found its next best place to grow and provide excellent wines in Oregon, in USA.
Our 2006 Drouhin Pinot Noir was decanted for 1 h and drank over 1h. I have to confess the wine showed better after 2 h. The color was a medium ruby red. The nose was initially dominated by red fruits: black and red cherries,raspberries all covered by a nice lactic note and by alcohol. As the wine was breathing in the decanter more flavors emerged: mushrooms, spices, herbs; the sensation of alcohol vanished after 2 h. In the mouth the wine was medium plus body, nice acidity, good structure, flavors of raspberry, black cherry, a bit of earth. Finish is delicate, medium plus, with red fruit notes and a nice tannic structure. The aftertaste changed also with time towards spices and earth. Again some heat was present on the back end. I think this wine should be decanted for at least 2-3 h before poured in the glass or give it some years in the cellar to let it balance the 14.5% alcohol it has.
Poesie di Raffaello Cuvee Blanc
A blend of 4 grapes if I am not mistaking. The wine has a clear lemon green color. The nose is full of floral notes. In the mouth the wine is off dry, light body, has a high acidity with bright fruits and floral notes. The aftertaste is short. I liked the high acidity of the wine but I did not like the notes in the aftertaste.
2007 Origini Tamaioasa Romaneasca Budureasa semi sweet
Color was clear lemon. Nose full of peaches and white flowers(shock). In the mouth the wine has nice acidity that doesn’t make the wine flabby, nice body, peaches and more flowers. The aftertaste is short-medium. Good wine for dessert.
Livia Sarba Cotesti
Color lemon green, watery-white intensity. Nose is floral with mineral notes. Good acidity, youthfull, floral, off dry, light body, short finish. Not a fan of this wine.
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