BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
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86<br />
Heritage 2008 Blanc de Blancs<br />
(Bekaa Valley); $15. Bright and<br />
lemony on the nose with freshly cut grass and a<br />
hint of melon rind, this dry white wine is a blend<br />
of Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc and Muscat. It’s not<br />
very complex, but fresh apples and pear flavors<br />
and a nice, luscious mouthfeel makes this<br />
Lebanese wine a quaffable choice. Imported by<br />
Vidalco International, LLC. —A.I.<br />
81<br />
Le Fleuron NV White (Bekaa Valley);<br />
$12. This dry, medium-bodied<br />
blend of Ugni Blanc and Clairette from Lebanon<br />
is grassy and feline on the nose with lots of tinned<br />
asparagus and pea flavors on the palate. Apple<br />
and pear notes linger in the background, but<br />
overall, the vegetal nature of this wine dominates.<br />
Imported by Vidalco International, LLC. —A.I.<br />
ROMANIA<br />
RED WINES<br />
87<br />
Byzantium 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
(Dealu Mare); $10. At just<br />
$10, Byzantium’s Cabernet Sauvignon offers<br />
great bang for the buck. Pleasant aromas of ripe,<br />
red plums, espresso and toasted oak complement<br />
the lush black cherries and earth notes on the<br />
palate. Balanced acidity and firm but pleasant<br />
tannins extend through the coffee and black<br />
cherry finish. Imported by Danex International.<br />
Best Buy. —A.I.<br />
87<br />
Prahova Valley 2008 Reserve<br />
Cabernet Sauvignon (Dealurile<br />
Munteniei); $10. Elegant and feminine on the<br />
nose with lovely cassis, toasted oak and violet<br />
notes, this medium-bodied Cab is another excellent<br />
bargain from Romania’s Prahova Valley.<br />
Sturdy tannins and a pleasant astringency add<br />
structure to the luscious, ripe red fruits on the<br />
palate. It’s high in acid, but well balanced, ending<br />
in a puckery, sour cherry finish. Imported by<br />
Terra Firma USA Inc. Best Buy. —A.I.<br />
87<br />
Prahova Valley 2008 Reserve<br />
Pinot Noir (Dealu Mare); $10. This<br />
bargain Pinot Noir is a pleasant surprise from<br />
Romania’s Prahova Valley with pretty aromas of<br />
black cherries, bark and menthol. Concentrated<br />
plum and cherry flavors are countered by darker<br />
notes of coffee grinds, earth and bramble.<br />
Medium bodied with balanced tannins and acidity,<br />
it’s a straightforward, everyday kind of wine,<br />
but a promising start for Romania’s wine industry.<br />
Imported by Terra Firma USA Inc. Best<br />
Buy. —A.I.<br />
86<br />
Terra Romana 2007 Cuvée Charlotte<br />
(Dealu Mare); $18. The nose<br />
on this Romanian blend of Merlot, Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon and Feteasca Neagra is dark and<br />
smoky with charred oak, coffee and tobacco<br />
melding into an herbaceous, woody backdrop.<br />
Juicy black plums and cherries are offset by<br />
strong grape and wood tannins and notes of cigar<br />
smoke and black pepper on the palate. It’s fine<br />
now, but a year or two in the cellar might smooth<br />
out some jagged edges. Imported by Terra Firma<br />
USA Inc. —A.I.<br />
86<br />
Werewolf 2008 Pinot Noir (Romania);<br />
$9. While there’s lots of candied<br />
black cherry and coffee grinds on the nose, on<br />
the palate, this medium-bodied Romanian Pinot<br />
Noir is rustic and herbaceous with balanced sour<br />
cherry fruit and notes of grass and earth. With<br />
such mild tannins, it lacks impact on the midpalate,<br />
but bright acidity carries it through a fairly<br />
long finish. Imported by Tri-Vin Imports. Best<br />
Buy. —A.I.<br />
85<br />
Byzantium 2007 Rosso di Valachia<br />
(Dealu Mare); $10. Although the<br />
nose on this medium-bodied Romanian blend of<br />
Pinot Noir, Merlot and Feteasca Neagra is pretty<br />
with ripe, black plums, vanilla and a hint of<br />
cashew nuts, it takes some airing out for the<br />
charred oak flavors to settle, allowing red plum<br />
and coffee grind notes to appear on the palate.<br />
Gripping tannins and high acidity give this wine a<br />
puckery astringency, but it’s not bad for the bargain<br />
price. Imported by Danex International.<br />
Best Buy. —A.I.<br />
85<br />
Prahova Valley 2008 Reserve Merlot<br />
(Dealurile Munteniei); $10. This<br />
medium-bodied Romanian Merlot is herbaceous<br />
and woody on the nose with notes of vanilla,<br />
toasted oak and black cherries. The fleshy red<br />
plum flavors compete awkwardly with a green,<br />
stalky profile and strong tannins, but finishes on a<br />
pleasant sour cherry note. Imported by Terra<br />
Firma USA Inc. Best Buy. —A.I.<br />
84<br />
Chevalier de Dyonis 2008 Pinot<br />
Noir (Dealu Mare); $8. The promi-<br />
nent barnyard scent in this bargain bin Pinot Noir<br />
takes a while to blow off after pouring, but is<br />
gradually replaced by aromas of black cherries,<br />
leather and wet, autumn leaves. There’s subdued<br />
black fruit on the palate, but plenty of earthy,<br />
stalky and vegetal notes as well. Low in tannins<br />
and body, the finish ends on a rather sour note.<br />
Imported by Terra Firma USA Inc. Best<br />
Buy. —A.I.<br />
83<br />
Dreamer 2007 Selected Harvest<br />
Pinot Noir (Dealurile Munteniei);<br />
$10. Dense and syrupy like black cherry juice,<br />
this semisweet Romanian Pinot Noir is not a wine<br />
with much finesse, but if you’re looking for a sugary<br />
red wine low in tannins and acidity, this is<br />
right up your alley. Imported by Terra Firma<br />
USA Inc. —A.I.<br />
ROSÉ WINE<br />
82<br />
Dreamer 2009 Late Harvest Merlot<br />
Rosé (Dealurile Munteniei); $9.<br />
Rose pink with a perfumed, confected aroma of<br />
strawberry jam and Love’s Baby Soft perfume,<br />
this semisweet late harvest Merlot rosé from<br />
Romania is sugary and syrupy. Imported by Terra<br />
Firma USA Inc. —A.I.<br />
WHITE WINES<br />
86<br />
Verus Vineyards 2009 Riesling<br />
(S v<br />
tajerska); $20. This Riesling from<br />
Slovenia is a bit perfumed on the nose with an<br />
abundance of white blossoms, baby powder and<br />
pink grapefruit aromas, but there’s a pleasant, citrusy<br />
sweetness and acidity throughout. Medium<br />
bodied, it finishes quite dry with a gentle white<br />
tea astringency. Imported by Tasty <strong>Wine</strong> Company.<br />
—A.I.<br />
86<br />
Verus Vineyards 2009 Sauvignon<br />
Blanc (S v<br />
tajerska); $20. Fragrant of<br />
freshly cut grass, honeydew melon and orange<br />
blossoms, this dry, medium-bodied Sauvignon<br />
Blanc from Slovenia has pleasant grapefruit and<br />
lemon flavors and a racy, zippy acidity that tingles<br />
on the tongue. It’s a simple but refreshing wine<br />
with a lime zest and smoke finish. Imported by<br />
Tasty <strong>Wine</strong> Company. —A.I.<br />
84<br />
Terra Romana 2009 Chardonnay<br />
(Dealu Mare); $10. Warm, toasty aromas<br />
with notes of coconut and dill, along with<br />
some honey and applesauce are pleasant on this<br />
dry Chardonnay from Romania. Unfortunately,<br />
the raw, aggressive acidity makes this wine lack<br />
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