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Arwan's Review:

Yes, I like it a lot, but man, this one's even more expensive than the 2004 vintage that, in my opinion, is slightly better! Let me introduce you, though, to this wine, which is an assembly of Feteasca Neagra (the most notorious Romanian local grape variety), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Full bodied, 14% alc., this wine is produced only in favourable years by one of the most reputed premium wine makers in Romania - Casa DaVino from Ceptura (Dealu Mare). A wine of impressive evolution - a beautiful attack of wild cherries and plums, with a beautiful touch of oak, opens majestically in black berries (black currants) olives and vanilla. The tannins are medium, ripe and noninvasive, contributing to the roundness of this wine with an exceptional finish that makes you ask for more. With a beautiful aftertaste of figs and licorice (and an illusion of sweetness), this wine is a statement of uncompromising quality and certainly has the potential of entering the very seductive league of wines you can easily fall in love with at first taste!

Arwan's Review:

Yes, I like it a lot, but not for this kind of money! Let me introduce you, though, to this wine, which is not at all bad, on the contrary: It's an assembly of Feteasca Neagra (the most notorious Romanian local grape variety), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Full bodied, 14% alc., this wine is produced only in favourable years by one of the most reputed premium wine makers in Romania - Casa DaVino from Ceptura (Dealu Mare). A wine of impressive evolution - a beautiful attack of wild cherries and plums, with a beautiful touch of oak, opens majestically in black berries (black currants) olives and vanilla. The tannins are medium, ripe and noninvasive, contributing to the roundness of this wine with an exceptional finish that makes you ask for more. With a beautiful aftertaste of figs and licorice (and an illusion of sweetness), this wine is a statement of uncompromising quality and certainly has the potential of entering the very seductive league of wines you can easily fall in love with at first taste!

Arwan's Review:

Now, this is the best Feteasca Neagra (the most notorious Romanian local grape variety) vinified dry, I have ever tasted! They should present this wine to sommelier schools for the perfect expression of the tipicity of this grape. Indeed a nice encounter with a fine wine that I do recommend heartily!Purpura Valahica 2006 is a complex dry red. Full bodied, 14% alc, produced in a limited edition of 15.000 bottles, this wine is the finest expression of a talented winemaker and of a fortunate terroir. Beautiful color: purple-red, nice, spicy and fruity attack of black pepper, black beries, pleasantly integrated wood, round and classy with a majestic evolution in the glass. Long, warm aftertaste of licorice, dried fruits and plum jam, incredibly long finish of figs and cinnamon.To cut a long story short, get your hands on a bottle of this wine, if you have the chance, 'cause it's worth every penny!

Arwan's Review:

Until the apparition of the new Cabernet Sauvignon - limited edition, red label - from Oprisor in the summer of 2009 (vintage 2007), in my opinion this Cabernet Sauvignon was the best Romania had to offer. Full bodied, nice tannins, this is an atypical Cabernet, very spicy and round with a nice wild cherry nose evolving in black currant and smoked figs. Nice, warm aftertaste, long finish. Not bad, really.

Arwan's Review:

One of the most versatile reds from Romania, Cuvee Charlotte is the flagship of Serve - Terra Romana, the first quality wine producer from Ceptura (Dealu Mare, Romania) after 1990. The vinery is owned by Guy de Poix, a Frenchman from Corsica, just like Napoleon, the Emperor :) who makes his wines old Bordeaux school style.Cuvee Charlotte is a premium dry red wine for a bargain price. Medium bodied, with 13% alc. it gives great hedonist satisfaction with its intense wild cherries, smoked plums, leather, black pepper and vanilla nose (the wine is nicely barreled in new Slovenian oak), fine ripe tannins, long, warm aftertaste of berries and mushrooms with a herbal note of rosemary. As far as I know, they started producing this wine in 2002, each following vintage presenting the same tipicity and uncompromising quality. This wine is recommended for aging (up to 10 years) and, please note this: if you like a fruity, round, expressive, silky dry wine, there's something in this one that you will really love!

Arwan's Review:

I bet you had no idea they make wine in... Slovenia! I was completely unaware of that! But, read this out loud: I came across an old timer here that rocked my world. Truly, we are talking about a straight 91 pointer! Here we go: the wine comes from a small vineyard in Primorje (Trieste - Capodistria) branded by the Glavina family, local wine makers since 1800. It's a 2004 cepage of REFOSK (a local variety) vinified by a French gentleman by the name of Claude Gros from Narbonne. The wine looks and smells like a great Dornfelder with a touch of Shiraz (deep purple with lively ruby edges). Full bodied, 13,6% alc. (needs serious decanting!), Antonius brings up a majestic nose of black berries, marzipan, tobacco, cherries, rosemary and smoked plums against an impressive background of vanilla, truffles, black pepper and dark chocolate. The oak bug (this one is barrelled for 26 months, like a serious Barolo) is present, but not invasive, this wine has one of the most delightful bouquets that I have ever experienced with a single 5 year old cepage. Great attack too (nice, smooth tannins, black cherries, licorice, figs and red currants with a very pleasant earthy note - this is an extractive wine just like the good old Languedocs whose tipicity it resembles to almost confusion). The aftertaste is long and warm, almost like a big time Amarone, but not there yet, come on, it'd've been too much for its more than decent price, quality-wise!

Arwan's Review:

True. This is one of the most impressive Amarones I have ever tried! I'm familiar with Allegrini's, Zenato's, all of MASI's, Tommasi's and Brunelli's, but this one is really the superlative in my book. This wine must be tried at least once in a life time as a declaration of excellence. Being a thorough wine enthusiast, I cannot find any weak points with this wine that is truly stupendous and magnificent!

Arwan's Review:

For those who search for a fruit bomb in a dry red wine I dare say: here's what you are looking for! Exceptional quality for the price, the Private Bin of Nederburg Shiraz 2005 offers great hedonist satisfaction to a Shiraz lover. A lovely light ruby with purple edges meets the eye - the nose is very fruity (wild cherries, strawberries, dark chocolate, smoked figs and... a hint of shoe polish:), the taste is great indeed, lively and fruity: medium bodied, well integrated sugars, ripe tannins, beautifully balanced. The high alcohol ratio (over 14%) enhances the illusion of sweetness in this wine that is a perfect match for pizza, pasta, veal and dark chocolate. Long finish, delightful fruity aftertaste. I really like this wine!

Arwan's Review:

This is my absolute favourite of all the Amarones I have tried. The ratio between price and quality is exceptional. Beautiful dark ruby colour, stupendous nose (wild cherries, black berries, plums and vanilla), impressive attack ( a genuine fruit-bomb, this one!), heavy body, round, well balanced, incredibly velvety on the palate, magnificent evolution in the glass, great bouquet, stupendous aftertaste (wild cherries, plums, figs, chocolate, leather and smoke), exceptionally long finish. Needs decanting! I highly recommend this very rare Amarone (MASI's Riserva di Costasera - black label -was only produced in 2003) as a unique wine experience for the genuine lovers.

Arwan's Review:

Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Cabernet franc. A classic claret. Beautiful ruby, impressive nose (wild cherry, berries, vanilla and pomelo), fine acidity, round on the palate. Medium bodied, good finish, pleasant aftertaste with hints of plum jam and licorice.