In the last 10 years, the Romanian grape variety Fetească Neagră has scored a significant development both in popularity and in quality. The red wines obtained from this variety of grapes became top products for certain wine producers in Romania, both in terms of quality, but prices as well. At the beginning, in the category of premium wines, Fetească Neagră was blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but gradually, in this category, wines obtained 100% from Fetească Neagră appeared. Due to the potential of representing Romania after the Carménère – Chile , Malbec – Argentina and Pinotage – South Africa model, more and more experts from the wine trade (especially from abroad) have seen in Fetească Neagră the main engine that could impel the image of Romanian wines for export. In order to bring into operation this engine it is absolutely necessary to know how it works, which are the conditions in which it can develop maximum power and which are the attributes that characterizes and individualizes it.
Because of a personal ambition to understand and to know better Fetească Neagră I took the lead in organising, in collaboration with Millésime Wine Club from Oradea, a series of comparative tastings of wines obtained 100% from Fetească Neagră.The title of the series is Best of Fetească Neagră and the first episode took place on Monday evening, 18th February.
Best of Fetească Neagră Part 1 started with a presentation of several pieces of information that I have discovered as a result of an individual study about Fetească Neagră grape variety.
So, what do we know about Fetească Neagră ?
Fetească Neagră is a vitis vinifera variety, obtained trough a popular selection, of vitis silvestris cultivated by Dacians (or their predecessors) on an area between the Carpathians and the Dniester. The wine-growing centre where Fetească Neagră is said to be originally from is Uricani, near Iaşi. Besides, in this wine-growing region called Moldavian Hills, the variety has been cultivated for a long period of time and only later reached Wallachia, Oltenia, Dobruja and lately Banat, Transylvania and Crişana. In our days the variety is encountered in all wine-growing regions but only on an extremely low surface. According to the official statistics presented by ONVPV (National Office of Vines and Viticultural Products), for the viticultural year 2010-2011, in Romania the area planted with Fetească Neagră was at the time of 2348,91 ha.
Depending on the area in which it was cultivated, Fetească Neagră was well known by people under other names such as: Poama fetei negre, Păsăreasca neagră, Coada rândunicii.
Regarding the characterization of Fetească Neagră vine variety, the most complex description is found in Dr. Ing. Ion M. Pusca’s book Vechi soiuri româneşti de viţă de vie (Old Romanian vine varieties): “Because of its vigour, the excessive growth of shoots slows down the normal differentiations of fruit buds. Therefore, in order to obtain an average production of 7000-9000 kg grapes per hectare it is recommended to cultivate Fetească neagră on half tall hills with a large number of buds (nods) that can reach up to 60-80 buds per grape vine. They are designed to slow down an uncontrolled growth of shoots making possible a better differentiation of fruit buds. The bulk of buds must be divided on long strings (one year old branches) each string providing a total of 12 to 18 buds. The Fetească neagră grapes begin their complete process of maturation on the second decade of September, managing to bring together sufficient quantities of sugars (200-220 g/l) in order to obtain high quality wines. Gathered later, they can reach up to 260-270 g of sugars and can bring out high quality wines. For a red variety the acidity can be very good, ranging from 4.5 to 6 g / l expressed in tartaric acid. It should also be added that the variety has good resistance to frost and drought, but requires permanent care being indicated a regular vine-cutting to increase endurance.”
Due to these features, this variety is not easily accepted by winegrowers and the lack of studies and tests regarding the choice of stock, optimal soil and accurate information regarding the planting manner, the variety is grown on a very small surface. However, in the last few years research centres in the country have managed to develop more than one clone of Fetească Neagră. According to the Official Catalogue of plant varieties of culture in Romania for 2012, published by the State Institute for Testing and Registration of Varieties from Romania, we have the following Fetească Neagră clones registered:
Fetească neagră 7 Od – Odobeşti
Registered in 2005
Authors: Arina Oana Antoce
Fetească Neagră 6 St – Ştefăneşti
Registered in 2008
Authors: Popa Camelia, Rădulescu Ion
Fetească Neagră 9 Mf – Murfatlar
Registered in 2009
Authors: Aurora Ranca, Ana Negrău, Victoria Artem, Petru Boloş
Fetească Neagră 4 Vl – Valea Călugărească
Registered in 2006
Authors: Institutul de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Viticultură şi Vinificaţie Valea Calugarească (Valea Calugarească Research and Development Institute for Wine-Growing and Wine-Making)
Fetească Neagră 10 Pt – Pietroasele
Registered in 2008
Authors: Statiunea de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Viticultura si Vinificatie Pietroasa (Pietroasa Research and Development Station for Wine-Growing and Wine-Making)
Fetească Neagră 21 Cot. Cotnari
Registered in 2009
Fetească Neagră 44 Th.
Registered in 2008
A large number of research studies have focused on the Fetească Neagră theme, carried out or coordinated by Mrs. Arina Oana Antoce, professor at the Faculty of Horticulture Bucharest. But a work that caught my attention is the dissertation study of Andrei Marin from USAMV Iaşi, that is called “The study of Fetească neagră variety in Valea Călugărească wine centre, depending on the culture technologies”.
Regarding the wines obtained from Fetească neagră, Dr. Ing. Ion M. Puşcă characterizes them as it follows: “Being vinified dry, Feteasca Neagră gives wines with a 12-12.5% alcoholic percentage. When grapes are harvested in late autumn and in an advanced stage of withering, wines contain 14% alcohol or even more. Wines are intensely coloured having a red colour that can vary from ruby glowing red to intense red with ruby hues. The flavour of wines obtained from Fetească neagră is pleasant, complex and original, to which it is added the grapes’ flavour that reminds us of blueberries or prunes. The savour resembles blackberry but in the end it is equable, consistent and vigorous. The appropriate acidity, which is a characteristic of the variety, has a beneficial intervention and leaves behind a pleasant and persistent after-taste. The wine obtained from Fetească neagră improves its quality trough maturation if it is kept into wooden barrels (up to 2-3 years) and trough bottle ageing (up to 10 years). These periods of time depend on the place where the variety is cultivated.”
Establishing the typicity of Fetească Neagră variety and recognizing the wines obtained from this variety in a blind wine tasting session, gave a hard time even to the most skilled tasters. Viorel Stan, an experienced taster, confessed that for years he recognized this wine only by elimination: “It has the wild character of Cabernet Sauvignon? No. It has the delicacy and raspberry flavour of Merlot? No. If it is well coloured, if it is ample, soft and balanced, if it is stout …than it must be Fetească Neagră.” The recognition of specificity came later. Mr. Viorel Stan, in his book “The great book of wine tasting”, points out the fact that the wine obtained from Fetească Neagră has a specific olfactory character which suggest the smell of prunes gaining a slight taste of cinnamon trough ageing.
In the attempt to determine the variety’s typicity, Mrs. Arina Oana Antoce, organized in 2007 a tasting of 32 samples of Fetească Neagră, tasting that was fallowed by a study called “Particularities of wines of the Romanian variety Fetească Neagră”. The conclusions of this study were as it follows: “in good years the variety has a high potential if it is properly vinified. […] however, there have been significant differences that, on one hand, indicate a great versatility, but on the other hand seem to emphasize the fact that Fetească Neagră does not have a strong and characteristic image and is therefore difficult to be differentiated. In order to present Feteasca Neagră as a truly valuable Romanian variety, a series of details must be elaborated, put together, for the purpose of having a clear identity.”
The practical part of Best of Fetească Neagră Part 1 consisted of the tasting of six wines from 2008 and the tasting of 3 consecutive years of Fetească Neagră Hyperion made by Halewood Romania.
I have chosen 2008 because it was a good and balanced year for most vineyards and because in this year many 100% Fetească Neagră wines in the premium area (+ 10 Euro) appeared. Within the horizontal tasting I aimed to recognize the variety’s typicity, as well as the main features of the flavour.
Each of the 9 participants received a portfolio that included a technical sheet for each and every wine, these technical sheets being filled out by the producers, mainly by the wine maker himself. I need to mention that DAVINO is the only producer from the ones mentioned below that has this information is available on-line, on their company web page. Nevertheless you can view the technical sheets for the tasted wines by clicking the links below:
Fetească Neagră Prince Stirbey 2008, Agricola Stirbey
Fetească Neagră Purpura Valahica 2008, DAVINO
Fetească Neagră Swallowtail 2008, Vinarte
Fetească Neagră Ancestral 2008, Crama Basilescu
Fetească Neagră Prestige 2008, Domeniul Coroanei Segarcea
Fetească Neagră Hyperion 2008, Cramele Halewood
Fetească Neagră Hyperion 2009, Cramele Halewood
Fetească Neagră Hyperion 2010, Cramele Halewood
All wines were opened and aired in bottle for 3 hours after which they were decanted and left to breathe for another hour.
Fetească Neagră Prince Stirbey 2008, Agricola Stirbey
It is one of the Fetească Neagră wines produced by Oliver Bauer (there was another one more from 2006). The alcoholic and closed nose opens gradually with a touch of black and ripened fruits (a mix of blackberries, bilberries, prunes and blueberries), covered in chocolate, caramel and cocoa to which some spices are added. It is a thin taste with soft tannins.
Fetească Neagră Purpura Valahica 2008, DAVINO
At first, the nose is reductive and closed after which come out to light prunes that are abundantly powdered with pepper. It was among the most typical aromas of Fetească Neagră, experiencing a slight influence by the oak barrels. The taste is very well structured – a dual system of firm tannins and a sustained acidity which lingers on the inside of the cheeks.
Fetească Neagră Swallowtail 2008, Vinarte
The year 2008 was the last one in which Vinarte produced Fetească Neagră Swallowtail. The wine had slight tints of brick colour on the outline, showing some signs of fatigue. The wine revealed itself gradually having a nose of black fruits in the end in which prevails a taste of smoked plums, emerging also some elusive touches of cinnamon and clove. The taste is a bit slender having an addition of acidity and much more pointed tannins.
Fetească Neagră Ancestral 2008, Crama Basilescu
The only one, from those tasted in this row, with CIB indication (Harvested at Grape’s Ennoblement). The nose is full, reminds you of black fruits, over-ripped red fruit, sometimes with jammy notes, but also soft chocolate icing, coffee and cinnamon. It’s a sort of best of both worlds: fruit and barrique. Somehow this wine reminds me of the great wines from the New World. The flavour is thick, heavy, stout and intensive, with sweet tannins and fruitful acidity. It was nominated the best wine of the evening, but as some of the participants remarked it tends to become tiresome.
Fetească Neagră Prestige 2008, Domeniul Coroanei Segarcea
The nose it’s under the influence of whisky-cream, roasted wood and milk chocolate that are derived from the French oak barrels in which the wines are maturated. The primary aromas that give the variety’s character are missing. The flavour is not very balanced having low-medium stout, sweetish tannins and a moderate acidity.
Fetească Neagră Hyperion 2008, Cramele Halewood
I’ve never come across a wine (more than that Fetească Neagră) that has the odour of this one: a sort of medicine (I don’t remember exactly what was it but I used to take it in my childhood and it was absolutely disgusting), menthol, eucalyptus. In other circumstances I would have considered the wine out of order and I wouldn’t have accepted it. The other participants would have done the same. I had the courage to taste it and I have discovered a wine with a good structure, with well positioned tannins on a fruitful acidity and menthol brims. Before serving the next wine I smelled the decanter in which I found a few drops of Fetească Neagră Hyperion 2008 and I was shocked – the decanter had the smell of smoked plums, dried leaves and truffles. I gave the others the decanter and the reaction was the same: in the decanter the wine smelled incomparably better. I poured those few millilitres of wine, into a clean glass and for our amazement we’ve discovered that in the glass, the wine smelled as medicine, like before. A wine full of mystery.
Fetească Neagră Hyperion 2009, Cramele Halewood
A nose full of dark, over-ripped fruits, sweetened by vanilla tints derived from their preservation in oak barrels. The taste is very well structured – spicy tannins, a bit alcoholic, proper acidity, fruitiness and an over average stout. From the three vintages of Fetească Neagră Hyperion, this one, from 2009, was the best.
Fetească Neagră Hyperion 2010, Cramele Halewood
The nose is a little more closed having a herbal and sallow touch that reminds me of the shadiness of the 2008 vintage. The flavour is looking for its balance – the tannins and the acidity haven’t got along yet. It’s a wine that took wing at the end of the last year and a wine that lacks the experience of aromas.
The most valued wine of the evening was Fetească Neagră Ancestral Crama Basilescu, followed by Fetească Neagră Purpura Valahica DAVINO and Fetească Neagră Swallowtail Vinarte. The participant’s scores for the horizontal tasting Fetească Neagră 2008 wines were structured and centralized in the list below. As one can notice, the points vary from one participant to another, so they are not to be taken as a guide to establish a final hierarchy of the wines, but to have a more analytic feedback.
|
Reference nr. |
Brand |
Producer |
BS |
SS |
LL |
BG |
DT |
VS |
IC |
BB |
|
1 |
Prince Stirbey |
Agricola Stirbey |
80 |
83 |
78 |
87 |
84 |
76 |
81 |
88 |
|
2 |
Purpura Valahica |
Davino |
82 |
86 |
83 |
92 |
88 |
87 |
91 |
90 |
|
3 |
Swallowtail |
Vinarte |
79 |
74 |
88 |
88 |
87 |
78 |
83 |
87 |
|
4 |
Ancestral |
Crama Basilescu |
85 |
92 |
83 |
94 |
92 |
90 |
97 |
92 |
|
5 |
Prestige |
DC Segarcea |
76 |
73 |
82 |
83 |
84 |
69 |
80 |
83 |
|
6 |
Hyperion 2008 |
Halewood |
83 |
71 |
69 |
81 |
82 |
76 |
94 |
80 |
Final remarks:
The typical character of the premium and super-premium wines obtained from Fetească Neagră and given by the black fruits – prunes/ blackberries – is found within wines in various forms (ripped, over-ripped, jam or marmalade). However, this character is suited by the oak barrel touches (it can vary from vanilla to dark chocolate and cocoa depending on the origin and the degree of burning).
In terms of flavour there are big differences concerning the level of stoutness depending on the origin – Segarcea and Drăgăşani render subtle wines, while those from Dealu Mare have a more complex structure, an above average body, well shaped tannins and a little more intense spicy touch.
Translated in english by Alexandra Bocșe.
Thanks for the comprehensive information, some descriptions sound very promising. Could you please recommend any romanian (online) dealer which delivers at least some of the mentioned wine to Germany?
Thanks & Regards