Umbrele, Merlot, Vilie Timisului, Romania, 2023

Producer Profile

Back in 1988, three families decided to invest in a winery in Romania, starting with 650ha of slightly unloved vineyards and a rusty, formerly state-owned winery. Today, Englishman Philip Cox and his Romanian wife Elvira have turned the Cramele Recas Estate into the most successful winery in Romania.

Recas are now recognized globally for their impressive scale and breadth of fascinating wines, including natural and orange wines made from organic grapes. Despite the increase in scale, the emphasis remains on making quality wines that over-deliver – a magic formula that has recently seen sales boom. The vineyards are a combination of old vines and more recent plantings, and the winery has seen significant investment in state of the art facilities. Recas are in every way a modern, dynamic winery whose open-minded approach and quality sets them apart… a winery you can’t ignore.

Viticulture

Grown on a variety of soils, from cracking clay to limestone rich loam. All vineyards are non-irrigated. Trained to vertical shoot positioned trellis with 2 to 4 canes per vine with replacement spurs. Inter vine soil management by cultivation. Yields from 5 to 15 tonnes per hectare.

Winemaking

Crushing and full de stemming on all parcels, with fermentation in stainless steel 40 to 50 tonne tanks with temperature controlled yeast inoculation at 25-32 deg C for about 5-7 days on the skins with regular automated pumpovers. Pressed with some sugar still present. Fermentation finishes off skins, centrifugation off gross lees as soon as dry followed by natural malolactic fermentation

Tasting Note

A dark violet colour is well complimented by rich aromas of dark fruits, plum and blackberry, with notes of spice and a hint of vanilla. Medium bodied, but full of jammy fruit flavours- black current, even a hint of dark chocolate, with warm tannins and a fine finish.

Food Matching

Roast pork or veal.