Solevari Reserve, Pinot Noir, DOC, Viile Timisului, Romania, 2023

Producer Profile

Back in 1988, three families decided to invest in a winery in Romania, starting with 650 hectares of slightly unloved vineyards and a rusty, once state-owned winery.

Yet Englishman Philip Cox and his Romanian wife Elvira, have turned the Cramele Recas Estate into the most successful winery in Romania. Recas are now recognised globally for their impressive scale and breadth of fascinating wines, including natural and orange wine from organic grapes. Despite the scale the emphasis is on making good wines that over-deliver, and as a result they’ve struck on a magic formula that has seen sales and demand boom. Vineyards are a combination of evolved plantings from 1447 and more recent planting, whilst the winery has seen significant investment and boasts state of the art facilities where innovation thrives. Recas are in every way a modern, dynamic winery, whose open-minded approach and quality sets them apart … a winery you really can’t ignore.

Viticulture

Local climatic conditions encourage the development and depth of flavour. With Pinot Noir it all depends on the grape having what it takes to produce good red wine. Their vineyards consistently excel in this respect meaning their winemaking remains simple, the skins are only worked lightly to achieve soft tannins and sweet fruit. Oak use is balanced with flavour intensity and the wine bottled early to retain freshness.

Winemaking

Grapes are destemmed and lightly crushed, pressed after 10 days and then a natural malolactic fermentation. A little time spent in French oak, medium toasted adds a little complexity without it dominating the flavour profile.

Tasting Note

Purple red colour, with violet flecks. Intense red and black fruits (sour cherries, blueberries, cranberries) floral aromas. This has lovely acidity, a medium body, pleasant tannins, and a delightful slightly bitter and spicy finish. Excellent balance of aromas, alcohol and tannins.

Food Matching

Mushroom bruschetta, prosciutto, chorizo, Jamon iberico.