Romanian vs Hungarian wines

This year starts already interesting. Last night was a very interesting tasting with some of the best wines produced in Romania and Hungary, and the aim was to make some comparisons and more importantly to see how what chances do top Romanian wines have for the export market. It is no mystery that Hungary has a better reputation for its wines and is more advertised abroad than Romania is but as long as there is quality wine produced here the recognition will come for ours as well.

Last night it was about meeting new people, making new friends and sharing a great wine tasting experience. It was uninspired to place Vinarte Aniversare 2006 after the first 4 Cabernet based wines and I’m taking the responsibility for this.

2011 Gere Kopar Villanyi Cuvee has developed already a great nose that mixes gracefully primary ripe red fruit aromas with cured meat and tobacco leaf, being extremely youthful and fresh. Full palate, assertive but very smooth tannins, lively and good mid-palate sensations of chocolate, red and sour cherry with a medium to long, chocolaty aftertaste. It was matured for 16 months in French and Hungarian oak. (91/100)

2010 Davino Flamboyant has a deeper and more pronounced nose with brooding complexity, starting to show savory aromas of cured meat, coffee and beef blood next to its fresh and ripe black and red fruits. Seems denser on the palate, with assertive, polished and refreshing tannins, lush cassis and dark chocolate, with an exotic touch of basil from Feteasca Neagra. Medium to long finish with a red fruit chocolate. I had this wine several times in 2014 and found it unrewarding many times, but this time it seems to open up and start to drink nicely. (92/100)

There is no other wine from Hungary that I wanted to try more than the wines from Bock. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot, this wine was aged for 24 months in oak barrels.

2009 Bock Villanyi Bock Cuvee is very shy on the nose and surprises with an explosion of flavors on the palate. There can be no bigger surprise. At 15% alc this wine reminds very much of an Amarone with its dense and concentrated palate, velvety tannins, and intense flavors of rum, sour cherries in alcohol and dark chocolate. The acidity is medium to low, and the wine gives a very sweet sensation on the first attack. Finish is medium and a bit sweet. It must be the glycerine, high alcohol and low acidity that creates this sensation of sweetness on the palate. (91/100)

2009 Davino Reserva Rosu can easily be compared to a Super Tuscan. This is very elegant on the nose and shows a bright future for aging. Dry paprika, violets, cassis, black cherry, spices and cured meat make a complex, youthful and well developed nose. Full and dense on the palate, it shows the same line of elegance from the nose. Bitter-sweet chocolate, juicy black fruits and ink, show good definition on the palate. Long taste, lingering. (94/100)

2006 Vinarte Aniversare seems more Burgundian when compared to all these 4 examples of power and concentration. The nose shows a more developed wine but pleases with its fragrant and delicate flavors. I normally like this wine a lot on its own, but last night was put on a blind spot.

Two more Hungarian wines were served: Villaniy Cabernet Franc 2008 that has a rather more pronounced nose than its palate (87/100) and a 2009 Vylan Mandolas with a riper profile and more density and concentration on the palate (89/100).

The night was closed with a 2005 Cristal that has yeasty and cheese aromas, that dissipates after some time in the glass leaving a lovely smoky vibrant citrus fruit. Lively and acidic palate, there is force and tension here, with the same appealing smoky citrus flavor. Long. Great wine but somehow I did not enjoy it much last night probably because of reminiscences of a healing cold. (93/100)