Never too late to send a gift of wine
| Although the winter holidays have passed and the gift-giving season seems to have monopolised all the options one has for present ideas, there is still one gift that is always welcome throughout the year - wine. And in Romania there are many good varieties on offer, of which those of elder harvest years are the best. A Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 or a bottle of Feteasca Neagra 1999 (Rezerve XX) can be enjoyed by everyone, no matter what their social status may be. The wine has the capacity of reaching all social levels, orienting the options of the consumer towards the basics necessary in any wine consumption. Worth consideration is also the presentation of a wine - such as in a wooden box which, from a practical point of view, contains straw to protect the bottle and also aesthetically contributes to giving the box's interiors a rustic feel. Aligote 1994 of Bucium, for those who like the dry wines of the northeast Romania, is available in this format. An older wine which is also highlyrecommended and which has a name that is suited perfectly to the brand is the Babeasca Valea Calugareasca from 1980 (Baba in Romanian means old woman). A sensitive and almost never entirely pure wine in the international sense, but 100 per cent authentic, is the Busuioaca de Bohotin 1989 or the 1996. This is a classy dessert wine that is particularly enjoyed by women. Busuioaca is a wine that will express itself through a wellbalanced sweetness and a natural colour that is very close to onion leaf. The pinkcoloured version that can be found in many shops is an unpardonable fake. Somehow, by sharing the same territory of growth, Grasa de Cotnari and Tamaioasa Romaneasca versions have the chance of reaching perfection by maturing. The Romanian prefiloxeric varieties mark emotionally the inner structure of this native people's soul. Obviously, what is now on offer among fresh and young wines is definitely better than previous years and glasses, wine decanters and modern cork-screws can also make good gifts. I hope that you will spend pleasant days in Romania with a few good glasses of wines on your table or why not offer your friends abroad some samples of wonderful Romanian liqueurs? I wish you a promising year. Noroc! |
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