The Feteasca Neagra
Grape
A red grape variety indigenous to Romania and Moldova, Feteasca Neagra is known for producing full-bodied wines with a good tannin structure and flavors of dark fruits, cherries, and blackberries, often with notes of spice, oak, and vanilla. It has gained international recognition for its quality and uniqueness.
Feteasca Neagra
Grape History
Fetească Neagră, which translates to "Black Maiden" in Romanian, is a grape varietal primarily associated with Romania. This ancient grape variety has a long and storied history, with its origins tracing back to the Dacians who inhabited the region that is now modern-day Romania.
Historically, Fetească Neagră has been cultivated in the regions of Moldova, Muntenia, and Transylvania in Romania. It is a dark-skinned grape variety that thrives in the country's continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The grape is known for its thick skin, which contributes to its deep color and intense flavors.
Fetească Neagră is used to produce both varietal wines, where it showcases its unique characteristics, as well as blended wines where it adds depth and complexity. The wine made from Fetească Neagră is typically full-bodied with flavors of dark berries, plums, spice, and sometimes a hint of tobacco. It often has firm tannins and a vibrant acidity that allows it to age gracefully.
While historically popular in Romania, Fetească Neagră is gaining international recognition for its quality and uniqueness. In recent years, plantings of Fetească Neagră have expanded beyond Romania to countries like Moldova, Ukraine, and even some experimental plantings in the United States.
The projected future of Fetească Neagră looks promising as more winemakers and consumers alike are discovering and appreciating the distinctive qualities of this grape variety. Its ability to produce a wide range of wine styles, from elegant and aromatic to bold and structured, makes it a versatile grape that can appeal to a diverse audience.
In conclusion, Fetească Neagră is a grape variety with a rich history, unique characteristics, and a bright future ahead. It continues to captivate wine lovers with its intriguing wines, and its growing presence on the international wine scene suggests that it will continue to gain popularity and recognition in the years to come.
Introduction
Hello, my name is Franklin Laurel - Welcome!
I started drinking wine in 1992 when I was in my early twenties and recently married. Like many other young Southern Californians, it started out with White Zinfandel. As we were a couple of young DINKs just beginning life together, and on a budget, our go-to-wine was Sutter Home White Zinfandel, which tasted a lot like wine coolers and probably cost at the time $2.49. If we really were going to splurge, we would step it up and buy Beringer White Zinfandel for $2.99. Those were the days....
After a little time, we decided to get fancy. We stepped up our game and bought some wonderful 2-Buck Chuck from Trader Joe's. The Charles Shaw (Trader Joe's Exclusive Label) wine, also known as 2-Buck-Chuck extended our pallet into Reds for only $1.99 a bottle. Over the years we continued to grow in our understanding of wine (finally ran into some good wine) and we slowly kept buying better and better bottles.
Our first wine club purchase was from Kenwood's Vineyards, in Kenwood, California located in Sonoma Valley, right next to the famous Napa Valley. I began to learn about tobacco leather, and earthiness, and lots of other strange terminology when tasting their signature Zinfandels (of the red variety). So that is how it all began.
Fast forward a couple decades, and we have been members of five different wine clubs, and now have a passion for California's red wines. My favorite by far is Cabernet Sauvignon, while my wife fancies a good Syrah, Malbec, or Merlot - but she also loves the smell of a wine barrel room, which is all about the notes of Cabernet Sauvignon.
As I come across great wine resources and useful information that I find in planning my own wine trips, I will share here for anyone that might stumble across my humble website.
Cheers! - Franklin Laurel