Up In Smoke

Up In Smoke

The popularity of the the Romanian wines we selected last year was incredible, so here is another cracker from a producer whose wines are getting harder and harder to source. Thankfully, we've managed to secure another shipment so hopefully we can continue to list these wines that are just of tremendous quality.

Few people know that Romania is home to some of the world's oldest vineyard sites and that wine has been produced there in one form or another for around 4000 year! 

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The story behind this wine is that as his wines gained in popularity the Dacian King Burebista feared that his territories may come under attack and so burned all of his vineyards so that any invader could benefit from them. Thankfully for today's wine enthusiasts the vineyards have long since been replanted and we are able to enjoy the excellent wines which have risen from the ashes of those ancient sites.

The Grape

Tamaioasa Romaneasca is a grape variety which is indigenous to this part of Romania. It is usually made in a style which is dry yet intensely aromatic. On the nose expect plenty of elderflower and plenty of green fruit and citrus on the palate. This is a refreshing wine with a crisp, zingy finish.

The Region

The vineyards, located in the Budureasca Valley, share similar climatic conditions to those of Bordeaux which result in deeply perfumed reds and crisp, dry whites. The South facing slopes of the region ensure that the vines are exposed to long hours of sunshine which help the grapes to ripen. There are also mineral rich limestone soils which help to provide the racy edge to this particular wine.

The Man

The wines of Budureasca are actually made by a world renowned English winemaker called Stephen Donnelly. Stephen has over 30 years of winemaking experience in regions as diverse as South Africa, California and India and has won International awards in each of the Wineries he has worked in.

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