The rush to adopt foreign holidays or reactivate native ones may seem strange to purists, but it can be attributed to a normal reaction to an environment overwhelmed by noise, speed, and virtual interactions. What could be more natural opposite to daily rhythms, if not a break to celebrate something, anything, especially love awakened by the imminent spring? And if we’ve already adopted Valentine’s and brought Dragobete back, why not enjoy them? A preview of Martisor (March 1st celebration), with pink things, sweet things, flowers, hearts, and gifts. And, obviously, with a glass of fine wine, right?
A cliché, but good one!
There are global wine competitions with juries composed exclusively of women, there are sommeliers, women winemakers, women tasters, wine experts, marketing and communication experts. And for some time now, it has been quite clear that women have a more refined sense of taste. But we know one thing “for sure”: women like a semi-sweet wine, usually white or rosé. Can we set prejudices aside for a moment? Sugar means pleasure, literally – the word comes from the Arabic term sukkar, which means "food" but also "pleasure." Sugar consumption leads to the release of dopamine – the "pleasure hormone" or "happiness hormone," so we can let ourselves, at least for a day, indulge in the wine’s residual sugars.
The good part is that there are plenty of sweet and semi-sweet wines worth your attention. Eiswein, the ice wine from Jidvei, is a prime example. Born from Traminer roz grapes harvested after several consecutive nights with temperatures below -10 degrees Celsius, it’s full of tropical fruit aromas, peaches, and roses, slightly spiced, jus perfect for spicy dishes and matured cheeses, but also for honey desserts.
Among the remarkable wines with residual sugar, Busuioaca de Averesti, Diamond Junior, cannot be missed. A semi-sweet wine with seductive notes of roses, fresh and well-balanced acidity. And yes, men can also taste a glass, guilty pleasure or not, without fearing they’ll lose some chest hair afterwards.
And, speaking of Busuioaca, last year an exceptional wine was launched – Zori de Roze, a blend dominated by Busuioaca de Bohotin, rounded up with a touch of Tamaioasa romaneasca. If you don’t go out to celebrate, at least you can make your way to a Carrefour, because Zori de Roze is exclusively produced for the Deschidem Vinul Romanesc (DVR) / We Open the Romanian Wine program. We guarantee you won’t regret it!
And after white and rosé, an exceptional semi-sweet red wine must also be mentioned, which we have previously talked about: Opus Fabula, a Fetească neagră treated in Amarone style by Gramofon Wine. The sweet sensations are well "hidden" by tones of jam, smoked plums, chocolate, and rich yet velvety tannins. Another excellent approach to Fetească Neagră, this time grown biodynamically, is Primordial, from Domaine Bogdan, the first and currently the only biodynamic Feteasca Neagra in the world – dry, but round and warm, full of fruit, with accents of dried plum and spices.
Delicacies, noble or rustic?
Any celebration can be marked by the sound of a popping sparkling wine cork, right? The more authentically Romanian, the better. So we can’t overlook the bubbles from Avincis, made from a Cramposie selectionata with some rustic nuances, but cheerful and shiny (a peasant girl / loved by the nobles, as Pastorel Teodoreanu used to say). Or, also among the sparkling wines made of Romanian varieties, you can find a refined Tamaioasa romaneasca in Rhein Extra Magnifique Brut, also exclusively at Carrefour, through the DVR program. Where, if you get there, you can also try, from the same program, the Tectonic rosé sparkling wine, made from Feteasca neagra – crisp, lively, and full of spring-like aromas.
Remaining in the delicate wine area, a rosé that always manages to meet all expectations is Cuvee Sissi from SERVE, an exemplary Pinot Noir, which perfectly captures the play between finesse and firmness of this grape variety.
From the same category, but with a small local accent, is Moments, from the former Crama Mennini, now acquired by the Vintruvian group. While waiting for the future wines, Moments rosé is still available, a Pinot Noir touched by Negru de Drăgășani, a playful wine, oscillating between elegant and rustic tones, well-balanced, relaxed, and lively.
However, speaking of elegance, we must also stop at the "flagship" Fetească neagră – an intellectual, intense, deep, and complex variant can be discovered under the name Epiphanie, from Via Viticola Sarica Niculitei (Caii de la Letea). An impeccable wine, whose only fault is the potential to distract you from your Valentine’s Day partner.
Attention to pairings
The most important wine pairing for Valentine’s Day is not with the food (as it usually is) but with the person you’re gifting it to. Yes, it would be good if it also matches what’s on the table, but it’s more important to be received with love. No matter how much dopamine it produces, don’t give a semi-sweet or sweet wine to someone who only likes dry wines. Just as the eternal and inevitable champagne doesn’t necessarily fit those defined by a somber sobriety. Choose cheerful and light wines for the younger ones and complex wines for the older ones, just as you choose wines with residual sugar for spicy foods and dry wines for meats. However, it’s still a celebration, so maybe it’s not the case to bring wine in plastic bottles with soda…
A few (other) final recommendations, so you have plenty to choose from:
- Domeniile Averesti, Busuioaca de Averesti, Diamond Junior
- Jidvei: Eiswein
- Crama deMatei: Zori de Roze (Busuioaca de Bohotin, Tamaioasa romaneasca)
- Gramofone Wine: Opus Fabula
- Bogdan Estate: Primordial, Feteasca Neagra
- Alexandrion Group: Rhein Extra Magnifique Brut
- Girboiu Winery, Tectonic, Feteasca Neagra, brut
- Avincis: Cramposie selectionata, sparkling extra brut
- SERVE: Cuvee Sissi, Pinot noir rose, dry
- Mennini Winery: Moments rose, Pinot noir, Negru de Dragasani
- Cotnari: Colocviu la Praga, Tamaioasa romaneasca
- Via Viticola Sarica Niculitel, Epiphany, Feteasca Neagra
- Strunga Winery: Nori de vara, Tamaioasa romaneasca, demidulce
- Bogdan Estate, Patrar Syrah, biodynamic
- Budureasca – Classic Blanc Noir, extra brut sparkling wine
- Domeniul Coroanei Segarcea: Tamaioasa rosé Prestige, demidulce
- Aurelia Visinescu: Karakter Rose (Pinot noir, Pinot grigio, Syrah), dry
- Gramofone Wine Muscat Ottonel, dry
- Jidvei Mysterium rose, Brut, Vintage 2017
- Caii de la Letea: Geneza rose, dry (only in Carrefour, through DVR program)
- Liliac: Nectar of Transylvania, Muscat Ottonel, sweet
- Recas Winery: Muse Stars, Mustoasa, Chardonnay, brut sparkling wine
- Franco-Romanian Domains: Arrogance, Tamaioasa romanesca and Feteasca alba, demidulce
- SERVE: Cuvee Charlotte, dry (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Feteasca Neagra)
- Rasova Winery: Sur Mer rose, dry (Syrah, Black Feteasca, Cabernet Sauvignon)
- Histria Winery: Nikolaos red, dry
- Domeniile Averesti: Nativus, Zghihara de Averesti, dry
- Jidvei: Owner’s Choice, Maria, Rhein Riesling
- SCDPV Pietroasa: Research & Innovation, Alb Aromat, dry
- Apogeum: Feteasca Neagra, dry
- Corcova Roy & Damboviceanu: Cuvee Racoveanu (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah)
- Jelna: Dealu Negru, Sauvignon blanc, dry
Enjoy!
