Some age of rim, red fruits and veggie hints but not unpleasant. On the palate there is a big fruit hit, spices (cinnamon / nutmeg) quite long with firm but not harsh tannins. Good balance. Well made good value wine.
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Less than beautiful color and unremarkable nose with a little new car smell gives way to much better than expected palate of stone fruit, cherry juice, and the type of caramel notes that sometimes come out of a port or bourbon barrel. Versatile with food, but could happily drink it without. Makes a nice house red at this price point.
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Oog: Diep robijnrood. Neus: Aangenaam mooie pittige geur. Veel rood fruit maar ook hout, tabak en chocolade. Smaak: Zeer aangename verrassing, rood fruit, eikenhout, tabak, chocolade, vanille en tannines.
Gedronken als begeleider van een redelijk pittige stoofschotel van rundvlees waar het heel goed bij past.
Ik was verrast van de mooie kwaliteit van deze Bulgaarse wijn. Het is goed merkbaar dat ze twaalf maanden op eikenhout heeft gelegen. Het effect ervan ligt tussen een stevige Bordeaux en een goede Spaanse Reserva in. Toch scoor ik hier niet meer dan 87/100 vanwege de (te) vele bitterstoffen. Ik vermoed dat deze wijn nog een jaar of twee moet liggen om verder te rijpen. Ik verwacht dat dan mijn score naar de 90/91 zal gaan.
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On pop and pour or with time in the glass, this had a nice array of blackberry and cherry with firm dusty tannins on the back end. While somewhat one dimensional, it is a nice QPR. I believe this has plenty of time left.
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A nice surprise. I have only had a few Bulgarian wines but they have all been pretty solid. This was a very nice bottle. Bordeaux like characteristics on the nose (pretty much a BDX blend with added Syrah), good amount of dark fruit, heavy oak, a tad bit overpowering, but overall nicely done. Impressive wine with potential to age longer. But pretty good right now.
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Something out of the ordinary, a Merlot blend from Bulgaria. 10€/13USD in Germany. I came across this one while browsing 90p.+ wines in my favourite online wineshop.
66% Merlot, 12% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot. 12 months in oak barrels, 14.5% vol. (taken from the website).
The eye sees an ruby intense red with some purple and brown refelctions, slow legs. The nose explodes with cherry, bramble, vanilla , mineral and menthol aromas, a touch of leather and wood, followed by floral and herbal aromas, slightly alcoholic. A very Bordeaux-ish nose, great! (12.5/15p.) The mouth is starting with a round attack of fruit, acidity and spice, followed by well integrated tannins. Elegant with mineral notes. Also very much Merlot-Bordeaux in taste, slightly alcoholic. (11.5/15p.) The strong body shows a nice balance between fruit, medium tannins and medium(+) acidity, with acidity being dominant, some alcoholic heat. (7.5/10p.) The finish is dry, fruity and lasting, with remarkable tannins and acidity. (7.5/10p.) A very good or even excellent wine. 12.5+11.5+7.5+7.5(+50) = 89/100p.
Overall this one suprised me in a very positive way. A very Bordeaux-ish wine, could be mistaken if you did not know. A great example of high quality Bulgarian wines. Good for some more 5-7 years. I will buy this one again.
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A big wine. Would have guessed Chile or Australia if served blind. Saved from being a completely one dimensional fruit-driven wine by a touch of sweet spice (cinnamon?) on the finish. Also had good acidity and fine tannins to support the fruit. Will keep See if it develops more complexity.
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Drank over 3 days and got better each day. Rich nose with tart cherries, berries, liquorice, some chocolate and cinnamon. Ripe (slightly marmalade-like), concentrated and fleshy on the palate, savory with round spicy tannins kicking in from the mid-palate and subtle zesty acids to keep everything fresh and balanced. Long, grainy finish. Showing very well at the moment but should also age well for some more years.
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A nicely done Bordeaux blend, even better than the years before. Dark Color, modern Bordeaux nose. The palate is intense, some tannins, but loads of blackberry. Short to medium finish, I think this will improve with time. Good to drink now (decant it for an hour or two), but I expect the best drinking window from 2014 - 2016 .
Like the forerunners a great everyday wine especially when combined with food (red meat).
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Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and PV equally split by 25%. Forward oaky nose with black fruit, mint, lavender and vanilla. Dense and thick with solid structure and lively acidity. Fresh with firm tannins promising to age for 4-6 years. Possibly overaoked but impressive no doubt.
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2/5/2020 - Zazzaman Likes this wine: 88 Points
Some age of rim, red fruits and veggie hints but not unpleasant. On the palate there is a big fruit hit, spices (cinnamon / nutmeg) quite long with firm but not harsh tannins. Good balance. Well made good value wine.
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10/21/2018 - Krassens Likes this wine: 88 Points
Smooth yet heavy. Nice drinking but nothing memorable.
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2/29/2016 - wine30flight wrote: 86 Points
Less than beautiful color and unremarkable nose with a little new car smell gives way to much better than expected palate of stone fruit, cherry juice, and the type of caramel notes that sometimes come out of a port or bourbon barrel. Versatile with food, but could happily drink it without. Makes a nice house red at this price point.
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7/12/2015 - Rozenhart Likes this wine: 87 Points
Oog: Diep robijnrood.
Neus: Aangenaam mooie pittige geur. Veel rood fruit maar ook hout, tabak en chocolade.
Smaak: Zeer aangename verrassing, rood fruit, eikenhout, tabak, chocolade, vanille en tannines.
Gedronken als begeleider van een redelijk pittige stoofschotel van rundvlees waar het heel goed bij past.
Ik was verrast van de mooie kwaliteit van deze Bulgaarse wijn. Het is goed merkbaar dat ze twaalf maanden op eikenhout heeft gelegen. Het effect ervan ligt tussen een stevige Bordeaux en een goede Spaanse Reserva in.
Toch scoor ik hier niet meer dan 87/100 vanwege de (te) vele bitterstoffen. Ik vermoed dat deze wijn nog een jaar of twee moet liggen om verder te rijpen. Ik verwacht dat dan mijn score naar de 90/91 zal gaan.
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2/5/2015 - PSUSteve wrote: 90 Points
On pop and pour or with time in the glass, this had a nice array of blackberry and cherry with firm dusty tannins on the back end. While somewhat one dimensional, it is a nice QPR. I believe this has plenty of time left.
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1/14/2015 - SonnyChiba wrote: 89 Points
A nice surprise. I have only had a few Bulgarian wines but they have all been pretty solid. This was a very nice bottle. Bordeaux like characteristics on the nose (pretty much a BDX blend with added Syrah), good amount of dark fruit, heavy oak, a tad bit overpowering, but overall nicely done. Impressive wine with potential to age longer. But pretty good right now.
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6/10/2014 - Nik Lasse Seimsson Likes this wine: 89 Points
Something out of the ordinary, a Merlot blend from Bulgaria. 10€/13USD in Germany. I came across this one while browsing 90p.+ wines in my favourite online wineshop.
66% Merlot, 12% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot. 12 months in oak barrels, 14.5% vol. (taken from the website).
The eye sees an ruby intense red with some purple and brown refelctions, slow legs. The nose explodes with cherry, bramble, vanilla , mineral and menthol aromas, a touch of leather and wood, followed by floral and herbal aromas, slightly alcoholic. A very Bordeaux-ish nose, great! (12.5/15p.) The mouth is starting with a round attack of fruit, acidity and spice, followed by well integrated tannins. Elegant with mineral notes. Also very much Merlot-Bordeaux in taste, slightly alcoholic. (11.5/15p.) The strong body shows a nice balance between fruit, medium tannins and medium(+) acidity, with acidity being dominant, some alcoholic heat. (7.5/10p.) The finish is dry, fruity and lasting, with remarkable tannins and acidity. (7.5/10p.) A very good or even excellent wine. 12.5+11.5+7.5+7.5(+50) = 89/100p.
Overall this one suprised me in a very positive way. A very Bordeaux-ish wine, could be mistaken if you did not know. A great example of high quality Bulgarian wines. Good for some more 5-7 years. I will buy this one again.
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4/22/2014 - MissHighwater wrote: 88 Points
A big wine. Would have guessed Chile or Australia if served blind. Saved from being a completely one dimensional fruit-driven wine by a touch of sweet spice (cinnamon?) on the finish. Also had good acidity and fine tannins to support the fruit. Will keep See if it develops more complexity.
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1/5/2014 - stassivo Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drank over 3 days and got better each day. Rich nose with tart cherries, berries, liquorice, some chocolate and cinnamon. Ripe (slightly marmalade-like), concentrated and fleshy on the palate, savory with round spicy tannins kicking in from the mid-palate and subtle zesty acids to keep everything fresh and balanced. Long, grainy finish. Showing very well at the moment but should also age well for some more years.
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9/23/2013 - snoerre Likes this wine: 90 Points
A nicely done Bordeaux blend, even better than the years before. Dark Color, modern Bordeaux nose. The palate is intense, some tannins, but loads of blackberry. Short to medium finish, I think this will improve with time. Good to drink now (decant it for an hour or two), but I expect the best drinking window from 2014 - 2016 .
Like the forerunners a great everyday wine especially when combined with food (red meat).
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11/13/2012 - Dokken wrote: 91 Points
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and PV equally split by 25%. Forward oaky nose with black fruit, mint, lavender and vanilla. Dense and thick with solid structure and lively acidity. Fresh with firm tannins promising to age for 4-6 years. Possibly overaoked but impressive no doubt.
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