Rosu de Purcari 2018 (Chateau Purcari)

Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. The historic Chateau Purcari has a reputation for producing stunning Bordeaux-style blends in this charming rural corner of south-eastern Moldova close to the Black Sea. The estate dates right back to 1827 when Tsar Nicholas I issued a special decree establishing Purcari as the first official winery in the region. The region’s links with France date back even further to French settlers who recognised that this area shared similar rubidium-rich soils and the same latitude as Bordeaux. Their early experiments with Bordeaux varietals here proved so successful that Chateau Purcari continues to make excellent Bordeaux-style blends like this Rosu de Purcari to this day. Composed of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot along with a dash of Malbec, this Bordeaux-inspired blend combines French influences with a distinctively Moldovan character. The fruit is grown close to the Black Sea which helps to preserve freshness and aromatics in the grapes. Once in the winery they are vinified using local techniques and then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. This lengthy maturation softens the firm tannins and fully integrates the components of the blend, creating a powerful and ageworthy red with luscious dark fruit flavours and savoury notes of woodsmoke, cedar and toast from the barrel.