Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/735312
70 / the tasting panel / october 2016 (Danube) D un a ( D anube) Da nu b e D anu b e S a n T i s z a K o ro s M ures O lt Pr u t D niester S i r e t Ji u H ro n Ipel' Ipo l y Váh Tys a Sav a T is a I s ku r D r in Bo s n a D r i n a B U L G A R I A S LOVA K I A H U N G A R Y S E R B I A M O L D O V A U K R A I N E B l a c k S e a Frankfurt Cotnari Sebes- Apold Segarcea Samburesti Sadova Corabia Teremia Valea Lui Mihai Silvania Diosig Minis- Maderat Recas Banat Banat Pl. Drincei Dl. Craiovei Dragasani Severin Stefanesti- Arges Alba Aiud Lechinta Tarnave Murfatlar Oltina Istria Sarica- Niculitel Dealu Mare Buzau Babadag Covur Panciu Odobesti Cotesti Nicoresti Bujor Zeletin Tutova Husi Iasi Jidvei Winery Iasi Craiova Cluj-Napoca Constanta Drobeta- Turnu Severin Timisoara Oradea Sibiu Galati Bucharest Map data © Cosmographics Ltd. UK., 2016. Crisana & Maramures Transylvania Moldova Dobrogea Muntenia & Oltenia Banat Wine Regions ROMANIA 0 0 100 200 300 kilometers 100 200 miles C a r p a t h i a n M o u n t a i n s S t a r a P l a n i n a T r a n s y l v a n i a n A l p s K ü r e D a g Bordeaux 43°N 49°N Burgundy Piedmonte Bucharest A selection of Morbier and clothbound cheddar, almond, quince and crostini paired with the Jidvei 2015 Gewürztraminer Demi-Sec and Jidvei 2015 Nec Plus Ultra Chardonnay Demi-Sec. After the fall of communism in 1989, the focus began to shift back to the long-term goal of quality winemaking. "Today," notes Benga, "Romania is the fifth-largest grape grower in Europe in terms of acreage; however, it has lower production per acre than Germany," a diminishing trend that has picked up steam since the privatization of the Jidvei vineyards in 1999. Wine Region: Transylvania Romania enjoys a continental climate, with the majority of the country's wine regions forming a horseshoe around the Carpathian Mountains, which occupy the center of Romania. The Târnave DOC is located in the crook of this horseshoe, nestled in the heart of Transylvania. White varieties thrive here in the coolest of Romania's wine growing regions, where the highest plantings belong to the indigenous white grapes Feteasc ˘ a Alb˘ a and Feteasc˘a Regal˘ a, but bottlings of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Riesling are stealing the spotlight in the international market. Benga explains that Jidvei boasts "the largest planting of Sauvignon Blanc in Romania," representing over 500 hectares. "Within this, there are different altitudes, different exposures," notes Benga, which allow Jidvei to create several different manifestations of Sauvignon Blanc—a boon when one considers that Romania trends towards white wine for day-to-day consumption. "Romania is a country where wine is consumed in the household, much like Italy," Benga notes. As we make our way through the tasting, paired expertly by Conrad Reddick, Director of Restaurants at Avec Nous, the Jidvei wines unfurl their layers, presenting vivacious partners to the dishes before us. The first course, Avec Nous's "version of a Niçoise salad," explains Reddick, features Spanish tuna, monkfish liver, red bell pepper, anchovy, black olive, scallions and capers and plays nicely off the minerality of the Jidvei 2015 Premiat Dry Riesling. As Reddick walks us through his pairing choices, he muses that the Jidvei wines "have a wonderful backbone of acidity, pairing well with our cuisine, which is geared towards acid-driven wines." The barrels used in the Jidevei are Romanian oak, "Transylvanian, to be more exact," explains Benga. "The oak is sourced from trees that grow around our vineyards." Around the table, our somm guests are musingly quiet, acquainting them- selves with the Jidvei offerings. "These wines are a testament to the future of wine in Romania," comments Maria Garcia, Sommelier at République in Los Angeles. "The wines are crisp, approachable and quite modern in style. They are value-driven wines, which is a great incentive to get buyers and guests at restaurants to try Romanian wine." Ed. Note: Recent legislation has mandated changes in how sugar and acidity are labeled. Romania's dry wines no longer are legally required to be labeled as "Demi-Sec." Romania falls within the same parallels of latitude as the Piedmont and Bordeaux wine regions. With the production of white wines in the Transylvania growing region, the climate is similar to Alsace, and the wines, like those in Alsace, are extremely aromatic and dry, with tiny amounts of residual sugar balanced by a considerable amount of acidity. DOC Jidvei wines represent the perfect blend between tradition and, when it comes to taste profile, innovation.