In my recent trip to Romania I encountered a grape variety called Tǎmǎiosǎ Romǎneascǎ, identified as a local clone of Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains. Readers of this blog know that i have written extensively about this grape variety so I could not, in good conscience, leave without further investigation.
As I understand it, the variety has a 2000-year history in Romania and is speculated to have been introduced into the country by the Greeks (Given that the Muscat grape was the first derivative of the initial vitis vinifera domesticant, and the migration path of those varieties occurred much earlier in time, it is likely that this variety is much older than ascribed today). The current Romanian name for the variety is derived for the Latin word thymanea which translates as incense and alludes to the variety’s aroma.
Approximately 1731 ha (2025 numbers) of this variety are planted in Romania with Moldova (940 ha) and Dealu Mare - Oltenia (627.2 ha) being the most significant producers. Yields are modest, coming in between 8 and 10 kg/ha.
Tǎmǎiosǎ Romaneascǎ is one of the most popular aromatic varieties in Romania, producing sweet wines with good aging potential and young, fresh wines with exotic fruit aromas. Twenty years ago, wines from this variety were either off-dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. Today, winemakers are using modern techniques and aging on fine lees to produce high-quality dry wines with excellent aging potential. Sweet TR wines are expressive and floral — with notes of yellow orchard fruit, tropical fruit, honey, and pollen — and possess extremely seductive textures. The aromas on the dry wines are more delicate and floral and are accompanied by mineral and herbal notes.
I tasted a few examples of the wine while in Romania and revisit those experiences below.
My first encounter with this wine was at the Soro Lume dinner where the Prince Stirbey Tǎmǎroasǎ Romǎneascǎ 2023 was paired with the Nettle Stew. According to the Somm, the winery had a lengthy history in the Dragasani region, a history which was disrupted by the requirements of the managed economy. It was reconstituted in its current form in 2001 when a member of the former owning family returned to Romania and restarted a Quality Wine operation.
The wine, according to the Somm, has a floral smell and aromatic notes, qualities which would stand it in good stead when paired with the dish. My table mate Zoltan agreed, declaring that the dish was very smoky and so needed the aromatics to complement it.
My second encounter with this wine was on the #winelovers’ first day in Dealu Mare on our 14th Anniversary Celebration. The specific wine was the 2024 edition of Beatitudine of Vinalia. This wine showed sage, thyme, sago palm, lychee, a Gewurtztraminer note, nuttiness, and spice on the nose. On the palate salinity, pepper spice, a mineral Gewurtztraminer flavor, and good acidity. Persistence on the palate and a long finish.
The final encounter was the 2025 Tǎmǎioasǎ Romǎnescǎ tasted at Budureasca. Lychee, Gewurtztraminer, honeycomb on the nose. Complex, layered nose. Lime, sweet fruit, tree bark, and a metallic minerality on the palate. Marine characteristic. Long mineral finish.
I enjoyed all three of these wines notwithstanding the different circumstances under which they were encountered. I look forward to a more focused tasting of the variety across all of its types.
No comments:
Post a Comment