Black Sea Wines

Wine on the Run: Poze Rose Wine of Greece

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 20:07:00 +0000

Poze Rose from Greece

Poze Dry Rose Wine is OK. Nothing to run for or to run from. It's dark and a little more red than many Roses but does not have that super Rose freshness and fun feeling. At 4.50 Euro per bottle, it's fine served chilled at a barbecue on a hot day.

Review: Kourtaki Vin de Crete (White) 2008 from Greece

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 21:29:00 +0000

Vin de Crete 2008 by Kourkaki

Wine: Since I moved to Greece, I have been mainly drinking the house wine at restaurants that comes in 1/4-1/2 liter pitchers that has varied in taste from rotgut to somewhat better than rotgut. If you have not figured it out by now, I am cheap. Last weekend, I went out looking for a place to exchange dollars to Euros. It was Sunday night and rainy. After walking endlessly, I stumbled upon a tourist restaurant. I was wet and tired and did not care. There was no house wine so the waiter suggested a 1/2 bottle of Vin de Crete by Kourtaki. I knew nothing about the wine but thought Crete's hot and dry climate should be ideal for white wine so I readily agreed. Vin de Crete is said to be a "country wine" from the hills of Central Crete using a native grape called the Vilana.

Tasting: The wine was a half bottle served chilled and eaten with fried calamari (really good) and lamb chops (pedestrian). Kourtaki's Vin de Crete 2008 has 12% alcohol.

Result: The Vin de Crete had a dry and fresh taste. It tasted out of the barrel in a good way. The Vilana had a slightly wetter taste than a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was golden in color, clear, and medium-bodied. There was a taste of sour apple, like a Granny Smith. The wine was delightful with the calamari. Grilled sea bass is popular here. The Vin de Crete would go perfectly with the sea bass.

Rating: Good.

Price value: 8.50 Euros for a half bottle in the tourist restaurant was probably two to three times the street price. My guess is that it is a very good buy.

Review: 2005 Negru de Purcari of Moldova

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 21:06:00 +0000

Wine: My friend Rob said, "I read your blog and now I know what not to drink." We have not reviewed too many stunners yet. We want Black Sea Wines to guide you to the terrific wines of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. So, after Rob's comment, we were headed to the home of friends and I pulled out a bottle of 2005 Negru de Purcari from Moldova which I carried back in my suitcase from a trip to Chisinau in the hopes of drinking a winner. In an earlier post, I mentioned how I loved the 2003 Negru de Purcari but was disappointed in the 2007. Purcari is one of Moldova's leading wineries, and Negru de Purcari is their Cadillac or Mercedes brand. Negru de Purcari is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Saperavi.

Tasting: We tasted the wine with our friends, Martha and Tom. Both are great cooks. Tom made pizza from scratch with basil and fresh mozzarella. It was amazing. We opened the bottle with the pizza. We drank the wine immediately after opening without decanting.

Result: The Negru de Purcari lived up to its reputation. Debbie liked the wine. I asked Tom what he thought of the wine and he said that it was subtle. The wine did not try to overpower you but had lots of taste. I agree. The Negru de Purcari was wonderfully smooth with lots of fruit. It was dry with just a little bit of sweetness and left a pleasant sensation on the tongue. The wine had good clarity and was delightful a bit colder than room temperature.

Rating: Very Good. I cannot give the wine an "Excellent" because it would have needed to be a "little bigger."

Price Value: $20-25 USD per bottle. Average. The price for the wine is perfectly acceptable but at $20, there are many wines from California, South Africa and Australia just as good.

Review: Egervin Bulls Blood 2007 from Hungary

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:51:00 +0000

Wine: One of the most famous wines from Hungary is Bulls Blood by Egervin. Egri Bikaver, translated as Bulls Blood, comes from the town of Eger, Hungary and dates back to the 1850s. Although the legend of the phrase Bulls Blood is derived from much earlier times when the citizens of Eger fought the Ottoman Empire and drank red wine for strength. Bulls Blood is available throughout the world and is self-classified as a dry red table wine. Along with the Tokaji dessert wines, Bulls Blood is among the most well known Hungarian wines in the United States. What makes Bulls Blood particularly interesting is that it can have any three of ten grapes: Kadarka, Kékfrankos (or Blaufränkisch, Blauer Portugieser, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Menoire, Pinot Noir, Blauburger and Zweigelt. Kadarka, a native Hungarian grape is traditional, but other grapes are substituted when supplies are insufficient. The wine was purchased at Liquor Outlet and Wine Cellars in Boonton, NJ. (A terrific wine store.)

Tasting: We tasted the wine at home with dinner. (Sorry I forgot to take notes on dinner.)

Results: The wine's label suggests opening Bulls Blood one hour before drinking. We opened the bottle two hours before drinking. When we tasted the wine, we were disappointed. It was harsh and clearly not yet ready to drink. We vacuum sealed the bottle and tried it again three days later. All the harshness had disappeared. The wine was dark, rich and warm with great legs on the glass. There was a taste of cherries and currants with some tannins. It had a medium to heavy body with a strong aroma.

Rating: Good

Price Value: At $8-10 USD per bottle, it's a good price value; not tremendous but good. I found a 2004 bottle in the store and will review that one next month. I can't wait!

First Experience with Bulls Blood Wine of Hungary in 1994

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:30:00 +0000

I visited Hungary for the first time in 1994. I had been overseas a number of times but I was still a beer guy and was a relatively young member of a US Department of Defense team working in Hungary. Thus, I never ordered the wine and was happy to drink whatever was placed in front of me. Our team leader, Frank, in addition to being a great mentor and living proof that you can be a nice guy and get results from people, was well traveled and conversant in wines. Frank wanted to try Bulls Blood which we all had heard about a great deal.

Our team members had been told that unscrupulous waiters and sommeliers would try to cheat us by serving us rotgut or watered down wine at high prices. We had not had this experience in Hungary or Romania to this point and laughed this off as a tourist 'urban legend.'

Sure enough, we went to a fancy restaurant in downtown Budapest. The uniformed waiter brought us a bottle of Bulls Blood that had "just been opened." The wine tasted OK to me but Frank took one taste and knew that the wine was watered down. He requested another bottle and asked the waiter to open it in front of us. The waiter did not even protest. The waiter brought us a second bottle and it tasted exactly the same as the first. We immediately challenged the waiter with a little more agitation. We were a group of eight males; some quite large. Flummoxed, the waiter asked us if we wanted another bottle. Frank asked for a carafe of the cheapest house wine. The waiter happily supplied it and guess what? It tasted exactly the same as the wine in the Bulls Blood bottles.

Review: Chateau Topolcianky Tramin Cerveny 2006 from Slovakia

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:21:00 +0000

Chateau Topolcianky Tramin 2006

Wine: I am in the process of moving to Athens and stopped off for two days of business in Bratislava. I decided to try some Slovak wine. I went to the Tesco at the My Bratislava shopping center and found an excellent selection of Slovak and Czech wines at varying price points. Since I am predisposed to drink red wine, I decided to try a white, a Tramin Cerveny 2006 by Chateau Topolciansky of Slovakia. Tramin, also known as Traminer or Gewurztraminer, is one of my favorite Eastern European whites.

Tasting: It was a wine tasting for this review. My second tasting was with pizza.

Results: The Tramin Cerveny is nice. I would describe it as fruity and spicy. There were tastes of grapefruit and banana. I would have preferred the wine to be a bit drier and more flowery but it is enjoyable. (The Tramin is not as crisp or complex as the Traminer Rezerva by Chateau Vartely of Moldova.) Chateau Topolcianky's Tramin has a pleasantly acidic aftertaste that lingers specifically on the tongue yet is a gentle wine. The wine's color is a deeper yellow than I expected but has good clarity and a stronger than expected aroma.

Rating: Drinkable+ to Good. When I went to the hotel bar to ask for a corkscrew, the waiter looked at the wine's label and smiled assuredly at me.

Price Value: For 5 Euros a bottle, it's a good value.

Review of Terra Romana Wines from Romania by Nicusor Cazan

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:37:00 +0000

We are fortunate to have a blog post from Nicusor Cazan who has his own terrific blog in Romanian called Cazan Cu Vin (literally "Cazan With Wine"; more akin to "Cazan On Wine"). We are delighted to have his first English language post at Black Sea Wines. Here's Nicusor's post:

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A couple of days ago I was introduced by one of my good friends, to a wine enthusiast overseas. His name is Barry and he is the creator and the contributor of a wine blog named "Black Sea Wines". I found this initiative more than welcome and, because Barry invited me to write a review of a Romanian wine for his blog, here is my very first post in English.

And what other better opportunity to share than the two latest creations of one of the best Romanian wine producers. Its name, SERVE, is an acronym for "Societatea Euro-Romana de Vinuri de Exceptie", one of the first initiatives in Romania, after the fall of communism, to produce premium wines. It was founded in 1994 by Guy Tyrel de Poix, a highly valued Frenchman by the Romanian wine industry, who unfortunately this year left us too soon. RIP.

He put back on track an area of approximately 100ha divided in two vineyards. One on the hills between Ploiesti and Buzau, near a village called Ceptura, an area with a climate similar to Burgundy, called Dealu Mare, very famous in Romania for its very good wine, especially reds. The second one, located somewhere in Dobrogea, a very sunny place, is part of the Babadag vineyard.

Coming closer to the wines they are producing, I should mention their two labels: Vinul Cavalerului and Terra Romana. And today I will focus more on the second one, having the pleasure to receive two samples directly from the producer, to whom I kindly thank.

I tasted two very young wines from this vintner, 2010, which were launched only a couple of weeks ago together with a Rose, a Feteasca Alba and a Chardonnay, also from 2010.

The first one tasted by me was Terra Romana Sauvignon Blanc 2010, with a moderate 13% alcohol very well integrated by a fresh and crispy feeling thanks to a high acidity. According with the “technical” specification, I received in a letter together with the bottles, this wine was never in touch with any wood, which give you the opportunity to feel on your lips all the citrus a young and typical Sauvignon Blanc can offer. The very pale yellow of its color with some greenish hue together with the typical smell of vine tendril makes it an excellent and easy to drink everyday wine. The aftertaste is very long and bitter. A good pairing for some sushi I tried on Sunday.

The second one was a more complex wine, called Terra Romana Milenium (white). It’s a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and a drop of Chardonnay. It is produced from a new plantation in Dealu Mare region and part of the wine was matured in new barrels. Because of this and more residual sugar, it’s totally different than the first one.

A more intense yellow color, with some green glows because of the age, leaves some very nice traces on the glass after whirling. The nose is a little bit pungent with floral aromas and the tendrils, thanks to the Sauvignon Blanc. In the mouth is more round and soften than the previous one with a similar long and bitter after taste. What I felt in addition, was some milky sensation on the tongue following the swallow.

As a conclusion and a personal recommendation I will go with the Sauvignon Blanc, because of its higher freshness and acidity which I prefer to a very young white wine.

Santé."

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Our thanks to Nicusor. Please see his blog. And by the way, I agree that some of the Terra Romana wines are very nice. Romania makes some lovely Sauvignon Blancs.

Black Sea Wines Update - Moving to Greece - Sorry about the pause between posts

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:10:00 +0000

We have not posted for awhile because Barry is in the process of moving to Greece. The good news is that he will have even greater access to the wines of the region.

Other items about us:

Black Sea Wines is listed on an excellent Eastern European food blog on About.com by Barbara Rolek. We are planning to do a joint post for an Easter meal pairing food and wine. Look for it.
There's a short article about us in Romanian (which I wrote myself!) on the Bucharest restaurant blog called Restograf. If you are looking for a restaurant in Bucharest, this is the site. (The picture of me is not current nor flattering. I assure you that I have not walked into a shopping mall and opened fire.)
We have updated our list of regional wine associations and organizations. Please send us links to your organization. We will update the calendar of events in coming weeks.
New reviews are coming shortly.

Please sign up for an email subscription, leave comments and feel free to submit content. Noroc, na zdrave, cheers!

Black Sea Wines Brings You Items from the Web - 22 March 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:40:00 +0000

Black Sea Wines brings you some of the latest news and opinions from the Web.

If you missed this January article from The Economist about wines making a comeback in the former Yugoslavia especially Croatia, Montenegro and Macedonia, it's a short and enjoyable read.

Richard Jennings of RJonWine.com has a nice article on new releases from Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

One of my favorite super cheap wines is the Bulgarian Gamza Suhindol. Gamza comes from the Veliko Tarnovo area and is a spicy medium-bodied red that sells for about $4 per bottle. Click here to find out about the wine and the Lovico winery. According to Lovico's website, their wine is available throughout the EU and in the US.

IstanbulEats thinks that the 2007 Umurbey Sauvignon Blanc from Turkey is New Zealand quality.

Cramele Recas, a Romanian winery, on its news page lists new places in the UK and US where you can buy their wine and recent awards.

If you can read Romanian, a nice wine blog is Cazan Cu Vin.

Wine and cheese are always a nice pairing. If you are interested in cheese, check out the blog, Cheese Enthusiast.

Tell Us About Wine Stores with A Great Collection of Eastern European Wines - Anywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:14:00 +0000

If you know of a wine store or merchant that features Eastern European, Black Sea or Central Asian wines, please let us know. Send us the name of the store, street address and website (if applicable). We would like to build a global database of where you can find the wines of the Black Sea. Thanks!

Black Sea Wines Brings You Items from the Web for 21 March 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:06:00 +0000

Black Sea Wines brings you some of the latest news and opinions from the Web.

Food & Wine magazine lists the best wines of 2010 from Eastern Europe according to a well-known Chicago sommelier.

Frommer's, the travel site, lists the best local places for beer and wine in Eastern Europe.

At a recent Moldovan Chamber of Commerce event, I was told of hopes to build an underground transport system to tour the wine cellars of Cricova.

If you live in the New York City area, there is a class on the wines of Croatia and Hungary on March 26th.

Austria's former commercial attache to Romania saw opportunity and launched the wine brand LacertA and is now opening a wine-tasting venue.

Black Sea Wines recently reviewed the Avia Pinot Noir 2009. Why Wine Blog reviewed the 2008 edition.

The 2011 Chardonnay du Monde competition for the world's best Chardonnay's was held in France last week. One of the top ten Gold Medal winners, Chardonnay Vyber z Hroznu 2006 by Vinarstvi Josef Valihrach, was from the Czech Republic. Bulgaria was cited as a Central European standout.

Blogger Carolyn Snowabiad praises Turkish wine and provides a link to a CNN piece on the revival of Turkish wines.

Email Subscription Error - Sorry!

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:08:00 +0000

Some readers have mentioned receiving a 404 Error message when trying to use the Email Subscription feature. This is a problem with FeedBurner, the email subscription service.

Please try our new "Follow By Mail" feature instead. Let us know if there are any problems at: blackseawine@kolodkin.com

Thanks for your patience.

Review: 2009 Avia Pinot Grigio from Slovenia

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 02:28:00 +0000

2009 Avia Pinot Grigio

Wine: From the Primorska region of Slovenia, we tasted the 2009 Avia Pinot Grigio. We purchased the Pinot Grigio at Bottle King, a large chain store featuring wine, beer and liquor, in the New York area of the United States. Avia sells low-priced everyday wines available around the world.

Tasting: We cracked the screw top bottle with dinner -- a bake of sausage, broccoli and sweet potato.

Results: Avia's Pinot Grigio was surprisingly flavorful. With 13% alcohol and good clarity, the wine was very young and fruity. It could have been a bit drier and had less sensation of carbonation. When I drank the wine, I tasted slightly less than ripe strawberries. Overall, the wine was not very complex but it was pleasant and it seemed that it could be a winner in the future.

Rating: Drinkable+

Price Value: Good for $4.99 a bottle; it was a decent glass of Pinot Grigio. Although for $10 a bottle, you can get a very good glass of Pinot Grigio.
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Black Sea Wines also reviewed Avia's 2009 Pinot Noir recently. See the review here.
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Read about how we review wines.

Interview with Marc Dworkin, Export Sales Manager of Bessa Vallley Wines, Bulgaria

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 02:04:00 +0000

Black Sea Wines interviewed Marc Dworkin, the former General Manager and current Export Sales Manager of Bessa Valley Wines in Bulgaria. Mr. Dworkin, a French national and renowned wine consultant, worked with Dr. Karl-Heinz Hauptmann and Count Stephan von Neipperg to create and develop Bessa Valley Wines. Bessa Valley is best known by its label name, Enira, which has received international acclaim. Enira's flagship wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

BSW: Thank you for speaking with us. Can you tell us about your winery?

MD: We have 150 hectares of terroir in the Bessa Valley and have been growing since 2001. In 2001, we only produced Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah varietals. From 2003-2007, we were looking for a style. We found our style with the 2008 vintage. We developed our blend with not too much Cabernet and a lower percentage of new wood. We produce 650-700,000 bottles annually and do not use any purchased grapes.

BSW: What makes the Bessa Valley special for winemaking?

MD: It's the terroir (soil). In November-December 2000, we were walking down the hill and I noticed the chalkiness and limestone in the soil. When we started growing in 2001, I realized the soil was even better than we originally thought. All I wanted to do was not make any mistakes.

BSW: Can you describe your current collection of wines?

MD: I will describe our collection for international markets. We have other wines that are sold primarily in Bulgaria. Easy by Enira is a Merlot varietal. It is aged 80% in barrels and 20% in tanks. It is young and fruity. In June, we will change from the 2008 to the 2009 vintage. There is also a Rose by Enira which will switch from 2009 to 2010 in June.

Cabernet by Enira is a velvet cabernet which we achieved by 12 months of barrel aging and less maceration and extraction. Our standard Enira blend is mostly Merlot which is aged 90% in the barrel and 10% in tanks. We will switch from 2007 to 2008 in June. The Enira Reserva is a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. In June, the 2007 Enira Reserva will be available. BV by Enira is our super premium wine which is aged for 18 months in new French oak barrels.

We also have a pure Syrah varietal, only 3000 bottles were produced, that is aged 18 months in the barrel. We are currently selling the 2008 Syrah.

BSW: Why have Enira wines made a name for themselves internationally?

MD: We put real soul into the wine. We try to put in the smooth tannins that come from the chalky soil. Our wine has become known because people taste it. Importers would ask "Why do I need to know about Bulgarian wine?" I would say, "Just taste the wine." They would try the wine and could not believe the taste or the price. The wine is fruity, woody and balanced with the right amount of alcohol. It's all about the balance.

BSW: What is the price point for Enira wines?

MD. The standard blend is 12-14 Euros, Reserva 18-20 Euros, and the BV 30 Euros. This is approximate as the price can vary in different markets.

BSW: What can we look for in the future from Bessa Valley?

MD: We will plant some whites in 2012. We expect to produce Chardonnay and Viognier in 2015. There may be some new blends on the Bulgarian market.

BSW: Is there anything else you would like people to know about your winery?

MD: We are very proud that effective in September we will provide the Business Class red wine for Lufthansa in 2012. For a young winery from a small country, this is a huge success and recognition of our achievement. This is both a commercial recognition and a recognition of our wine. Also, we are selling more and more in Asia.

Black Sea wines thanks Mr. Dworkin and Bessa Valley Wines for his time. If you would like to learn where you can purchase Bessa Valley Wines, click this link.

Revisited Review of Matrasa from Azerbaijan

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:47:00 +0000

The original Black Sea Wines review of the Matrasa by Ganja Sharab of Azerbaijan was a Drinkable-. We found it a bit harsh with an antiseptic taste. After the initial tasting, I sealed the bottle with a vacuum stopper. Three days later, I wanted one glass of wine with dinner. Debbie was not joining me. I did not want to open a new bottle. Reticently, I poured a glass of the three-day old Matrasa.

All the harshness from the initial tasting was gone. The wine was smooth and rich; leaving a warm aftertaste on my tongue. It was a Drinkable+ on the second go-round.

I tried the wine a third time four days later but by then it was nasty. So, my advice for a recent vintage Matrasa. 1.) Store it for a year. 2.) Decant well in advance of drinking.
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Read about how we review wines.

Review: 2009 Avia Pinot Noir from Slovenia ... No, Macedonia

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:35:00 +0000

2009 Avia Pinot Noir from Macedonia

Wine: With dinner this week, we drank a 2009 Pinot Noir by Avia of Slovenia. Black Sea Wines purchased the Avia for $4.99 at Bottle King, a regional chain of stores selling wine, beer and liquor in the New York area in the United States. Avia is a Slovenian wine company but purchases grapes from all over. Avia's Shiraz uses Chilean grapes. The Pinot Noir is listed as a product of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The wine is produced in the Vardar Valley which is a Macedonian wine region near the Greek border.

Tasting Details: We opened the bottle, a screw top, immediately before dinner. Dinner was informal -- tuna sandwiches, rice cheese bake squares and salad. Debbie also tasted the wine.

Results: The wine was acceptable. It was dark for a Pinot Noir. I could barely see my finger through the wine even when holding the glass up to the light. Characteristics of this Pinot Noir were 12% alcohol content, a slightly acidic smell and the taste of yogurt. On the positive side, the Avia was dry, peppery, and had sufficient body. On the negative side, there was little balance. I detected minimal sweetness or fruit. To me, what makes Pinot Noir delightful is the ability to taste the sweetness and fruit yet still have a dry wine that works well with food. Debbie thought the wine was OK.

Overall rating: Drinkable

Price value: Decent price value. It was $4.99! What do you expect?

We will review Avia's 2009 Pinot Grigio next.
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Read about how we review wines.

Interview with Nimrod Kovacs, Owner of Kovacs Nimrod Winery

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:43:00 +0000


Nimrod Kovacs

Kovacs Nimrod Winery, based in Eger, Hungary, offers wine drinkers whites and reds, varietals and blends made from well-known French and traditional Hungarian grapes. Black Sea Wines spoke with Mr. Nimrod Kovacs, the owner of the winery. Born in Hungary, Mr. Kovacs moved to the United States where he lived for over twenty years and became an advertising and telecommunications executive. During his international business travels, he developed a love for wine and a self-described ‘California taste.’ Kovacs decided to return to his native Hungary and invest in, among others, the Eger-based Monarchia winery. He retired from the telecommunications industry and became the proprietor of the winery which now bears his name.

BSW: We read your website. Can you elaborate on the story of how you became involved in winemaking?

NK: I was an investor in Hungarian wine, through the Monarchia merchant company for 10 years, which also oversaw the Monarchia winery in Eger. Two years ago, I left the corporate world and bought out the winery. It became my pet project. Eger is similar to Burgundy and Northern Rhone. We have three tracts of land in the region where we grow grapes.

BSW: Tell us about your collection of wines.

NK: We are still refining our wines and moving to the next phase of quality. At the top of the pyramid, is the Nagy Eged hill with its Grand Cru characteristics where, we are trying to take lessons from designers like Armani and Versace by creating high quality, haute couture, unique, not mass market wines. Furmint and NJK are our two, top of the line, Grand Cru type wines so far. We are also working on some more reds from Nagy Eged, such as Pinot Noir, Kekfrankos, Syrah and Cab Franc, which will come out in a few years time.

In the middle of the pyramid are the Estate Selection wines including our 2007 Battonage Chardonnay, 2007 Pinot Noir and 2008 Syrah. The Pinot Noir is in made in an international style. It’s fruity, luscious and big with a nice body. Our Syrah is a fruity and peppery, Cote de Rotie style.

We are also developing everyday wines called EGRI for the bottom of the pyramid with purchased grapes that will sell at hypermarkets and large retail outlets for less than $10 a bottle.

BSW: We don’t grow Furmint in the States and it is not available in much of Western Europe. What is your Furmint like? Sweet? Dry?

NK: Our Furmint from Nagy Eged is a complex wine with aromas and flavors of pear and apricot with some flinty overtones and with a long finish. 2009 was our first year for the Furmint and we produced only 480 bottles. It’s a very nice wine and is more subdued and fruity than the Tokaj.

BSW: What should we look for in 2011 from Kovacs Nimrod winery?

NK: In March 2011, from our Estate selection, we introduced the 2008 Battonage Chardonnay which is more subtle and elegant than the 2007. Also, around September, we will bring out, our Estate Selection 2007 Kekfrankos. Finally, around Christmastime, we will offer two limited productions wines from Nagy Eged, the 2010 Furmint (1200 bottles) and the 2008 Kekfrankos (300 bottles). The Kekfrankos has been harvested from the very top of the Nagy Eged Hill (500 meters) which is the highest Kekfrankos terroir in Hungary.

BSW: Where can we buy your wines?

We sell in neighboring countries especially in Germany, Czech Republic and Poland, and of course, all over Hungary. We just shipped 5000 bottles to the US. I also am a 33% partner in Starry Night Winery, based in San Rafael, California who will help in the distribution of Kovacs Nimrod Wines in the USA.

BSW: Are there other wines in Central and Eastern Europe that you like or find interesting?

NK: There are many fine wineries in Hungary. From Eger, St. Andrea has great wines. Zoltan Demeter makes sophisticated wines in Tokaj. Istvan Szepsy is also a great winemaker in Tokaj. From Villany, Attila Gere and Sauska make nice wines. From the Szekszard region, Takler wines are big and luscious.

Black Sea Wines thanks Mr. Kovacs for his time and participation. You can find out more about Nimrod Kovacs Wines at www.kovacsnimrodwinery.com.

Regional Wine Associations and Organizations

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:38:00 +0000

We will be adding to the list. Please send the name and URL of your wine association or organization!

Review: Matrasa by Ganja Sharab from Azerbaijan

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:06:00 +0000

Matrasa by Ganja Sharab of Azerbaijan

Wine: I sampled a Matrasa, a red wine from Azerbaijan, from Ganja Sharab, a well known Azeri vineyard. There was no vintage on the bottle but a date stamp of May 2010. I purchased the wine in a market in the downtown section of Baku, Azerbaijan's capital. Baku is a beautiful city and the downtown area is modern yet retains an oriental feel. I carried the wine back to the US in my luggage. I really wanted to like this wine because Azeri wines are not common in the West and it comes in a really cool looking ceramic bottle. Besides, I schlepped it 5000 miles. Unfortunately, I did not find the wine appealing.

Tasting Details: We drank the Matrasa with dinner at home-- pasta with marinara sauce, roasted brussel sprouts, feta cheese and salad. My wife also tasted the wine.

Results: Neither Debbie nor I enjoyed the Matrasa. The aroma had a faint rubbing alcohol smell. The wine had little fruit and no complexity. It had an alkaline taste with a strong aftertaste. In short, a basic red wine that seemed antiseptic. The color was a dark red but seemed a little light. We did not finish the bottle and used a vacuum stopper to store the wine for future drinking. On the third day, the wine actually tasted significantly better. So, if you have a bottle of Matrasa by Ganja Sharab, make sure to decant or open the bottle well in advance of drinking the wine.

Overall rating: Drinkable- (minus)

Price value: You can have better Azeri wines at the same price - around $8 per bottle.
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Review: Corten Pinot Noir 2007 from Moldova

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:56:00 +0000

2007 Corten Pinot Noir Ready for Tasting

Wine: The wine tasted was a Corten Pinot Noir 2007 from the Cahul region of Moldova. Corten is produced by Acorex, one of Moldova's largest wineries. Acorex sells internationally and offers a Chardonnay that is an excellent value.

Tasting: The wine was drunk from a paper cup at a Moldovan Chamber of Commerce event with the Moldovan Ambassador to the US. The Moldovan Embassy was kind enough to provide samples of the Corten at the conclusion of the event. No food was consumed with the wine, and the wine was opened immediately before drinking.

Results: Not bad but the wine should have been better. The wine tasted like it was starting to turn bad. This 2007 Pinot Noir is meant for drinking now. Perhaps improper storage at the Embassy and transportation to various social events damaged the taste of the wine. There was a slight 'skunkiness' to a wine which seemed to have potential. Beyond the skunkiness, the Corten had nice color (in the paper cup!), a decent bouquet and elements of citrus. The wine gave the impression that it would go nicely with soups, chicken and fish.

Overall Rating: Drinkable. Snooth rated the Corten 2007 Pinot Noir 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. If I had tasted a better bottle, perhaps I would have done the same.

Price Value: N/A
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2011 Wine Event Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 23:34:00 +0000

February 23-26, Vinaria, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
February 25-26, Zagreb Wine Gourmet Festival 2011, Zagreb Croatia
March 2-4, Vinex, Brno, Czech Republic
March 11-14, Oenos, Thessaloniki, Greece
March 19-20, VinCE, Budapest, Hungary
March 23-26, Vinovita, Zagreb, Croatia
March 27-29, ProWein, Dusseldorf, Germany
April 1-5, Intervitis Interfructa Russia, Krasnodar, Russia
April 18-21, International Drink and Wine Expo, Bucharest, Romania
April 25-29, Vino & Distilaty (Wine and Spirits), Prague, Czech Republic
May 6-7, Valtice Wine Fair, Valtice, Czech Republic
May 17-19, London International Wine Fair, London, UK
June 2-4, Winexpo, Tbilisi, Georgia
June 19-23, Vinexpo Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
September 9-11, Znojmo Wine Festival, Znojmo, Czech Republic
September 7-11, Budapest Wine & Champagne Festival, Budapest, Hungary
October 8-9, Moldova National Wine Festival, Chisinau, Moldova
October 27-30, International Drink and Wine Expo, Bucharest, Romania
November 9-12, Salon de Vin, Sofia, Bulgaria
November 16-18, Enoexpo Krakow, Krakow, Poland

From the Web: Black Sea Wine Items for 18 February 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:04:00 +0000

From the Web: Black Sea Wine Items for 15 February 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:49:00 +0000

This is why our blog exists! The Telegraph: Are there any good wines from Eastern Europe?

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:19:00 +0000

The Telegraph in the UK answers the question, "Are there any good wines from Eastern Europe?" The answer is Yes with an endorsement of Frunza Pinot Grigio from Romania and Verus wines from Slovenia.

Wine Compass: Eastern European Wines Shine at the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Barry Kolodkin) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:15:00 +0000

Our colleagues at Wine Compass thought wines from Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia were among the standouts at the recent Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival. Like me, they are fans of Plavac from Croatia.