Wine Tasting of the Ages

Guest Post by Laurentiu Badea de la Alien Tower

I'm not much of a wine drinker, which makes me even less so a wine taster. I may never be able to fully appreciate the richness of a glass of wine, but I enjoy it as the finest beverage humanity has ever brewed. Wine doesn't draw out the poet in me to sing the praises it well deserves, but I understand it on a personal level, one that goes beyond the classy prestige. I grew up in a small, humble town, near a winery in Orevița Mare, and to have their own little vineyard on those plentiful hills was each of my  neighbor's yearning and most certainly part of their livelihood. 

I've participated at the yearly grape harvesting and juicing, I've tasted the sweet stum and bottled it in old demijohns, and lastly, played the waiting game. I've experienced the making of wine, the oldest of traditions, and yet I can't really tell one dry wine from another. However, I wish I could and I have a lucky opportunity to learn.

A week ago I've been invited at another exquisite wine tasting event by my friends in ASBO, every time a different locale, each time a better and enriching experience. This time, it was a special event in more than one way, held at Epoca, a stylish restaurant in Craiova. Laurențiu Achim Avram, president of the Sommelier Federation Romania, led our event with a remarkable tasting and insightful presentation of five varied wines,  combined with an assortment of cheeses.

One combination in particular stood out for me, a dry red wine with a dense texture and woody taste, obvious even for me. It's called Soare, which means Sun, name derived from the location of the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes it's made of, the most popular wine grape variety. The vine sits on the hills of Stârmina -- close to my hometown -- always facing the Sun. It was a smart decision to combine this rich wine with the creamy Brie splashed with a bit of honey. 

The tastes really complement themselves. A strong wine with a great array of spicery that only get richer with age, and a smooth cheese that sets the combination apart by diluting the alcohol and thus releasing all the best flavors of the wine on the taste buds, making it a powerful combination everyone should enjoy.

This event Branzeturi cum se ... cuVin was organized by Asociatia Bloggerilor Olteni and Dictionar Culinar.ro.