Chateau Purcari Negru de Purcari Limited Edition 2020

Drink now or cellar for up to 9 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. The historic Chateau Purcari dates back to 1827 when the Emperor of Russia passed a decree naming the property as the first official winery in Bessarabia which is today known as Moldova. In the 19th century French settlers in the region had realised the similarities between the local terroir and their native Bordeaux since the two locations lie on the same latitude and both have rubidium-rich soils which give Bordeaux wines their telltale purple hue. The settlers partnered with the local monastery who owned the vineyards and began experimenting with Bordeaux grape varieties which thrived here. The quality of the local terroir is so high that before long the winery was picking up accolades both in Bessarabia and beyond including a gold medal for their Negru de Purcari at the Paris World Exhibition in 1878. More recently this same wine also received a gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2020. This magnificent red is made in strictly limited quantities from estate-grown fruit which is carefully picked by hand to ensure it reaches the winery in top condition. Once in the winery the grapes are vinified according to time-honoured local winemaking techniques and the young wine is then matured in French oak barrels for 18 months. Bursting with crushed dark berries, plums and cherries along with sweet spice from the barrel, this is a robust full-bodied wine that pairs beautifully with hearty red meat dishes.

Price: £31.92 from 8wines UK