Under $15, with 14% alcohol, the 2001 Prince Mircea Merlot Trease Danubiane from theVanju Mare section of Romania scored a pleasant 16 points on the 20-point Dionysian scale.
The Merlot was silky smooth. I did not decant the 19 year old wine and only a speck of sediment was found in the final glass. Blueberry and tree fruits were in the nose. Very soft tannins lingered to a medium finish. I brought the wine back with me from Romania when I went to check out the wines there, (all modern and well made) and the wines next door in Bulgaria (where work still needs to be done.)
The color hadn’t faded at all; still deep garnet. There are so many good Merlot wines around the world that it’s just crazy to pay a fortune for any of them. Seek out Best Buys. In Vino Veritas.
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