Enira 2006, Bessa Valley

Couple of months ago I had the chance to taste a Bulgarian wine for the first time: Enira Reserva 2006. I received it as a gift from Andreea Duminicioiu after a visit at Origine whine shop in Cluj. Several weeks after this first visit I'm back in Cluj and this time I bought another wine from Origine: Enira 2006 from Bessa Valley.

A rainy Saturday night and a fresh-out-of-the-oven lasagna tray were argument enough for opening Enira 2006. Created by French winemaker Marc Dworkin, Enira 2006 is a classic bordolese blend: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Petit Verdot. After half an hour of aeration, the wine glasses arrived. Ruby colour, tears flowing slowly on the side of the glass betray a generous concentration of alcohol (14.5%). Primary flavours make their appearance: bitter cherries, black forest fruits (blueberries) and then fruit jam flavours take the floor: plums and strawberries are more predominant. It's taste and texture bears the print of the grape varieties that it is obtained of: robust structure, strong tannins and spicy touches, but slightly unbalanced by the alcohol. This imbalance, probably caused by the increasing temperature during aeration, determined me to return to this wine the next day. Served at the proper temperature I noticed new flavours: green pepper and chocolate icing. Also I found it softer an it's tannins less aggressive. The after taste is long and spicy. 

It costs around 12 Euros and it can be found in wine shops like Origine and Crama Noastra in Cluj-Napoca, Enoteca de Savoya in Timisoara, but also in Real hypermarkets.