Special Celebration and Moldova Wines #winePW

This month on #winePairingWeekend we are looking specifically at wines from the Moldova, which is located in Eastern Europe.  Although it is a new-to-me area of winemaking, Moldova has been making wine since 3000 BC, and traces of grapevines have been dated to 7000 BC.  The stork carrying a bunch of grapes is the national wine brand image.  Surrounding all these are the myths, folklore, and legends of Moldova.

We received a bottle of this Lupi wine to review.  Let me tell you a little about it.  First, it is a blend of three reds, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Saperavi.  The area for this wine is Valul Luie Traian. It is is the southwest of the area in a Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and mild winters moderated by the Black Sea. The region is divided into 3 sub-zones: the hills of Tigheci, the Bugeac Plain, and the Prut Terraces and the landscape includes forests, steppe, plains, and plateaux. This is the warmest and driest part of Moldova but also the highest with altitude going up to 310 meters, helping to retain freshness and balance in the wines. The region is particularly noted for red wines which make up 60% of production, but it is also famous for its sweet fortified wines (now called Pastoral) and full-flavored whites.  This red wine we received we decided to save for the special occasion of our 43rd wedding anniversary.

We loved the tasting notes on this wine:  Color: Intense ruby red color Nose: The bouquet is intense, rich, with hints of mixed berries with vanilla aroma, as well as shades of chocolate, coffee beans, and licorice. Taste: Vigorous and robust, well-structured, full-bodied and balanced. An intense and complex taste with powerful tannins, and a pre-long after-taste that amplifies its elegance. Oily with marked aromas of black fruit, ripe plum, cassis and blackberry.  We loved this little teaser: try it with a piece of dark chocolate and a cigar.

We paired this deep wine with these beautiful cowboy ribeye steaks, prepared perfectly by my husband.  His steaks are so delicious we haven't been to a real steak house in years, as no one has prepared a steak like his. 

So why did we save this wine for such a special celebration?  We knew we would be eating steak, so we wanted a wine that could make a good show against Bob's beautiful steaks.  The ruby color, the deep flavors, and an interesting background gave us all that we wanted for our anniversary dinner.  The wine accented the beef and then stood its own ground by offering the juicy berries, powerful tannins and a long, complicated, and delicious aftertaste that kept us wanting more.  We were heartily disappointed when we finished this bottle.

As is typical after a delicious meal and one that celebrated our anniversary, my husband did enjoy a good cigar (another of his passions) and a nightcap of his favorite bourbon.

• Andrea at The Quirky Cork shares “Cooking Out with Moldovan Wine” 
• Liz at What’s in that Bottle shares “Moldova Mashup: Wines of Moldova & Foods of the World“ 
• Terri at Our Good Life shares “Special Celebration and Moldova Wines” 
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Smoked Pot Roast with a Negru de Purcari from Moldova”
• David at Cooking Chat shares “Ground Beef Chili with Red Wine from Moldova” 
• Deanna at Asian Test Kitchen shares “Pairing Moldovan Wine with Burmese Cuisine” 
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “Finally, a grill! Just in time for Moldovan wine pairing”
  
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “Maidens from Moldova + Summer Suppers” 
• Jennifer at Vino Travels Italy shares “A Look into the Wines of Moldova” 
• Jane at Always Ravenous shares “Savory Cheese Crostata Paired with Moldovan Wines”
  
• Michelle at Rockin Red Blog shares “Discovering Wines of Moldova.” 
• Cindy at Grape Experiences shares “Have You Tasted Wines from Moldova? Try These!”
  
• Rupal at Syrah Queen shares “Uncorking Moldova – Three Wines To Try Now” 
• Martin at Enofylz Wine Blog shares “Getting To Know the Wines of Moldova” 
• Nicole at Somms Table shares “Tasty Moldovan Food & Wine Explorations” 
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares “Moldova: Bubbles, Red Blend, and …Pizza? Yes!” 
• Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings shares “Moldovan Wines and Korean Sushi – Kimbap” 
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares “Cabin Pairings for Moldovan Wines”