Patima după Matei Merlot 2019 | Red wine

• Country of origin: Romania
• Producer: DeMatei
• Type / style: Red / Dry
• Grape variety: Merlot 100%
• Classification: DOC-CMD Dealu Mare / old vines / single vineyard
• Alcohol by volume: 14.70%
• Residual sugar: 0.81 g/l
• Acidity: 6.10 g/l
• Body: full
• Bottle volume: 750 ml
• Closure: natural cork
• Readiness for drinking: now~2038
• Price range: 5,000~9,999 Yen
• Production: 3,500 bottles
• JAN Code: 5941982062509

About DeMatei

DeMatei owns around 80 hectares of old vineyards around the village of Zorești, in the Dealu Mare wine region. The wines born from this expressive terroir have the structure to age gracefully for many years.

Over generations, the land and the people who work it have grown into a true partnership, and that bond is what gives these wines their value. Taste for yourself what makes Dealu Mare special.

The label

DeMatei's visual identity is rooted in a deep respect for nature and its creatures, and in a philosophy that celebrates how all life is connected. Each vineyard plot is seen as a small universe of its own, shaped by the forces of nature, and caring for these living ecosystems gives rise to a collection of wines with distinct personalities: Patima după Matei.

The path dividing the hill stands for different worlds living side by side in harmony. On one side grow trees with pointed crowns, on the other trees with rounded ones. Two symbolic creatures live here: the hare, a symbol of fertility and agility, and the hedgehog, a symbol of the slow passing of time, which every great wine needs. At the end of the path, the hedgehog's young stays close to its parent, a reminder of traditions passed down from generation to generation.

The house at the top of the hill represents the winery itself. From here, DeMatei watches over the delicate balance of this small universe and works to hand its harmony on to the next generation.

About Dealu Mare

Dealu Mare stretches for about 65 km, between 3 and 12 km wide, across the hills of the Curvature Subcarpathians, where the Carpathian Mountains make their great bend. The official DOC Dealu Mare specification, issued by Romania's National Office for Vine and Wine Products (ONVPV), notes that the area's iron-rich, reddish-brown soils are particularly well suited to red grape varieties, giving the wines fine tannins, a velvety texture and generous body. The Dealul Tegăneanu vineyard, where this Merlot grows, has exactly this kind of reddish-brown clay loam.

Written records of winegrowing here go back to the 14th and 15th centuries, when foreign chronicles described the wine of Dealu Mare as "oily, strong and long-lasting". Prince Dimitrie Cantemir of Moldavia also wrote about the customs post through which Dealu Mare wine was carried to Transylvania.

Awards

• James Suckling ⇨ 93 points

James Suckling, the world-renowned wine critic and former senior editor of Wine Spectator, awarded this wine 93 points.

Why choose this wine?

This 100% Merlot comes from old vines planted in 1982 on the Dealul Tegăneanu vineyard, cropped at a low yield of around 3 tonnes per hectare. The grapes are picked by hand and sorted berry by berry, fermented in stainless steel, aged for one year in small new oak barrels, then rested for at least 24 months in bottle before release. Only 3,500 bottles were made. Violets, ripe cherry and blackcurrant meet spice and cocoa, while powerful tannins and firm acidity give it the backbone for long aging. Over the next 8 to 10 years it will gain even more finesse. A bottle for special occasions, with beef or roast lamb.

Tasting notes

Appearance

Deep ruby with a radiant sheen.

Nose

Exceptionally rich and complex, led by violets, ripe cherry, sour cherry and blackcurrant, with spices such as cinnamon and clove, plus cocoa and coffee. The aromas that come with bottle age have not yet emerged, so this wine still has much to show. Although it has not reached its peak, the intensity and richness of the nose are already impressive.

Palate

Dry and high in alcohol, with ample acidity and tannin giving it a firm structure and full body. Ripe fruit and cocoa lead a powerful, satisfying palate with real depth and a very long finish. Another 8 to 10 years of aging will add further finesse.

Food pairing

Beef teppanyaki, roast lamb, aged cheeses and desserts made with dark chocolate.

Service

• Service temperature: 16~18°C
• Decanting: recommended, about 2 hours before serving, to soften the wine and open up its aromas

Vineyard

• Viticultural region: Dealurile Munteniei și Olteniei (Hills of Muntenia and Oltenia)
• Wine-growing area (podgorie): Dealu Mare
• Village: Zorești
• Vineyard: Dealul Tegăneanu
• Year planted: 1982
• Vineyard area: 8.57 ha
• Soil: reddish-brown clay loam (argiluvisol), moderately to heavily eroded, with 19~25% clay, which gives the roots good water retention and aeration. It contains traces of calcium carbonate, with active lime below 1% at a depth of 0~60 cm.
• Altitude: 180~200 m
• Latitude: 45°N
• Aspect: south-east
• Average annual temperature: 11.6°C
• Average temperature, April~September: 23.8°C
• Average temperature, October~March: 0.5°C
• Average annual rainfall: 500~550 mm
• Harvest: by hand, with berry-by-berry sorting
• Yield: approx. 3.0 t/ha
• Vineyard manager: Marius NAE
• Vineyard consultant: Paul FULEA

Winemaking

• Ingredients: 100% grapes
• Producer: DeMatei
• Production place: DeMatei
• Fermentation vessel: temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks
• Fermentation period: 14 days
• Fermentation temperature: 28°C
• Malolactic conversion vessel: stainless steel tanks
• Malolactic conversion period: 14 days
• Maturing: small new oak barrels, 1 year
• Acidity adjustment: no
• Chaptalization: no
• Bottle aging: at least 24 months before release
• Winemaker: Cătălin NAE
• Bottling place: DeMatei
• Bottling date: listed on the package

Size & Weight

• Single item dimensions (mm): 301 x 79
• Single item weight (g): 1,350
• Case size: 6 bottles
• Case dimensions (mm): 160 x 305 x 240
• Case weight (g): 8,200

Import information

• Importer: Daniel's Wine Club
• Import method: Container import
• Import route: DeMatei ⇨ Daniel's Wine Club
• Quality control method during transportation: Use temperature-controlled containers

Storage information

• Seller: Daniel's Wine Club
• Storage place: Daniel's Wine Club
• Storage temperature: 16~18°C

Gifts, wrapping, noshi

You can find gift boxes, along with packaging and noshi (traditional Japanese ceremonial wrapping) options, on the "Accessories and Gifts" page.

If you’d like to add a personal touch to your gift, we can also include a card or message in the package. Please feel free to contact us if you need assistance. We will do our best to ensure your gift arrives in perfect condition.