The first thing you sense when you become a passionate wine drinker is that wine signifies time. No other product is ruled to such an extent by this concept. Wines represent the time in the vineyard, barrels and bottles as well as glasses. They represent the concept of time that cannot be rushed or given back, the so many different aspects that work together to define wine quality. For this reason, I believe that in the wine world, the most difficult aspect is to lie on the table quality on the long term. We should cherish more the remarkable precisely because in the economic context of today's Romania long-term thinking seems to lack any chance of success.

At the beginning of April, I had the opportunity to attend a great wine-tasting, organized by Ileana and Iakob Kripp (there were wines in limited editions at Sirbey vineyard). 10 years after the first harvest of the vineyard that has been returned to them, we celebrated the appearance on the market of some mature wines: Spumant 2007, Novac 2007, Merlot 2006, Merlot Reserva 2009.

Fetească regală 2007 spumant (4-5 g / l residual sugar) is, in my opinion, a true millésime champagne with a wonderful bouquet, floral and velvety texture. A wine that comes as a comfort to all who still believe in the grape called Fetească.

Novac 2007 - having been aged for a year in used oak barrels, gives this wine the unaltered expressiveness of a hot-blooded and fickle grape. As the pinot noir, the novac is defined by juiciness, elegance and freshness. And this is my favourite wine.

Merlot 2006 - at Orizontala 2006 organized May 1, 2006, this wine seemed - from the entire variety - the most balanced and the best wine after Novac 2006. The fact that currently there are only 1000 bottles on sale is a reverence done to all lovers of good wine.

Merlot Reserva 2009 – known at the winery under the name Merlot Păşune, or Merlot Pasiune (this is the name given by those who have tasted it). This wine is, a good friend of mine used to say, ''a reduction of merlot - the way it is done at the three-star rated Michelin restaurants, where they boil seven liters of wine to get 750 ml of wine ". Meant to be drunk in about 10-15 years after being produced, this merlot is to me a victory over time, in the battle of maturation. Honoring the time that has been given to you is a long-term exercise.