I've long been a fan of Eastern European wines and am very excited to hear Naked are planning to explore the region more next year. Starosel wines are some of my absolute favourites; I was gutted when the 2019 vintages didn't appear and am delighted to have the 2020's now after a long wait. Based on the 2017/18 vintages, I slightly preferred the Merlot but having gone for the Mavrud first this time I'm thinking my stance may change. This is everything I love in a red wine; rich, very fruity, velvety texture and just the tiniest hint of sweetness in the aftertaste. The aroma is warm and inviting like a dark fruit crumble with a touch of caramel - perfect for the winter. The flavour is very concentrated, it's almost like a Port, albeit not as sweet. Cherries, blackberries and blackcurrant are all prominent - there a few wines fruitier than this. There's also a distinct vanilla finish that provides a subtle sweetness even though this is a dry wine. At 14.8% there's some good alcohol heft but I don't notice it at all! I like this best on its own or perhaps with a bit of cheese. Absolutely fantastic. I already have a second bottle (and 2 of the Merlot) and there's no doubt I'll be buying more. Fingers crossed for more Bulgarian/Eastern European wines next year.
You and David
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