5 Elemente Negru

Coca-Cola, liquorice, blackberries, vanilla. Blood and sweet tobacco. Cough syrup too. It's all here, but balanced so well it doesn't feel like a caricature. The palate is round, long, and clean, with good acidity anchoring it all. Complex, but still very young - you sense it's holding back. The oak is handled with real finesse. Delicious, almost dangerously so, and very easy to understand.

Oh, this was unexpected. There are currently two red 5 Elemente wines - one with a black label (Negru) and one with a red label (Roşu). The former is more bold and easy to understand.

Ah yes, this is the kind of wine you'd gift to a local deputy - one who can't quite decide whether they truly love Bordeaux or just want every wine to resemble Kurni.

But sarcasm aside, it's a well-made wine. The style may not be mine, but that's on me. The nose is bold and deep - black berries, jam, cola, sweet herbs, liquorice, vanilla, a touch of coffee. On the palate, it's powerful, expressive, well-balanced, rounded, and long.

Not subtle, but it does what it does very well. And honestly, it's screaming for a proper shish kebab.