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Boris
Purcari
Sapiens Cabernet Sauvignon
2022
3.8
Region
Moldova › Ștefan Vodă
Type
red · still
Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol
14%
Volume
750 mL
Tasting Notes(1)
3.8
Powerful and a touch simplistic, with opulent oak and a hint of residual sweetness - not really my register. But it's exactly what it advertises: a generous, easy-to-read Cabernet Sauvignon for people who want their reds plush and warming. Probably wants more time in bottle to fold the oak in. Honest about what it is, even if it isn't for me.
About
Sapiens is Château Purcari's character-driven mid-tier collection - five wines (Sauvignon Blanc Fumé, Chardonnay, Rosé, Rara Neagră, Cabernet Sauvignon) framed by the producer as wines that will drive some mad and others may like less. But these wines will certainly be noticed by everyone - i.e. wines built for opinion rather than consensus. The line sits between the Vinohora / Nocturne value tiers and the De Purcari / Academia premium core.
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, hand-harvested, nine months in French oak barrique. Dry red, 14%. The producer doesn't publish parcel-level sourcing, vine age, fermentation vessel, malolactic, or filtration spec for this cuvée; European retailer tech sheets stop at the elevage line. Bottled 31 January 2025.
2022 in Ștefan Vodă - Moldova's southeastern district, continental with Black Sea maritime moderation - read as a warm, well-ripened vintage; no major frost or hail event for the district has been reported, and Purcari's 2022 reds across the lineup have come out with very ripe fruit and youthful colour. Producer's own prose: medium ruby with bold reflections, blackcurrant, prunes and cranberry jam on the nose, cherries and dark chocolate on the palate.
