Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1037369
{ SOMMjournal.com } 117 While several contestants correctly identied Riesling as the grape variety for the second wine in the blind ight, no one dared to imagine it could hail from Ro - mania. "I knew it would be very challenging to identify Romania—and especially Transylvania—as the region of origin," said Ioana Benga, who serves as Export Manager for Jidvei. Instead, Benga focused on the grape variety to "offer a wine that represents our ter - roir without being obvious—one that would perhaps intrigue the participants and compel them to discover more about Jidvei." One of the oldest and most important wine regions in Romania, the Tarnave-Jidvei DOC straddles the Transylvania plateau. It's surrounded by the sprawling Carpathian mountain range, with the Jidvei commune—the winery's namesake—at its core. Approximately 2,500 hectares are under cultivation in the DOC, largely to aromatic white varieties like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Ottonel, Gewürztraminer, and the native Feteasca˘ Re - gala˘ and Feteasca˘ Alba˘ . Vine-growing in the area dates back to the Iron Age and was re- portedly rst mentioned by Greek historian Herodotus in the fth century B.C. Situated at 200–500 meters above sea level, the DOC's altitude provides cool- climate growing conditions moderated by the nearby Târnava Mare and Târnava Mica˘ rivers. As a result, its white wines are typically fruity and light- to medium- bodied with excellent freshness and food-pairing prowess. With 3.5 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2016 Jidvei Riesling drinks slightly off-dry and boasts lovely oral, lychee, and tropical fruit notes. The juicy, viscous, and mineral- inuenced mouthfeel, meanwhile, yields refreshing avors of green apple, melon, lemon crisp, and hazelnut. Best suited to serve as an apéritif, this Transylvanian tip - pler is delightful when paired with hard cheeses such as Pecorino and Grana Padano. It also makes a great compan- ion for Hawaiian poke bowls and fruit salads. Imported by Albus Imports, LLC. WINE #2: JIDVEI 2016 RIESLING, TARNAVE-JIDVEI DOC, TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA ($8) Presented by Ioana Benga, Export Manager for Jidvei Ioana Benga, Export Manager for Transylvania's Jidvei Winery.