Black Doctor wine

A Moldovan red wine that a customer accidentally recommended. I asked her if she normally bought Moldovan wines at the specialty store where the cute blond guy works (obviously without mentioning the guy or his cuteness to her) or at the supermarket next door, and how the wine selections compared. She said she bought at both stores, and that the selections were different. "Which do you prefer then?" - I asked. She said both were good but she particularly liked the Black Doctor red wine, which was only - and rarely, at that - available at the supermarket. She liked it so much that she tried to buy it each time she saw it. Hmm, she made me think. I immediately wanted to taste the wine. Several weeks later, I ventured to inspect the shelves of the alcohol section of my supermarket. And voilà! There it was, well hidden behind a large column supporting the ceiling, inconspicuous on the second shelf from the bottom, next to a stronger 16% Moldovan wine named Kagor contained in identical bottles so it was difficult to tell which was which (the labels on the rounded bottles as well as the letters on the labels are quite small so you need to carefully read them to learn what's in the bottle).

I'm now drinking the Black Doctor and either it's exceptionally aromatic or I'm developing an actual ability for tasting wine because it immediately struck me as having a distinctive coffee or chocolate aroma. The wine anthology confirms my discovery and further says the wine is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Saperavi varieties grown in South Moldova. Moldova is located only across a small pond called the Black Sea from Georgia and so its wines are also good! Having sampled a few, I've become a dedicated supporter of the wine industry of both of those otherwise little known countries. Buy Moldova and Georgia, people, they need your monies and you'll love their wines!*

By the way, I'm also developing an appreciation for the tannins, such as of Cabernet Sauvignon. While I initially disliked them and only bought wines made of tannin-free varieties such as Merlot or Pinot Noir, I've come to miss tannins on my red wine drinking journey of the past months. They add spice and depth and make the wine more complex and interesting. I actually like the wine more when it has some Cabernet blended in. Now that I think of it, one of my next wines might be a sexy and spicy Shiraz. For the full experience, I'll have to splatter the worth of another bottle on lamb chops to go with it..

* The store - which I found at random by googling and am not affiliated to - is WineAnthology.com, a Divison of Clark Circle Liquors, Inc., 77 Central Ave., Clark, NJ 07066. Phone (888)238-2251, thank you very much. Close enough to be called your local supplier. They carry both the Black Doctor and Kindzmarauli for the mere 10 bucks a bottle, as well as the even better Mukuzani and other tasty Georgian and Moldovan reds. You will not regret your purchase!