Ferdi Winery - news and wines with exceptional James Suckling scores - interview Ofelia Mihăilescu
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Located in "Oltenia and Muntenia Hills" wine region, on the edge of Dealu Mare vineyard, Ferdi Winery (Crama Ferdi) is one of the small wineries known both for the wines it produces and for its desire to create wines with personality and with as little human intervention as possible in order to let each grape variety express itself as beautifully as possible year after year.
I had the pleasure of talking to Ofelia Mihăilescu about the wines launched in 2025, as well as about the exceptional scores obtained earlier this year in the James Suckling evaluation by the wines made by Crama Ferdi.
Carmina Nițescu: Hello Ofelia! Thank you for taking the time for this discussion! I know that at Crama Ferdi you have both newly launched wines and news related to medal-winning wines.
Ofelia Mihăilescu: Hello Carmina! It is always a pleasure to talk to you because we update each other on the projects we are involved in and in this way I would like to congratulate you for all the steps you take in promoting wine.
Carmina: Thank you for the appreciation, Ofelia! Summer is already over, the 2025 harvest campaign has begun, please tell me what new wines you have launched this year. I heard something about a Malbec being released for the first time, but I'll let you tell me more about this year's news.
Ofelia: This year was a landmark one for Crama Ferdi, because we had the joy of launching three wines, which reflect both our passion for winemaking and the desire to always bring something surprising to wine lovers. The first is Senor MB 2022, a first edition Malbec, intense and seductive, with a rarely seen personality – a wine with strength, but also with elegance which conquers you from the first tasting.
The second, Cuvee Francisc 2022, is a refined blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, where the freshness and vivacity of Cabernet meets the roundness and finesse of Merlot, resulting in a balanced and very versatile wine. The third, perhaps the most exciting for us, is the latest edition of Cuvee Paul 2022, a blend between Fetească Neagră and Cabernet Sauvignon – a dialogue between authentic Romanian tradition and the nobility of an international variety, which together give rise to a wine with a lot of character and depth.
These three releases continue the story of Crama Ferdi and bring to wine lovers' glasses both our terroir and the energy and passion we put into each bottle. We look forward to seeing consumer reactions and celebrating these wines together at our dedicated events.
I had the pleasure of talking to Ofelia Mihăilescu about the wines launched in 2025, as well as about the exceptional scores obtained earlier this year in the James Suckling evaluation by the wines made by Crama Ferdi.
Carmina Nițescu: Hello Ofelia! Thank you for taking the time for this discussion! I know that at Crama Ferdi you have both newly launched wines and news related to medal-winning wines.
Ofelia Mihăilescu: Hello Carmina! It is always a pleasure to talk to you because we update each other on the projects we are involved in and in this way I would like to congratulate you for all the steps you take in promoting wine.
Carmina: Thank you for the appreciation, Ofelia! Summer is already over, the 2025 harvest campaign has begun, please tell me what new wines you have launched this year. I heard something about a Malbec being released for the first time, but I'll let you tell me more about this year's news.
Ofelia: This year was a landmark one for Crama Ferdi, because we had the joy of launching three wines, which reflect both our passion for winemaking and the desire to always bring something surprising to wine lovers. The first is Senor MB 2022, a first edition Malbec, intense and seductive, with a rarely seen personality – a wine with strength, but also with elegance which conquers you from the first tasting.
The second, Cuvee Francisc 2022, is a refined blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, where the freshness and vivacity of Cabernet meets the roundness and finesse of Merlot, resulting in a balanced and very versatile wine. The third, perhaps the most exciting for us, is the latest edition of Cuvee Paul 2022, a blend between Fetească Neagră and Cabernet Sauvignon – a dialogue between authentic Romanian tradition and the nobility of an international variety, which together give rise to a wine with a lot of character and depth.
These three releases continue the story of Crama Ferdi and bring to wine lovers' glasses both our terroir and the energy and passion we put into each bottle. We look forward to seeing consumer reactions and celebrating these wines together at our dedicated events.
Carmina: At the beginning of the year you announced that you had achieved some very good scores with a few wines at James Suckling. Please tell me which wines you are talking about, what scores they achieved and where we can buy them from.
Ofelia: You will always find our wines in restaurants, wine bars and locations that want to offer customers quality above all else. Many of them are managed directly, as in our case, by their owners who are mostly passionate and connoisseurs of exceptional wines or even chefs who create special menus in association with our wines.
Here I will only mention a few, but on our website: www.cramaferdi.ro you can find all the medal-winning wines, including the two gold medal wines at the renowned VINARIUM International Wine Contest.
White Queen 2023 is a Chardonnay fermented and aged in new French oak barrels, with daily batonnage. As a result, White Queen is a buttery wine, with aromas of apricot and peach, followed by a long aftertaste of honey and nuts. A balanced wine with moderate acidity that also offers a feeling of freshness and good aging potential.
White Queen Medal 2023 - James Suckling - 93 points: "The way the subtle peach and almond aromas blend with a generous, full-bodied palate that tastes fresh and slightly salty is fascinating. The excellent integration of oak and fruit is accentuated by a subtle touch of creaminess from the fine lees ageing. I love the grapefruit peel and pomelo character in the long finish. Fermented and aged in new French oak barrels for eight months. To drink now or to keep."
Lady Black Legend 2022 – the ruby elegance of the Ferdi legends
Fetească Neagră is an elegant red wine with a strong personality, considered the “image” of Ferdi Winery in the world of wine. Each glass of Lady Black Legend is in itself the perfect expression of Romanian tradition. A noble, balanced and complex wine, with deep aromas of black fruits, vanilla and chocolate, meant to accompany truly precious moments. Its velvety taste carries you between strength and delicacy, leaving a long, memorable aftertaste, like a beautiful memory.
Lady Black Legend is not just a wine – it is a tribute to passion, inspiration and refinement. A wine that transforms moments into experiences and taste into legend.
Lady Black Legend Medal 2022 - James Suckling - 93 points: "If anyone doubts that the indigenous Romanian Feteasca Neagra grapes can produce sensational red wines, here is proof. Full-bodied, but with a beautiful balance due to fine tannins, lively acidity, savory character and fresh black fruit aromas, plus a note of graphite. Well concentrated and with a long finish, a harmonious dry wine, with excellent complexity of dried herbs. Limited production. Can be drunk from launch."
SEÑOR MB 2022 - With hope and pride in our souls, we launch the first edition of our Malbec variety, which is an embodiment of the refinement but also the strength of a wine, born on the sunny hills of Dealu Mare region and grown in the coolness of dark nights. This wine opens in an intense ruby, with an aromatic bouquet of ripe plums, wild blackberries, aromas of pepper and fine touches of vanilla and chocolate, reminiscent of the noble wood in which it was aged for 16 months. Its taste is like a whispered poem: full, velvety, with gentle tannins that embrace without tightening, which confer a long and harmonious finish. Malbec is the wine that carries within itself the perfect balance between character and elegance. Malbec is not just a wine, but the expression of the land and its maker, a promise of nobility in a glass.
SEÑOR MB Medal 2022 - James Suckling - 93 points: "I love the interplay between the very juicy blueberry fruit, the fine tannins and the lively acidity on the palate with medium body. It is not very concentrated, but it is harmoniously balanced – this Romanian Malbec is extremely easy to enjoy and, at the same time, very well made. It has a pleasant persistence and a lot of charm in the elegant finish. It can be drunk now or kept."
Carmina: How did you come to enter the wines at James Suckling? There are many wine competitions in the world, as well as scores that can be awarded by several entities. How did you choose James Suckling?
Ofelia: We were proposed for evaluation by an international sommelier and mutual friend, who highly appreciates our wines.
Carmina: In the past, you have participated in several wine competitions with wines from Crama Ferdi and won medals. How is the James Suckling score different and what does it mean to you?
Ofelia: James Suckling seems to us to have a more personal approach, tasting a lot “in the field”, directly at the wineries, emphasizing the context of the wine (terroir, style and story of the winery). He also seems more passionate and oriented towards the pleasure of drinking the wine now, as are many of our wines, not just towards the aging potential. For us, as a winery, these ratings are a validation of quality – a score of over 90 out of 100, signed by James Suckling, positions the wines among the top ones globally. They also immediately attract attention, especially for consumers who do not know us yet, increasing our visibility, buyer confidence and commercial opportunities globally.
Carmina: Ofelia, it was a pleasure to talk to you! I wish you a good season this year and we will hear from you with news in the near future.
Ofelia: Thank you very much, Carmina, for your kind thoughts! We also hope that this harvest season will be one that meets expectations and we can't wait to share with you the news and surprises we are preparing.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday.ro & Winesday App
Ofelia: You will always find our wines in restaurants, wine bars and locations that want to offer customers quality above all else. Many of them are managed directly, as in our case, by their owners who are mostly passionate and connoisseurs of exceptional wines or even chefs who create special menus in association with our wines.
Here I will only mention a few, but on our website: www.cramaferdi.ro you can find all the medal-winning wines, including the two gold medal wines at the renowned VINARIUM International Wine Contest.
White Queen 2023 is a Chardonnay fermented and aged in new French oak barrels, with daily batonnage. As a result, White Queen is a buttery wine, with aromas of apricot and peach, followed by a long aftertaste of honey and nuts. A balanced wine with moderate acidity that also offers a feeling of freshness and good aging potential.
White Queen Medal 2023 - James Suckling - 93 points: "The way the subtle peach and almond aromas blend with a generous, full-bodied palate that tastes fresh and slightly salty is fascinating. The excellent integration of oak and fruit is accentuated by a subtle touch of creaminess from the fine lees ageing. I love the grapefruit peel and pomelo character in the long finish. Fermented and aged in new French oak barrels for eight months. To drink now or to keep."
Lady Black Legend 2022 – the ruby elegance of the Ferdi legends
Fetească Neagră is an elegant red wine with a strong personality, considered the “image” of Ferdi Winery in the world of wine. Each glass of Lady Black Legend is in itself the perfect expression of Romanian tradition. A noble, balanced and complex wine, with deep aromas of black fruits, vanilla and chocolate, meant to accompany truly precious moments. Its velvety taste carries you between strength and delicacy, leaving a long, memorable aftertaste, like a beautiful memory.
Lady Black Legend is not just a wine – it is a tribute to passion, inspiration and refinement. A wine that transforms moments into experiences and taste into legend.
Lady Black Legend Medal 2022 - James Suckling - 93 points: "If anyone doubts that the indigenous Romanian Feteasca Neagra grapes can produce sensational red wines, here is proof. Full-bodied, but with a beautiful balance due to fine tannins, lively acidity, savory character and fresh black fruit aromas, plus a note of graphite. Well concentrated and with a long finish, a harmonious dry wine, with excellent complexity of dried herbs. Limited production. Can be drunk from launch."
SEÑOR MB 2022 - With hope and pride in our souls, we launch the first edition of our Malbec variety, which is an embodiment of the refinement but also the strength of a wine, born on the sunny hills of Dealu Mare region and grown in the coolness of dark nights. This wine opens in an intense ruby, with an aromatic bouquet of ripe plums, wild blackberries, aromas of pepper and fine touches of vanilla and chocolate, reminiscent of the noble wood in which it was aged for 16 months. Its taste is like a whispered poem: full, velvety, with gentle tannins that embrace without tightening, which confer a long and harmonious finish. Malbec is the wine that carries within itself the perfect balance between character and elegance. Malbec is not just a wine, but the expression of the land and its maker, a promise of nobility in a glass.
SEÑOR MB Medal 2022 - James Suckling - 93 points: "I love the interplay between the very juicy blueberry fruit, the fine tannins and the lively acidity on the palate with medium body. It is not very concentrated, but it is harmoniously balanced – this Romanian Malbec is extremely easy to enjoy and, at the same time, very well made. It has a pleasant persistence and a lot of charm in the elegant finish. It can be drunk now or kept."
Carmina: How did you come to enter the wines at James Suckling? There are many wine competitions in the world, as well as scores that can be awarded by several entities. How did you choose James Suckling?
Ofelia: We were proposed for evaluation by an international sommelier and mutual friend, who highly appreciates our wines.
Carmina: In the past, you have participated in several wine competitions with wines from Crama Ferdi and won medals. How is the James Suckling score different and what does it mean to you?
Ofelia: James Suckling seems to us to have a more personal approach, tasting a lot “in the field”, directly at the wineries, emphasizing the context of the wine (terroir, style and story of the winery). He also seems more passionate and oriented towards the pleasure of drinking the wine now, as are many of our wines, not just towards the aging potential. For us, as a winery, these ratings are a validation of quality – a score of over 90 out of 100, signed by James Suckling, positions the wines among the top ones globally. They also immediately attract attention, especially for consumers who do not know us yet, increasing our visibility, buyer confidence and commercial opportunities globally.
Carmina: Ofelia, it was a pleasure to talk to you! I wish you a good season this year and we will hear from you with news in the near future.
Ofelia: Thank you very much, Carmina, for your kind thoughts! We also hope that this harvest season will be one that meets expectations and we can't wait to share with you the news and surprises we are preparing.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday.ro & Winesday App
