Fetească Albă

Fetească Albă — "the white maiden's grape" — is one of Romania's most important and widely planted indigenous white varieties, the pale counterpart to the country's flagship red, Fetească Neagră. An ancient vine of the Carpathian foothills, it gives fresh, aromatic, medium-bodied whites of delicate floral and orchard-fruit character — white flowers, apple, quince and peach over a gently spicy, honeyed edge. Naturally high in sugar yet retaining good acidity, it is made across a spectrum from crisp dry whites and sparkling base wine to off-dry and richly sweet late-harvest bottlings. Grown the length of Romania and across the border in Moldova, it is the graceful, aromatic face of Eastern European white wine, and it partners the region's fresh cheeses, poultry and river fish with quiet distinction.