UNICORN ESTATE | Equilibrium | Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot | 2016
cabernet sauvignon | merlot

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Tonight we are going to review a wine that is vinified in a classic Bordeaux-style – Equilibrium Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot 2016 by Unicorn Estate. This is a blend of two classic Bordeaux varieties – cabernet sauvignon and merlot, which, in fact, is the world’s most famous blending formula, where cabernet sauvignon forms the main body and structure, while merlot adds smoothness and rounds up the final blend. The wine is part of the ‘Equilibrium‘ wine line, concepted to appeal to the taste of a wide range of consumers: from mere wine enthusiasts to wine experts alike. But let’s skip all this boring theory and, without further ado, let’s move on, straight to the tasting!
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

Visual
Hazy ruby color with pale crimson shades towards the rim of the glass.

Olfactory
The nose is strong, filled mostly with black & red fruit flavours: sour cherry, black plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, leather, dried brown olive, black soil dust and cherry tree wood. An instant later the nose is filled with nuanced notes of roasted oakwood, steel, red pepper, nutmeg, cloves, sweet sweet tobacco and some hints of capocollo meat.

Gustatory
The wine is dry, with high alcohol level, high acidity and green tannin. It feels fruity, seedy and youthful, with a nuanced bitter-crisp accent. This is a quite plump, round and supple wine, as it tastes noble, a bit woody and maybe just a bit too angular than expected. The wine has a fair overall balance, with a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through on the mouthfeel.

Aftertaste
The wine has a long finish and an balanced, seedy-crisp aftertaste.
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 90.8 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Conclusion: this is a nice example of a wine that is still on the rise, as in its current state it lacks a bit of elegance and finesse on the palate. With a seedy-tart finale, this wine needs a bit of time to build more structure and complexity. It has a quite good ageing potential (about 2 more years) and is evolving nicely in the glass – this is a wine that requires a bit of time to settle down and round up its edges. Our recommendation is to pair it with meaty dishes that are rich in natural umami flavours, like for example a crusted beef carpaccio with parmesan cheese or a classic beef tartare with capers. Cheers!

WineStatistics tasting results:

UNICORN ESTATE
Equilibrium | Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot | 2016

grape: | cabernet sauvignon | merlot |

region: Moldova | Stefan-Voda

overall rating: | 90.8 |

maturity: on the rise

conclusion: fine | (highly recommended)

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.