NOVAK | Chardonnay Riesling & Alb de Onitcani | 2018
chardonnay | riesling | alb de onitcani

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Today we are going to review a white wine that impressed us from the first sip to the last – Chardonnay Riesling & Alb de Onitcani 2018 by Novak Winery. This is a white blend of chardonnay, riesling and alb de onitcani varieties, made of grapes that were sourced from the Valul lui Traian region. Each variety plays a certain role in the final blend, with chardonnay being the one that forms the main body and structure, riesling brings the refreshing element due to its natural high acidity and pronounced atomatics, while alb de onitcani is meant to add that subtle element of provenience, delivering aromatics that are only characteristic to this specific variety grown on a very specific plot of land. That said, without further ado, let’s move on straight to our tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
clarity: clear | hazy | cloudy | misty
brightness: dull | hazy | bright | starbright
concentration: translucent | pale | medium | deep | opaque
color: straw | green| yellow | gold | amber
hue: silver | green | yellow | orange | amber

//Sight
stain: light | medium | heavy
viscosity: low | medium | high
gas evidence: yes | no
sediment: yes | no

//Olfactory
outset: clean | faulty [TCA | sulphur | ethyl acetate | geosmin | brett | oxidation | VA]
intensity: delicate | light | moderate | rich | powerful
fruit profile: green fruits | citrus fruits | stone fruits | tropical fruits
__green fruits: gooseberry | kiwi | apple | pear | quince | wild apple | wild pear
__citrus fruits: orange | tangerine | grapefruit | pomelo | lemon | sweet lemon | lime
__stone fruits: apricot | peach | nectarine | pluot | mirabelle plum | honey melon
__tropical fruits: pineapple | mango | persimmon | passion fruit | lychee | dates | figs
fruit character: baked | unripe | ripe | overripe | jammy | dried

//Flavor
non fruit: floral | vegetal | herbal | spice | oak | sweet | lactic | earth
__floral: linden flower | acacia blossom | orange blossom | honeysuckle
__vegetal: hay | wheat | nettle | dill | bell pepper | asparagus
__herbal: straw grass | green grass | eucalyptus | currant leaf
__spice: white pepper | cloves | anise | rosemary | ginger | mint
__oak: coconut | vanilla | dried banana | cinnamon | smoke | menthol
__sweet: corn | honey | caramel | toffee | marmalade | jam | candy
__lactic: baguette | crème brûlée | panna cotta | butter | yeast | yogurt
__earth (organic): soil dust | turf | forest floor | compost | mushrooms | truffle
__earth (inorganic): limestone | chalk | slate | flint | aspirin | petroleum | varnish
__wood: [old | new | none] / [dried | roasted | charred]
aroma: primary | secondary | tertiary

//Palate
sweetness: bone dry | dry | off dry | sweet | extra sweet
acidity: low | med(-) | medium | med(+) | high
alcohol: low | med(-) | medium | med(+) | high
tannin: low | med(-) | medium | med(+) | high
__grip: fine | ripe | firm | green | rough
texture: creamy | round | lean
body: light | medium | full
balance: bad | poor | fair | good | fine
__dominant: sugar | acidity | alcohol | tannin | none
complexity: simple | moderate | complex

//Taste
fruit profile: malic | citric | stone | tropical | lactic
fruit character: baked | unripe | ripe | overripe | jammy | dried
non fruit: floral | vegetal | herbal | spice | oak | sweet | animal | earth
aroma: primary | secondary | tertiary
finish: short | med(-) | medium | med(+) | long
aftertaste: rough | astringent | seedy | appealing | velvety

//Scoring
NOVAK | Chardonnay Riesling & Alb de Onitcani | 2018
variety: chardonnay | riesling | alb de onitcani
origin: old world | new world
climate: cool | moderate | warm
country: Moldova
region: Valul lui Traian
rating: 91.1

//Conclusion
maturity: on the rise | in its prime | past its prime | on the decline
verdict: fair | good | fine | great | exceptional
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and with a total of 91.1 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.

Verdict: this is a very fine and refreshing wine that is still on the rise, yet very close to the summit of its prime form – a wine that can definitely age for another year in the bottle. It feels citrusy, zippy and quite expressive, with some nuanced floral hints on the nose and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel. On the palate the wine feels zesty, slightly angular and crisp, with medium body and medium complexity. What this wine might lack today is some harmony and elegance and maybe just a bit more complexity and structure – otherwise this is a fine wine indeed.

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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.