NOVAK | Merlot – Cabernet Sauvignon | 2017
merlot | cabernet sauvignon

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Tonight we are going to review a wine blend from the Valul lui Traian wine region – Merlot – Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 by Novak Winery. The wine has been aged for 6 months in french oak and is part of the winemaker’s flagship Black Label line, made of wines that are produced from international grape varieties with extensive barrel fermentation. The blend itself is 75% merlot and 25% cabernet sauvignon and it might seem ordinary at first glance, but put them together in the right proportion and they will deliver a whole new dimension. The cabernet-merlot blends are usually referred to as Bordeaux blends and this is in fact the most famous blending formula all around the world. That said, without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
clarity: hazy
concentration: pale
colour: ruby
hue/rim: ruby

//Sight
stain: light
viscosity: medium
sediment: none

//Olfactory
outset: clean
intensity: rich
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry | red plum | red currant | cranberry
__black fruits: black plum | aronia berry
fruit character: overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: vegetal | spice | oak | animal
__vegetal: paprika
__spice: red pepper | nutmeg
__oak: roasted oakwood
__animal: capocollo | veal | leather | horse saddle
__wood: new / roasted
aroma: primary | secondary

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: med(+)
alcohol: med(+)
tannin: medium
__grip: ripe
texture: lean
body: medium
balance: fair
__dominant: acidity | alcohol
complexity: moderate

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: overripe
non fruit: spice | animal
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: appealing

//Scoring
NOVAK | Merlot – Cabernet Sauvignon | 2017
variety: merlot | cabernet sauvignon
climate: moderate
country: Moldova
region: Valul lui Traian
rating: 91.0

//Conclusion
maturity: on the rise
verdict: fine
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 91.0 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 nice and lean wine blend that is still on the rise – round, sipple and opulent – a wine that can age for a couple more years in the bottle. Aged for 6 months in french oak barrels and produced in a limited edition of only 5900 bottles, what this wine lacks today is a bit character and structure on the palate. Overall it feels plump, crisp and seedy, with a delicate rustic accent, delivering overwhelming acidity and a touch of alcoholic burnt on the mouthfeel. The wine might feel slightly seedy towards the end of the palate, still it creates the impression of a well balanced blend from a moderate climate, with some hints of old-world nobility in it. Cheers!

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