EQUINOX | 5 Elemente | 2017
merlot | malbec | rara neagra | carmenère | syrah

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Today we are going to review a legendary wine blend that is made with no fewer than 5 grape varieties: merlot, malbec, rara neagra, carmenère and syrah – all of them blended to the point of excellence – 5 Elemente 2017 by Equinox. Each variety has been harvested individually at its optimum ripeness and aged separately for 22 months in oak barrels. Only then, the winemaker blended them, turning the five wines into one of the most amazing local wine blends. The thing about this wine is that each new version is unique, as the blending formula has never been the same. 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
concentration: deep
colour: ruby
clarity: hazy
hue/rim: ruby

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits | blue fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry | cranberry
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | blackberry
__blue fruits: blue plum
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth
__spice: red pepper | black pepper | nutmeg
__oak: liquorice | cherry tree wood | sweet tobacco | roasted oakwood
__earth: dust | black soil
__wood: new / medium
aroma: primary | secondary

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: med(+)
tannin: med(+)
__grip: fine
body: round & lean
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
complexity: moderate

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits | blue fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: spice | oak
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: appealing (tart & fruity)

//Scoring
EQUINOX | 5 Elemente | 2017
variety: merlot | malbec | rara neagra | carmenère | syrah
country: Moldova
region: Stefan Voda
rating: 92.2

//Conclusion
maturity: on the rise
verdict: great | a must try
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This is definitely a great wine of Moldova and, with a total of 92.2 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 fine wine blend, yet one that is yet too young to be enjoyed today, as its acidity needs to settle down a bit. We believe this wine will reach the summit of its prime form in the next 2 or 3 years from now. Despite its youthfulness, the wine tastes crisp and round, with a nuanced rich, fruit-forward profile and a slightly seedy-tart aftertaste. It feels quite lean and supple on the palate, with overwhelming acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through. Compared to the previous version, this wine has lost its grip on the mouthfeel – this version has a more rounder body and there’s more harmony between fruit and oak – overall the wine feels a lot more appealing. What it might lack is maybe just a bit of firmness and structure on the palate and bolder character. That said, this is a very appealing wine blend, that is produced in a quite limited quantity and one of the best local red blends. try to get one of these, as long as they’re still available and enjoy. Cheers!
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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.