NOVAK | Alb de Onitcani | 500 Litres Barrels | 2018
alb de onitcani

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Today we are going to review a very special wine, one that took the local market by storm from its very inception – Alb de Onitcani 500 Litres Barrels 2018 by Novak Winery. This is a single varietal wine, made entirely of alb de onitcani grapes and aged for no less than 10 months in 500-liters oak barrels. Alb de onitcani is a hybrid grape variety, resistant to fungal diseases and low temperatures. This is a quite rare variety that has a promising future, which is also used for divin production, and Novak Winery is one of few winemakers who uses it in winemaking. 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
concentration: translucent
color: yellow
clarity: clear
hue/rim: yellow

//Olfactory
intensity: rich
fruit profile: green fruits | citrus fruits | stone fruits
__green fruits: apple | white pear | quince | wild pear | wild apple
__citrus fruits: lemon | white grapefruit
__stone fruits: yellow mirabelle
fruit character: sour | unripe

//Flavor
non fruit: floral | oak | sweet | other
__floral: daffodil
__oak: oakwood
__sweet: white chocolate
__other: sour apple | sorrel | meadow | almonds |cashew
__wood: new /  light
aroma: primary | secondary

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: low
__grip: green
body: round
balance: fair
__dominant: acidity & alcohol
complexity: moderate

//Taste
fruit profile: green fruits & citrus fruits
fruit character: unripe
non fruit: malic & woody
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: tart & crisp

//Scoring
NOVAK | Alb de Onitcani | 500 Litres Barrels | 2018
variety: alb de onitcani
country: Moldova
region: Valul lui Traian
rating: 90.9

//Conclusion
maturity: in its prime
verdict: good | recommended
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This is definitely a good wine of Moldova and with a total of 90.9 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 nice and refreshing single-varietal alb de onitcani wine that is right there, at the peak of its form: crisp, invigorating and very appealing. The wine has a nicely rounded body, with overwhelming acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel. It has been aged for 10 months in big, 500-liters oak barrels and the result is there, as the wine feels lean, round and well balanced, with subtle woodiness and a quite nuanced citrusy-woody accent. The wine also delivers subtle floral hints on the nose and a slightly green and zesty mid-palate. Overall this is a quite harmonious wine, medium in body, with moderate complexity – drink it today or in the next 6 to 9 months, as it is not meant for long-term bottle ageing. Cheers!

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