CARLEVANA | Raritet | Rubinus | 2018
cabernet sauvignon | merlot | pinot noir | malbec | rara neagra

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Today we are going to review a wine blend from the Codru wine region – Raritet Rubinus 2018 by Carlevana. This wine is a blend of 5 grape varieties: cabernet sauvignon that forms the main body and structure, merlot that models the wine’s flavour foreground, pinot noir that brings a more refined mid-palate, malbec that adds color and complexity to the blend, and rara neagra that delivers red fruits flavours and the much sought after local terroir notes. Wine blending is part science and part art, as it takes years to master – the winemakers has to use a combination of technical skills, laboratory analysis and of wine tasting in order to achieve the desired results. Bun enough theory – that said and 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: pale
colour: ruby
clarity: clear
hue/rim: garnet

//Olfactory
intensity: rich
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits | blue fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry | cranberry | red currant
__black fruits: black plum | blackcurrant
__blue fruits: blue plum
fruit character: unripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | animal | other
__spice: red pepper | black pepper
__animal: barnyard | leather
__other: moist wood | wormwood | cherry tree wood
__wood: old | light

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: med(-)
__grip: green
body: coarse | medium+
balance: fair
__dominant: acidity & alcohol
complexity: simple

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: unripe
non fruit: spice
finish: medium
aftertaste: rough

//Scoring
CARLEVANA | Raritet | Rubinus | 2018
variety: cabernet sauvignon | merlot | pinot noir | malbec | rara neagra
country: Moldova
region: Codru
rating: 89.2

//Conclusion
maturity: on the rise | youthful
verdict: fair | not bad
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 89.2 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 quite fair wine blend that right now feels rough, coarse and green – a wine that is still too youthful, as it has yet to reach the summit of its prime form, thus we would suggest for another 2 or 3 more years of bottle ageing. The wine tastes bitter-tart and quite angular, with overwhelming alcoholic and acidity on the mouthfeel. In its current state this wine lacks harmony and balance, which makes it taste sharp and austere. Overall this is a wine with a nuanced fruity-savory accent and a quite appealing nose – we would recommend to pair it with meaty dishes that are rich in flavour, like for example a grilled T-bone steak, so that all those smoky flavours in the meat will counter the sharp edges in the wine, making it taste less coarse.
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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.