MINIS TERRIOS | #403 | Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot | 2018
cabernet sauvignon | merlot

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Today we are going to review a wine blend that is vinified in a non-tradition Bordeaux style as we have been used to lately, but rather in a lighter, Alto-Adige style – #403 Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 2018 by Minis Terrios. This is a blend of two classic Bordeaux varieties – cabernet sauvignon and merlot, which in fact is the world’s most famous wine blending formula, where merlot forms the main body and structure, while cabernet sauvignon adds firmness and depth to the final blend. This wine is a special edition, with each bottle being labeled with its unique number, in our case #403 – a wine that has been aged for 12 months in french oak barrels. 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
colour: pale garnet
clarity: hazy copper

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & fortified
fruit profile: red fruits
__red fruits: sour cherry | red currant | red apple | cranberry | wolfberry | goji berry
fruit character: ripe & overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: herbal | spice | oak | earth
__herbal: wormwood | currant leaf | nettle
__spice: red pepper
__oak: cherry tree wood | tree bark
__earth: red soil dust
__wood: old / medium roasted

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: med(+)
alcohol: high
tannin: med(+)
__grip: ripe
balance: fair
__dominant: alcohol & acidity
body: opulent | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: spice
finish: med(+)
aftertaste: hot & crisp

//Scoring
MINIS TERRIOS | #403 | Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot | 2018
variety: cabernet sauvignon | merlot
country: Moldova
region: Codru
rating: 89.3

//Conclusion
maturity: close to its prime
verdict: fair | not bad
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This is definitely a fair wine of Moldova and, with a total of 89.3 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 example of a wine that is quite close to the peak of its prime form, with clear hints of fast approaching decline, therefore we would highly recommend to drink it today and not keep it for bottle ageing. It feels very hot, mostly due to the overwhelming alcool warmth on the mouthfeel, opulent and slightly wide. In its current state the wine lacks harmony and balance on the palate, as it feels supple, austere and angular, with a nuanced fruity-earthy profile and some herbal hints in the background. All in all it tastes quite appealing, fair and slightly bitter, with a seedy-crisp and hot finale. We would suggest to pair this wine with meaty dishes that are rich in flavour and smooth textures, like for example an asian peppery steak or a medium-rare rib-eye steak, so that the wine’s angularity will be counterbalanced by the meat’s flavours and textures. 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.