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Today we are going to review a wine that has been released relatively recently on the market, a single-varietal syrah wine – a wine that has all the prerequisites to become a local legend – Shiraz 2018 by Equinox. In a world where bolder is better, syrah is the perfect choice, as it is darker and spicier than cabernet sauvignon and contains a high amounts of health-invigorating antioxidants. Syrah, also known as Shiraz, can be vinified in two major styles: old-world style and new-world style. The old-world syrah wines tend to have more acidity and earthy-herbaceous aromas, while the new-world shiraz wines are usually fruit-driven with lots of spice and hints of smoke. This particular wine has been aged in oak barriques prior to bottling. 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
colour: deep & noble ruby
clarity: hazy garnet shades
//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & noble
fruit profile: red fruits & black fruits
__red fruits: overripe sour cherry | wild cherry
__black fruits: black plum | black cherry | blackberry | aronia berry
fruit character: overripe & dried
//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | sweet | earthy
__spice: red pepper & black pepper | anise
__oak: cherry tree wood | cherry tree bark | roasted oakwood | sweet tobacco
__sweet: dried black plum | dried black cherry | candied sour cherry
__earthy: black soil dust | black tea | granite | slate
__wood: used & new / medium roast
//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: round | full body
//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits & black fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium+
aftertaste: crispy-tart
//Scoring
EQUINOX | Shiraz | 2018
variety: syrah
country: Moldova
region: Stefan Voda | Purcari
rating: 93.1
//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3 to 5 years
verdict: great | a must try wine
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 93.1 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 one of the finest syrah wines produced in Moldova so far: fruit-forward, expressive and dusty, with a ripe tannic grip on the mouthfeel, supported by overwhelming acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through. This is a quite youthful wine, one that is still developing into the bottle, therefore one that will definitely benefit from another 3 to 5 years of bottle ageing. In its current state the wine tastes firm and grippy, with a nuanced fruit-forward accent and a slightly tart finale. It feels crisp and extracted, with a full body and a nuanced spiciness on the nose, that is supported by a delicate earthiness in the background. All in all, this is a very well structured shiraz wine, yet one that lacks maybe just a bit of finesse on the palate, mostly due to its overwhelming acidity, which is a clear tell that the wine is still to young and that it has yet to reach the peak of its form, hopefully in about 3 to 5 years from now.
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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.
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WineStatistics is a non-profit community. We produce independent and highly detailed wine reviews.
By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
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WineStatistics is a non-profit community. We produce independent and highly detailed wine reviews.
By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
In order to continue our work we need support from people like you. People who appreciate our contribution in spreading wine knowledge and raising wine awareness across the borders.
You may now support us by contributing with a monthly donation so that we can review even more wines.
WineStatistics is a non-profit community. We produce independent and highly detailed wine reviews.
By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
In order to continue our work we need support from people like you. People who appreciate our contribution in spreading wine knowledge and raising wine awareness across the borders.
You may now support us by contributing with a yearly donation so that we can review even more wines.
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