NOVAK | Rara Neagra | 2019
rara neagra

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Today we are also going to review a single-varietal rara neagra wine from the Valul lui Traian wine region of Moldova – Rara Neagra 2019 by Novak Winery. This wine is part of the winemaker’s flagship ‘Black Label’ line, made of wines that are produced using extensive barrel maturation. Rara Neagra, which is also known as babeasca neagra in Romania, is an indigenous grape variety that is famous for its ability to highlight different aspects of terroir. The wines made from rara neagra are highly romantic, light in body, with velvety tannins and high natural acidity. Some wine experts and connoisseurs go as far as to even compare them to those wines that are made from pinot noir grapes, in terms of structure and finesse. This particular wine has been produced in a limited edition of only 3000 bottles and has been aged in oak barrels in order to gain more structure and complexity. 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: pale garnet color
clarity: hazy garnet hues

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & clean
fruit profile: red fruits | black fruits
__red fruits: cranberry | sour cherry | red plum | red mirabelle | red currant
__black fruits: blackberry | black plum
fruit character: ripe & dried

//Flavor
non fruit: vegetal | spice | oak | savory | earthy | other
__vegetal: wormwood
__spice: red pepper
__oak: roasted oakwood | cherry tree wood | cherry tree bark
__savory: hints of iron
__earthy: loam | clay
__other: dried cranberry | dried sour cherry
primary layer: fruit

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: medium+
alcohol: high
tannin: medium
__grip: fine
balance: good
__dominant: alcohol
body: supple | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: spice
finish: medium
aftertaste: hot & seedy

//Scoring
NOVAK | Rara Neagra | 2019
variety: rara neagra
country: Moldova
region: Valul lui Traian
rating: 91.5

//Conclusion
maturity: in its prime | drink now or within 2-3 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 91.5 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 rara neagra wine with some clear cut claims of typicity – a wine that has already stepped on the podium of its prime form and one that can age for another 2 or 3 years in the bottle. It feels supple, crisp and slightly rough, with a nuanced fruity-oaky foreground, supported by a vegetal-spicy background and a layer of earthiness in between. The wine might feel a bit angular and opulent, with exuberant acidity, rough tannins and an overwhelming alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel, all of which leads to a nuanced hot and seedy finale. All in all, this is a nicely structured rara neagra wine that feels rustic and green, maybe lacking some finesse on the palate, with some promises of varietal typicity and hints of local terroir – a quite appealing and delicate wine with its own personality and charm. Cheers!

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