NOVAK | Floricica – Alb de Onitcani | #
floricica | alb de onitcani

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Today we are also going to review a wine that took the local market by storm from its very inception – Floricica – Alb de Onitcani by Novak Winery. This wine is a blend of two very rare, local grape varieties: (50%) floricica and (50%) alb de onitcani, where alb de onitcani forms the main body and structure of the wine, while floricica adds up-front richness and brings on more floral notes to the foreground. Alb de Onitcani is a hybrid grape variety that has been resurrected by Novak Winery. It is resistant to low temperatures and fungal diseases, howether it is important to keep the yields as low as possible if the purpose is to make top quality wines. Floricica is a relatively new grape variety, created by crossing of the Rhein Riesling x Datie de Sen Valie varieties and homologated in 2007 at the National Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking. It has increased resistance to fungal diseases, grey rot and is resistant to spring frosts. That said and 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
color: deep straw-yellow color
clarity: clear pastel-yellow hues

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & oxidative
fruit profile: sweet fruits | stone fruits
__sweet fruits: quince | yellow pear | yellow apple
__stone fruits: apricot | pluot | dried apricot | yellow mirabelle
fruit character: overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: herbal | oak | other
__herbal: straw grass | hay | pear leaf
__oak: vanilla | sun-dried oak | fresh oakwood
__other: lemon peel | white pepper | hazelnut
primary layer: fruit

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: medium+
alcohol: medium
tannin: low
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: none
body: supple & lean | medium

//Taste
fruit profile: sweet fruits
fruit character: overripe
non fruit: oxidative
finish: medium
aftertaste: crisp

//Scoring
NOVAK | Floricica – Alb de Onitcani | #
variety: floricica | alb de onitcani
country: Moldova
region: Valul lui Traian
rating: 91.1

//Conclusion
maturity: past its prime | drink now
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and with a total of 91.1 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 a supple, lean and round white blend that is already past its prime, therefore we would recommend to drink it today, while it is still fresh and appealing. It feels plump, a bit flat and voluptuous, with hints of woodiness and oxidation. On the palate the wine delivers elevated acidity and a touch of alcoholic warmth showing through on the mouthfeel, with a seedy accent in the aftertaste. On the nose the wine displays a mixture of sweet fruits and herbal notes in the foreground, followed by a nuanced, seedy-oaky background. The aftertaste is long and persistent. Overall, this is a crisp and refreshing wine that is quite enjoyable at this stage, but it is not going to improve with further bottle ageing, as it is not meant to. Just keep it simple – drink it today rather than tomorrow and enjoy it as you should. Cheers!

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