EQUINOX | 5 Elemente | 2019
syrah | rara neagra | carmenère | malbec | merlot

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Today we are going to review an emblematic or, dare we say, iconic wine blend from Moldova, that is made with no fewer than 5 grape varieties: syrah (30%), rara neagra (23%), carmenère (19%), malbec (18%) and merlot (10%) – all of them blended to the point of excellence – 5 Elemente 2019 by Equinox. Wine blending is part science and part art, which takes years to master, as the winemakers has to use a combination of technical skills, laboratory analysis and wine tasting in order to achieve the desired results. For this particular wine, each variety has been harvested at its optimum ripeness and vinified individually, aged for at least 16 months in oak barrels. Only then, the winemaker blended them, turning the five wines into a legendary cuvée. What makes this wine really unique is that fact that each version is a one-off, as the blending formula has never been repeated – you can check here the previous versions: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. As is the norm for those kind of wines, it has been produced in a very limited edition of only 1000 bottles. But let’s skip that part for now, 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 ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby shades

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & expressive
fruit profile: black fruits | dried fruits
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | blackberry | aronia berry
__dried fruits: dried black cherry | dried black plum
fruit character: ripe & overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth
__spice: peppercorn | cloves | tonka seeds
__oak: roasted oakwood | tobacco | oaktree bark | black tea | hints of charred wood
__earthy: granite | graphite | dust
primary layer: fruit & oak

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

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: ripe & overripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium-
aftertaste: crisp

//Scoring
EQUINOX | 5 Elemente | 2019
variety: syrah | rara neagra | carmenère | malbec | merlot
country: Moldova
region: Stefan Voda
rating: 92.6

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 3 to 4 more years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Moldova and, with a total of 92.6 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 wine blend indeed, yet one that is still too young to be enjoyed today, as its acidity needs to settle down a little bit. We believe this wine will reach its apogée within the next 3 or 4 years. Despite its youthfulness, the wine tastes crisp, a bit seedy and supple, with a nuanced, fruit-forward profile and a slightly tart aftertaste. It feels voluptuous and rich, with exuberant acidity, fine-grained tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel. On the nose the wine delivers a mixture of ripe and overripe black fruits in the foreground, followed by some very nuanced, spicy-oaky flavours in the background, and a layer of earthy-dustiness in between the two. Compared to its previous version, this wine has got less grip and feels more ample on the palate (mostly due to the fact that there is no cabernet sauvignon in this one), which forms a more plump body, making it more appealing overall. What this wine lacks today is some harmony and finesse on the palate, traits that will surely come with some additional bottle ageing, as the potential is there, but don’t overdo it. Keep in mind that it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. Enjoy!

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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.