Score: 91+/100
Nothing better than the words of this cuvée’s creator to describe where it comes from and the intentions behind this wine. This is what André Macionga, sommelier, says about his ‘Unartig’ 2016 cuvée:
“In the autumn of 2015 the winery of Neverland in Vendersheim, Rheinhessen caught my eye. The brothers Sebastian and Marcel Class invited me to a private wine tasting. After some visits to the winery and joint tasting we decided to start a project together.
After we had created the cuvée and the whole process was complete, we tasted the first bottle together. The word “Unartig” (naughty) was said and it was immediately obvious and undoubtedly the name this wine should have.
“Unartig” is unique. Frivolous, perky and self-confident. This is shown on numerous levels.”
So, How Good is André Macionga ‘Unartig’ Weisswein Cuvée?
Tasting Notes
This Rheinhessen German white comes in a bright and vivid lemon-yellow color.
At first smell and right after opening the bottle, what first strikes is the pungent citrusy lemon and grapefruit smell, reminding somewhat of a Sauvignon Blanc. This tames down with aeration though, leaving place to more buttery and tropical fruit characters, keeping the vibrancy of lime and melon aromas though.
Touches of sweet spices and sour dough add depth to the aromatic profile. A very pleasant and interesting wine to smell at!
This is a dry white wine, with a crisp and refreshing acidity on a mid-to-full body for a dry wine. It’s quite oily and opulent to the palate yet feeling fresh and zesty thanks to a crisp mineral acidity and bursting citrus flavors, coated in a world of generous leesy buttery goodness.
The finish is long and layered, throwing endless layers of tropical fruits, rich mango, fresh zesty pineapple, lime and orange, apricot and peach. The whole is deepened by hints of nutmeg and caramel, kept lively and aerial by floral notes of honey and elderflower with lifted spicy white pepper.
Overall
A rather stunningly-complex white wine, fresh and crisp, yet textural and layered should you allow it time to open up and allow yourself to taste it properly over an hour or so of tasting.
From a slightly tight and introvert wine, it slowly develops in your wine glass into a refined and utterly balanced expression of what tastes like a mineral and calcareous terroir, yet imprinted with clay goodness.
Certainly, a wine to experience… and share tasting impressions with the fellow lucky connoisseurs that will share your bottle of André Macionga Collection’s Unartig wine!
Enjoy 🙂
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