Score: 90/100
André Macionga, a German sommelier, named 2013 «sommelier of the year» F.A.Z. and 2017 «host of the year» in the Gault & Millau guide has always had a passion for diving into the world of flavors.
With selected winegrowers, André makes and sells wine he likes to drink and recommend.
The winery Weingut Horst Sauer, in the Franconian town of Escherndorf and one of the most awarded in Germany (2017 Gault Millau ‘winegrower of the year’) created this 5th edition of the ‘Est Ist Wie Es Ist’ wine with this 2015 vintage, as a part of the André Macionga Cuvée Collection.
Tasting Notes
This German white comes in a rather intense amber-yellow color, shiny and clear, but with a surprising dark yellow with orange and golden hues color for a young wine.
The nose confirms we are here with a wine made with ripe white grapes and a lightly oxidative profile, rather than a youthful grassy and reductive one.
There is a wealth of layered tropical fruit aromas, dried pineapple and ripe mango, some blond raisin with floral honey and beeswax tones. Add subtle sweet spices like nutmeg and cinnamon, with a hint of white pepper. The profile of a late harvest wine but delivered with elegance and restraint. The wine seems to open up over time and develop its flavor. Open a good half hour prior to serving.
The palate reveals a very soft and round wine, with a fresh and crisp acidity balanced by a round body and only hints of residual sugars.
Flavors bursts in your mouth with intense pineapple and ginger, some litchi and elderflower. Clearly somewhat like a late harvest or a botrytis wine like a Sauternes but delivered in a dry-style and fresh-tasting profile.
Silky phenolics amplify the overall great impression of smoothness. They evolve towards the finish into a slight oaky bitterness, like the imperceptible and enjoyable bitterness of caramel, and a salivating salty feel. I guess there is a sense of salty buttery caramel taste to this wine, although again, delivered on a dry background.
The finish is very long and layered, opulently filled with oak, sweet spices, honey and wax, and generous tropical notes.
Overall
A surprising yet very enjoyable white wine, clearly coming with its own rather-unique style. Rich and ripe in the fruity flavors it offers, it has obviously been rounded up and complexified by an abundant slightly oxidative oak treatment. The result is utter-smooth and layered yet retaining freshness and finesse in its expression.
A wine to experience then this is…
Tasting Notes for the Previous Vintage of this Wine
Find the tasting notes of this wine in the next vintage, André Macionga’s Es Ist Wie Es Ist 2015 Cuvée
Horst Sauer & André Macionga Es Ist Wie Es Ist 2014 Cuvée Nr. 4 WeissWein, Franken
Enjoy 🙂
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