St. Andrea Merengő Bikavér Superior 2006 (Eger)
When first tasted, this "superior" bikavér from the St. Andrea winery in Eger was set to arrive on the retail market in late fall, 2008, at a price approaching Ft 10,000 (€39) a bottle.
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Having tasted this wine just after it was bottled, it's not easy to get a grip on what will become of it in the future. But for sure there is enough fruit and good acid for it to last at least 10 years. (Either way, it's not for drinking now.) But if it's worth Ft 7,000 or Ft 9,000, my feeling is that this is in part because of the novelty value of very well-made and concentrated bikavérs. For that kind of money, I would probably go elsewhere.
Yes, and add to that the fact that Lőrincz himself described it as his "best wine" yet. Plus his big rival Buttler is selling his top bikavér at over Ft 8,000. What will be interesting to see is how he's gonna shift all these 19,000 bottles in Hungary at such a price, though I hear a couple of thousand have already been snapped up by some Taiwanese and U.S. wine retailers. Hmm, maybe this preordering gimmick is just a precaution to make sure no bottle is left unsold by the time it goes dead.
Tasted this wine with lamb chops last night together with a French winemaker who works in Canada. We both agreed it was very well made with plenty of potential for the future.
Dark fruits, just a hint of smoke, with rich texture, and a long, lingering and very tasty finish. Drink 2012-2025, depending on if you prefer your wines younger and fruitier or more developed, complex and expressive of the soil.
For wine of this quality, the price is reasonable.