SAUSKA | Cuvée 11 | Villány | 2016
merlot | blaufränkisch | cabernet franc | cabernet sauvignon

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Today we are going to review a blend from one of our favourite red wine regions – the famous Villány region in the south of Hungary – Cuvée 11 Villányi 2016 by Sauska. Made only with selected grapes from the winemaker’s best vineyards (Ördögárok, Konkoly, Makár, and Kopár), this wine is a blend of merlot, blaufränkisch (known as kékfrankos in Hungary), cabernet franc (also known locally as villány franc) and cabernet sauvignon, aged for 15 months in new (20%) and used (80%) french oak barriques in order to preserve the typicity of each variety and to highlight the footprint of the local terroir notes. The vineyards are planted on hill slopes that are rich in loess, clay and marl-rich soils. But enough with all that theory – 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: medium-deep garnet color
clarity: hazy copper shades on the rim

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & oaky
fruit profile: black fruits | dried fruits
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | blackberry | blackcurrant
__dried fruits: dried black cherry | dried black plum
fruit character: overripe & dried

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth
__spice: peppercorn | cloves | nutmeg | anise
__oak: roasted oakwood | tobacco | vanilla | sun-dried oak | black tea
__earth: graphite | granite | black soil | dust | marl | compost
primary layer: fruit & oak

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

//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: overripe & dried
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium
aftertaste: crispy-tart

//Scoring
SAUSKA | Cuvée 11 | Villány | 2016
variety: merlot | blaufränkisch | cabernet franc | cabernet sauvignon
country: Hungary
region: Villány
rating: 92.6

//Conclusion
maturity: past its prime | on the decline | drink now or within the next 2 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Hungary 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 quite crisp and slightly tart wine blend, as it feels plump, supple and a bit opulent, with a rich and overripe nose and a round mouthfeel – a wine that has already reached its peak form, therefore we would recommend to drink it sooner rather than later, as we firmly believe that it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. On the nose the wine delivers a nuanced oaky accent, mixed with notes of overripe and dried black fruits in the foreground, followed by some very noble, spicy and earthy hints in the background. On the palate the wine displays overwhelming acidity, fine-grained tannins, and just a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, all of which leads to a crispy-tart aftertaste. All in all, this is a quite ample and nicely structured wine blend that in its current state lacks a bit of harmony and finesse on the palate. Taking into account the wine’s flavour profile and its structure, we believe it will pair lovely with delicate meats, like for example a peppercorn-crusted filet mignon with wild mushrooms and cognac sauce. Egészségére!

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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.