THE ART OF CUVÉEING
In France, every bottle of wine is called a cuvée. The words “Grand Cuvée” or “Cuvée Prestige”; on the bottle indicate the high quality of the wine. Whether the wine is a blend or a pure variety does not matter. However, if a bottle is called an “assemblage”, it means a wine that has been blended.
The situation is different in German-speaking countries. Here the term “cuvée” is another word for blend. A blend of different grape varieties. The aim here is to achieve the best possible quality of the wine through the right blend of individual grape varieties into an optimal balance.
Different methods to reach the goal
There are different ways to cuvée a wine. One possibility is to combine the grape varieties already in the wine press. This means that the grapes are harvested and pressed together. Another option is to mix the grape juice in the fermenter. The best known and classic method, however, is to blend the already matured wine. Accordingly, one takes here the pure and already stored wine. In this case, a sample will be taken from each barrel. Then the experiments begin in search of the perfect harmony.
Through tasting series sensory to the taste picture
André Macionga produces the cuvées with the already matured wine. In the wine cellar, together with the winemaker, he tastes barrel after barrel. Through these tasting sessions, André Macionga puts together a sensory picture of the taste. He asks himself: “What could go together, what could not?” Through his experience in recent years, he quickly guesses what could come out of the different aromas: “It makes me happy when the taste picture I imagined before is finally in front of me in the form of a wine bottle.”. In the best case, the end result even surpasses André’s imagination.
Create new taste images
André Macionga compares cuveé making with creating a wine accompaniment to culinary masterpieces. Mixing products that are sensational on their own is art. “There are two beautiful images that are combined, and suddenly a completely new overall result arrives; a unique image that can completely surprise wine lovers,”; says Macionga. André Macionga is fascinated by the many possibilities of composition.
Properties optimally combined
A harmoniously balanced cuvée often offers the wine connoisseur more than a wine from a single grape variety. The creation of cuveés makes it possible to bring aromas, body and mouthfeel, fruit and acidity as well as the balance of the finish into a harmonious balance. Thus the characteristics of the individual wines are in harmony and then lead to a unique taste experience.