If you listen to Dr György Lőrincz he not only communicates with a calm voice but also passion but foremost with strong religious belief. As he points with a smile and tranquil voice the highest ranked „job” amongst all is to be a priest. The distant second is perhaps to be a winemaker. He originally wanted to be a water polo player. Another point besides faith is family, which he and also his son Lőrincz Jr. bring up. There is a strong tie, I recall a conversation if Lőrincz Jr. when he pointed out how much he wanted to be a football player and had pretty good chances of becoming one too, but out of his father’s respect he choose to become a winemaker. Today he works mainly in the vineyards and assists his father in the cellar while having a few side projects (like a sweet wine).
St. Andrea, the winery was founded in 1999, and you are now kind of guessing it was named after the love of his life, Lőrincz’s wife, Andrea.
The wine district Eger
The appellation is located in the North Eastern side of Hungary, the area with permitted varieties is 5.500 hectares, and the leading varieties are: Kékfrankos, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and in whites are Hárslevelű and Olaszrizling.
The protected area is between the Mátra and Bükk mountains, the vineyards are almost in a circle-like form going out of the town Eger and bordering the other Mátra on the Western and Bükk on the Eastern side. It is generally a cooler area, hence fresh acidity is almost a given with an annual average temperature of 10.6 °C. The soils are complex from dacite, rhyolite, and tuff to clay, loess but even limestone crops up like on the Nagy-Eged vineyard, the highest sites (501m) in Hungary.
The philosophy of St. Andrea
Eger is these days more associated with red wines, but it has unique capabilities to deliver an equal quality of white wines as well. The wines of the St. Andrea Estate are more about blending showing specific plots rather than varieties. Egri Bikavér as a mandatory blended red is a no-brainer, Egri Csillag follows in the footsteps when it comes to the whites. The majority of their vineyards are around the village of Egerszalók, the Nagy-Eged is based in Eger, the Hangács stretches over to Demjén, while the Boldogságos site is over at Egerszólát.
Patience in the vineyard, having fully ripe grapes not shy if the alcohol creeps up, the high acidity may counterbalance the mouthfeel and the usage of Hungarian oak. Cool climate plus (mostly) volcanic soil are their hallmarks.
Boldogságos 2021
Medium lemon colour. Aromatic whiff of peach, apricot blossom, and fresh citrus scent. Lively, round, lees work evident, with spice and juicy lemon soda, crisp, delicious, succulent pear followed by lime sorbet and medium finish. The vines are on rhyolite tuff and gravel on a thin clay base, it is a Grand Superior Egri Csillag with Chardonnay, Furmint and Hárslevelű as the main composition partners.
86 points, drink now – 2025
Öröké Egri Csillag 2021
Medium lemon colour. With a distinctive herbal, lime and pear combo. Restrained fruit and aromatic style, more on the spicy, limestone-led minerality, lively, and linear style with a crisp tone, led by Hárslevelű, Furmint and Sauvignon blanc. Medium-full body with a linear, cool notion, bright finish. Blend of mainly Chardonnay, Furmint, Hárslevelű and Sauvignon blanc.
85 points, drink now – 2024
Mária 2019
Lemon green colour. Sweet spice, bold ripe fruit with a distinctive limestone-like mineral touch. One may say „Burgundesque” in style. Rich, spice, cream, coconut, bright lemon, pear, Williams pear, ripe apple, long sublime with great concentration. Tension and change follow through the wine underlined by bold fruit and a very long finish. Usually, Chardonnay and Furmint are from the Nagy-Eged site on limestone.
92 points, drink now – 2035
Merengő 2018
Deep purple colour. Spice and hers on the scent with blackcurrant, plum, herbal, chocolate, and choco-truffles covered in a red fruit velvet rope. Lively acidity, juicy red fruit boosted by a herbal edge, fleshy finish yet elegant. Blend of Cabernet franc, Kadarka, Kékfrankos and several other varieties.
88 points, drink now – 2030
Nagy Eged 2018
Deep purple colour. Bright nose, pronounced with cocoa powder, layered spice, and ham smoke mix of red- and black fruit. Very concentrated on the palate too, with ripe fruit, salty mineral edge and a long finish. Focused, precise, mocha, spice, wild berries. Opens up with time… It’s their Grand Superior Bikavér with a classic composition of Kékfrankos, Blauburger, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
95 points
Drink now – 2040
Agapé 2016
Deep purple colour. Herbal, beetroot and ripe fruit in the mix with a cool notion followed by pencil shaving, wasabi and delicate spiciness. Round, full-bodied, sweet mouthfeel with a lot of herbal tones, grip, fresh acidity, high tannins, and plenty of concentration. Blend of Kadarka, Kékfrankos, Merlot, Pinot noir, and Syrah from the Nagy-Eged single vineyard.
93 points, drink 2023- 2040
Notes: the wines are not tasted blind (date: 27/09/2022)
Map of Wine District Eger, Source: Vingis
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