Zuccardi Serie A Malbec 2020

Image ~ August 23, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

This April I was invited to a Malbec World Day tasting in Budapest, where most of the malbecs distributed in the country were opened. The standout estate was Zuccardi for me, and this was also the first time I tasted their wines. What an exciting range of malbec! Continue reading →

Itt és Most Tihanyi Kék 2021

Image ~ August 20, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

I must mention that Itt és Most Pince‘s owner is a fellow winemaker in the same village where I also make my wine – I’m a bit hesitant to write about his wines, but this is such an important one. To my knowledge it’s only József Szentesi who has been making wine from tihanyi kék, an almost extinct Hungarian red grape. Until 2021, when Itt és Most Pince made their first harvest from their new plantings…

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A wild white wine – Fehérvári Borbirtok Petit Somlo 2020

Image ~ August 17, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

Somló is quite special among Hungarian wine regions. It’s a tiny one, focusing on white wines, which often have a distinguished character. That’s what I struggle with, and the Petit Somlo from new producer Fehérvári is a good example.

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Cote Mas Syrah Grenache 2020

Image ~ August 15, 2022August 15, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

I loved the 2019 version of Cote Mas Syrah-Grenache, and while a bit surprising, the 2020 is again a nice bargain.

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Supermarket wines – Aldi’s Csányi Villányi Shiraz 2021, a great value red

Image ~ August 12, 2022August 12, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

As a winelover you won’t often find a Hungarian red for 1100 HUF or 3 Euros which is worth drinking. But the Csányi Shiraz is an exception, it always delivers, and the 2021 vintage is no exception. Continue reading →

A new experience – Kékhegy Nero 2020 from Mátra, Hungary

Image ~ August 4, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

Here is a wine to widen your wine horizon. Artisanal, well made and quite unique. Can be too much for many, though… Continue reading →

Time travelling – Montes Chardonnay Reserva 2020, Chile

Image ~ August 2, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

Haven’t had a Chilean white for a while and spot this in a local shop recently. If you hope that the style has change in the last decade, well, you will be disappointed.

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Barossa Shiraz done well: Kaesler Reach For The Sky 2018

Image ~ July 31, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

Big reds were still popular when I started to explore Barossa shiraz but they were difficult to get in this part of the World (Hungary), so there are many famous producers whose wines I never tasted. Kaesler is one of them and even though the wine world has changed since then, I still love big Aussie reds, given that they are not a caricature of a wine.

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Carbonic maceration Blaufrankisch – Esterházy Projekt Wine 7 2020

Image ~ July 27, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

I love carbonic maceration and wondered what would it do to a Blaufrankisch, as I’m experimenting with this combination in our winery (HOOP WINES). I could find only one Austrian example online (and no Hungarian at all), though I guess there might be a few more in existence – please let me know if you are aware others (unless it’s a very funky, hardcore naturalist version).

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Bodri Kékfrankos 2020

Image ~ July 25, 2022 ~ Zoltán Németi

Bodri is one of the bigger names (and bigger producers) of Szekszárd. They had an entry level kékfrankos which often over-delivered regarding value, and I followed it through many vintages. It seems to be gone now and I guess this “Tradíció” titled one is the successor. As it turns out, it’s not just the label which has changed: it’s not the pure and bright rendition anymore.

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