Chateauneuf-du-Pape visits: Domaine Grand Veneur

~ Zoltán Németi

My first target to visit in Chateauneuf-du-Pape was Domaine Grand Veneur at the end of May, and I really enjoyed it. We started in a vineyard near the winery, which sits just on the other side of appellation’s border. It seems pretty obvious that just a few meters of difference won’t stop you from growing the same quality of grapes, but the rules are strict – you cannot call it Chateauneuf-du-Pape anymore. Which means you cannot ask the same price for the wine. On the other hand, you can have a bigger crop, different varieties – for example, Viognier, which is not allowed in CdP -, and you can use different trailing systems. You can train Grenache on cordons, for example, which is not allowed inside the appellation. Continue reading →

Kősziklás Rizlingszilváni 2018, Neszmély, Hungary

~ Zoltán Németi
Photo: neszmelyibor.hu (it’s the 2014 vintage)

Such a crisp and refreshing white wine! This is Müller Thurgau, but labelled with the Hungarian name of the variety (“Rizlingszilváni”, good luck pronouncing it). Light at 12% alcohol, almost as delicate as a Mosel Riesling – but it’s dry and as you would expect, less aromatic. Lovely, flowery, grapey scent. It’s very light but surprisingly persistent and long in flavor – something I often notice in Kősziklás wines and which is really uncommon at this price tag. A perfect everyday white for the summer, and amazing value. Continue reading →

S. C. Pannell Dead End Tempranillo 2015, McLaren Vale, Australia

~ Zoltán Németi

Purity is the key here. I just love the style – this tastes like real wine. It definitely has some Old World charm, it’s not in your face. Opens with reduction, but that quickly dissipates. Where is the mint? Is it really Aussie? Medium-bodied and juicy. Unforced yet has an impact. Nice acidity, pleasantly coarse tannins, everything looks real, not added – keys for drinkability. Not really structured, probably meant to be consumed when young, I guess it was even better one or twp year ago. Now it’s developed – still very good, but I would drink it up earlier.

Continue reading →

Wine bar nights: a lineup of wines from the South of France in Carpe Diem wine bar

~ Zoltán Németi

The wine bar scene in Budapest seems to grow every year, and thankfully most of them follow a different approach. The one titled “Carpe Diem Borbár” (borbár means wine bar in Hungarian) is one of the most specialized bars: no advertisement, no cheap or commonly available wines on the list. There are mostly carefully selected French and German wines on offer, and just a few Hungarians: small batches from hardly known, but serious producers. The bar is close to the Parliament in the city center, but actually, it’s hidden in a quiet little street.

You can choose wines here from the current menu if you just drop by, but every few weeks there is a special event for wines lovers. Sometimes a local winemaker presents his or her wines, other times it’s about a theme – a lineup of wines from a specific region, or perhaps from the same variety. In case of the latter, the owner, Ferenc Tar orders the wines from abroad, so they are not available locally to buy. That’s a great opportunity to taste wines we don’t have access to in Hungary. I joined a recent event which featured wines from the South of France, including producers I have never heard of. Most of them really impressed me.

Continue reading →

Bott Frigyes Pinot Noir 2017, from the Hungarian-Slovakian border

~ Zoltán Németi

There are only a few successful Pinot Noirs in the Carpathian Basin, and this is one of them. It’s borderline unripe, but it has finesse and delicacy which you expect from a good example of the variety. It’s a lovely wine that draws you in. The oak is not yet integrated, but somehow fits in. Some green, dill-like notes, this really comes from a cool climate. Detailed, balanced, almost in a Burgundian way, though it’s a bit less structured – but not light. Smooth tannins. Wait at least half a year, let it come together. Continue reading →