After my recent rant on the ageability of Southern Rhone reds, this came as a reminder that I was probably too harsh. Here we have a humble supermarket villages wine – a so called “named” village, Seguret – which I bought many years ago for 6 Euros and which was hardly made to age this long (it’s over 6 years old now). Yet this is not declining at all, to my biggest surprise. I think it’s even better than after release!
Recas Castel Huniade Feteasca Neagra 2022
Feteasca Neagra is a local grape variety of Transylvania and there are some plantings in Hungary, too, yet I only tasted very few so far – I don’t really know what to expect. Based on this example from Recas, it’s a variety worth exploring, even though I’m not a fan of the winemaking for this wine.
Is there value in Burgundy? Moillard Macon-Villages 2022
This is how cheap white Burgundy looks like in 2025: 15 Euros. It’s not a bad wine at all, but it’s so overpriced. There are just tons of more complex and more interesting white wines out there for less.
Unicorn Hungarian white – Bakonyi Hárslevelű 2013
Unless you visit a specialist local shop in the region, I bet you won’t easily find a hárslevelű from Villány anywhere, even if you leave in Budapest. But in the old days it was commonly planted in the region. And just look at this 12 year-old example (it was lurking in the corner of my wine fridge), there is potential for the variety for sure.
Four dry furmints from Hungary
Hungarian dry furmint can be challenging sometimes. We got a reminder of that in November, when our small wine club sat together to open a bunch of white wines (I only collected the furmints here). The most expensive turned out to be the least loved, and sadly no one was even surprised…
Unusual Beaujolais cru: Chateau Des Tours Brouilly Vieilles Vignes 2021
I believe this wine wasn’t fermented in the common Beaujolais way (i.e. with semi-carbonic maceration), and it’s different, indeed.
Györgykovács Imre Olaszrizling 2022, Somló, Hungary
Györgykovács Imre is a Hungarian winemaker legend, famous of making tiny quantities of a few white varieties in the Somló wine region. I find his wines more balanced than many from the region and also quite restrained. This is the latest release of his olaszrizling (welschriesling) and it reminds me of the other vintages I tasted in the past, the style (and quality) is quite reliable.
Outstanding blaufrankisch: Dorli Muhr Prellenkirchen Samt&Seide 2021
I’m not a fan of the 2021 vintage in Hungary, but interestingly it’s a completely different story for Dorli Muhr, just outside the country border. Its her best so far I was told, and when she presented a mini-vertical of her Prellenkirchen Samt&Seide a year ago in Budapest, it was indeed the 2021 which impressed me the most. Continue reading
Supermarket wines: the dirt cheap yet nice Eje Monastrell 2022 from Lidl
I haven’t seen this wine in the local Lidl since the 2017 vintage in 2019, but the current 2022 appeared on the shelves recently and I grabbed a few bottles. Thankfully it’s still well-made, over-delivering for its pricepoint and absolutely enjoyable. Continue reading
Bodega Cerrón Remordimiento 2022, Jumilla
If you are into monastrell and/or Jumilla, you should try the wines of Bodega Cerrón. They make more elegant wines than most in the region. This entry level red blend is a good startig point. Continue reading