Good Malbec from Hungary – Mészáros Grandiózus 2016, Szekszárd

Photo: borbolt.hu

Malbec is a new thing in Hungary and there isn’t much of it planted, but to judge from this example, it has a bright future. This comes from the sunny southern part of the country, Szekszárd, which is famous for its opulent, big and ripe reds, and while I struggle to like the Cabernets and Merlots made there, I simply loved this Malbec.

Unusual elegance for a Szekszárd red, it’s refined like a Bordeaux. Oak is well integrated, body is rather medium than full, nothing overt here. Lovely aromatics marked by allspice and green peppercorns – it has intensity and stuffing yet it also shows some restraint. Balance is great, too. A lovely wine.

Rating: very good, 88 points.
Price: around 4500 HUF or 13 Euros (see winelovers webshop for example).
Value: OK to good.
Tasted: June, 2019.
Source: I bought it in a local Aldi shop.
Drinking window: now-2022.