Unusual for a dry Tokaji furmint. At a mere 11,5% ABV it has some a bit of resemblance to Aussie riesling or perhaps Hunter Valley semillon, and I love that – so much so that I would be happy to see similar furmints in the future. Continue reading
hungarian
Still a great kadarka: the current vintage of Heimann & Fiai Kadarka
The Heimann family just announced that their “Heimann & Fiai” label (which represented a new lineup of contemporary styles) is now integrated into the main brand “Heimann”, as the new generation takes over the winery. And I just realised that I have not yet posted about the current release of their kadarka, even though it is one my favourite Hungarian red wines – just like previous vintages were, like the 2021 and the 2022. Continue reading
A kadarka that sets the benchmark for ageability – Bock Selection 2012
I’m a fan of kadarka, this unique indigenous red grape variety of Hungary, even though it’s not in the same league as pinot noir or nebbiolo, for example. It can be pretty but it’s not something for the cellar. In my experience, not even the top examples can age for more than 7-8 years, but I recently tasted one that tells a different story.
New wave kadarka: Sauska 2023 from Villány
The previous vintage of this kadarka was partly aged in oak, but in 2023 they only used amphora and Clayver – I’m happy to see that such a big producer moved to a more transparent style. In fact I never tasted a red from this address that I loved this much. Continue reading
Highly individual – the 2020 edition of Tihanyi Kék, the ancient Hungarian variety, from Szentesi József
Top bikavér from Szekszárd: Sebestyén Iván 2020
If you ask me, the most dynamic red wine region of Hungary at the moment is Szekszárd. Ahead of others, they moved early from oaky, heavy reds made mostly from Bordeaux varieties to the indigenous kadarka and kékfrankos – and let’s add bikavér to the list, which is based on the former two. Continue reading
Tüske Pince Harmados Kadarka 2023
The revival of the indigenous variety kadarka is one of the most exciting topics of the Hungarian wine scene at the moment. We now have some examples that are more serious than those made in the past, but let’s review a classical one, the Harmados from Tüske Pince. The 2023 vintage is every bit the lighter bodied, pale red you can expect from a kadarka.
Hungarian flagship reds IV.: Gere Kopar 2020
The last wine from the blindtasting covered by previous posts is probably Hungary’s most famous big red: the Kopar from Gere. It was first made in 1997 if not even earlier, so there’s history to it; it’s made to last and I can confirm that it’s able to age for 15 years or more. Personally I often found it a bit too sweet in the past, but the current release is just great.
Hungarian flagship reds III.: Heimann Barbár 2019
Heimann Barbár combines Bordeaux varieties with a bit of kékfrankos, and perhaps even more interestingly with a splash of tannat. The 2019 vintage is highly acclaimed by the Hungarian wine media, but it was less successful in our blindtasting.Hungarian flagship reds II.: Sauska Cuvée 7 Siklós, 2019
Next in the big red lineup I mentioned last time was the Sauska 7 Siklós, a Bordeaux blend from Villány. Compared to the Merengő, it comes from a warmer region and there is no kékfrankos included in it, yet the wine is not that dissimilar.