100% kékfrankos (a.k.a. blaufrankisch) rose is often somewhat one dimensional and rustic (angular, sharp), but not this one. What a pleasant surprise!
Standout kékfrankos rose: Eger Cottage 2022 by Bukolyi Marcell
hungarian
Fun Villány red: Kiss Gábor Rouge 364 2022
Kiss Gábor is a well-known Villány producer, but he operates on a lesser scale then big names like Gere or Bock. What I tasted from him in the past did not make me a fan, but his 2022 reds are a completely different story. I liked his cabernet franc quite a lot so I bought a bottle of his entry level Rouge 364, and it’s actually almost as good its pricier brother.Supermarket wines: Bock Rozé 2022, Villány, Hungary
Following on the Kakas, here is another rose from Villány, but this time from Bock, a just as big and well-known producer as Vylyan. Theirs is a more successful wine if you ask me, I would definitely recommend it.
Villány rose: Vylyan Kakas 2022
That’s exactly how most Hungarian roses taste like. Continue reading
Hungarian icons: the 2HA Tabunello 2020
2HA is the true pioneer of sangiovese in Hungary. The first vintage was made almost 20 years ago, in 2005 and the first official release was actually the 2007. Continue reading
A unique Hungarian white wine: kabar 2019 from Péter Pince
This might be the best edition of this wine yet. Kabar can improve with a bit of ageing, a point proved by the also great 2017, so I’m looking forward how this 2019 will look in a few years time…Péter Pince Tokaji Aszú 2017
It felt like Christmas when I opened this Tokaji aszú at the family lunch last Sunday. Just pure hedonism.
Great merlot from Hungary: Gere Solus 2006 from Villány
High end merlot was a thing in Hungary two decades ago, inspired by the great supertuscan examples if I’m not mistaken. Expensive big, beefy reds arenow mostly out of favor here as well, but that’s a different story. The Gere Solus was (and still is) one, if not the most coveted example of this style. And well, it’s amazing as a 16 year old wine.
Great aged cabernet franc from Hungary: Weninger 2006
For the lovers of Loire cabernet franc. Not for everyone because of the herbal notes, but this has class for sure. And this is a piece of the modern era of Hungarian wines, started almost from scratch 25-30 years ago. Continue reading
Szentesi Laska 2020
The first review of a laska on this blog! This black grape was planted in Hungary in the past but then disappeared, and of course it’s József Szentesi who brought it back for us. In 2020 it produced a wine that holds great promise for the future.