When thinking about young gun Hungarian winemakers, the name that immediately comes to my mind is Vivien Ujvári. She has been making standout dry and sweet whites at Barta in Tokaj, since she joined them in 2016, and by standout I mean the very best that have ever been made in the wine region – I could only recall a few early vintages of Zoltán Demeter and Szepsy that match them, and a few recent vintages of hidden gem Attila Orsolyák. Vivien’s family has a vineyard at lake Balaton, from which they just released their first wine, an Olaszrizling.

A pure and authentic rendition of Olaszrizling from Badacsony. Masculine and a bit austere, it feels unforced, yet refined in a way. Neutral aromatics, as one expects from the variety, yet it offers layers to be explored. A tad  bitter, phenolic finish, again common to Olaszrizling, but the persistency and length of its flavor are remarkable. If you like traditional style Old World white wines with unique character, this is one for you. While approachable now, I expect it to gain complexity and reach the 90 point mark with a few years of aging.