You cannot win all the time. Vylyan Macska is a superb portugieser in general, both the 2020 and the 2021 were a favourite of mine, but the 2022 is a bit different.
2022 is an extreme vintage in Hungary, just like in most of Europe, and it shows in the wine. Or is it the winemaking which has changed? A suggestion of whole bunch fermentation here, vegetal, stemmy aromas and austerity on the palate. They can’t hide the pretty, crunchy, primary purple fruits, the overall bistro character, but it’s just a bit unapproachable, coarse and not ready yet. It needs some time, not as enjoyable as previous vintages. 83 points. Try in 2024 or 2025.
Previous vintages on the blog: