Blind tasting at Drop Shop wine bar in Budapest

Owner Adam Hebenstreit loves to share wine and to talk about wine from all over the world. His wine bar Drop Shop is the place to go for any wine lover in Budapest. Comfortable setting. Well lit. Just off the Danube River. Understated charm, yet modern. He has as many as 2,000 references, with at least 60 by the glass. The sub theme here is "the tasting zone" and when I arrived with five other winos from around the world, including two master of wine candidates, we were treated to a special blind tasting. This was after dinner at an excellent Budapest restaurant by the way, worthy of a Michelin star, called MAK Bistro. Will post notes on that experience soon, but for now, some fun tasting notes from the blind tasting, where we did not make ourselves look too foolish :-).

• 2007 Prager Riesling Smaragd Klaus 92 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  Clean and rather seamless, no notes of petrol, with a creamy and salty aspect on the mid palate through to a smooth and long finish. Lovely!

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• 2003 Umathum St. Laurent Frauenkirchner 88 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal

  This also had "Bom Stein" on the label although without any mention of "reserve" ... but perhaps I did not check the back label. In any case, the first of several wines tasted blind at the superb Budapest wine bar Drop Shop, run by the truly passionate wine loving merchant Adam Hebenstreit. Was with a group of six tasters, including two masters of wine candidates from the UK and from Germany. We mostly thought of Pinot Noir but with a thicker Syrah like aspect. It had pepper spice as well, but not really as "large scaled" as any Syrah. The acidity seemed to indicate Old World - that much we were sure. A very pleasant wine.

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• 2011 Urlar Pinot Noir 88 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Gladstone

  This was specifically a Gladstone Pinot Noir, organically made - so said Adam. I was pretty sure it was not Burgundy, because it was fairly warm and thick, but some said it seemed like a hyper charged Volnay. In any case there were floral aromatics, if heady on the finish. 14% alcohol. Not bad if you like the style.

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• 2009 Domaine Faury Saint-Joseph (Hedonism) 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph

  Some tasters found this New World like, and I was pulled in their direction although my initial impression was that the acidity and the almost Cote Rotie like aspect seemed Old World. Blind tastings are fun :-). Anyway, the fact that this was from a rather hot vintage contributed to the impression that this could have been New World. I loved the pepper and verve on the mid palate, although there was a larger scaled aspect to this, with one taster commenting : "I could not drink an entire bottle of this". Well, it depends. We had had already so much wine today... And I think it would be great with steak.

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• 2011 De Stefani Rosso Solér Veneto IGT 87 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT

  If it were not for some warmth and drying on the finish, I would have scored this higher. We all guessed Old World, not French but southern European climate. Then we got a bit lost, although some did guess Italy. This blend of Marzemino, Refosco, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon had some velvety textures and an appealing mid palate richness.

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• 1979 Umathum Pinot Gris Trockenbeerenauslese 94 Points

  Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee

  This was a very good TBA and a rare one at that, Adam explained. Rather dark color with slight yellow/orange tones. He knows the owner of this estate and he had received two 50cl bottles as gifts of this TBA. Along with another taster, I detected an almost PX Sherry like richness but the palate was different, more verve, and I thought - could this be some old Tokay? Nope. Coffee nose, apricot, salty finish with zing. Could still age nicely in bottle.

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Budapest is a city rich in history and culture. And the wines produced in Hungary can be very good. They need to work on their sparklers, though, most of which are terrible. But they have some fine dry whites and reds, as well as the more famous sweet Tokays.