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The New Face of Hungary
Manchester
Tasted March 19, 2007 by andrewstevenson.com with 785 views
Introduction
The twentieth century was not kind to Hungarian winemaking: on the back of phylloxera came two world wars and forty years of communism. Hungary has made good progress since the fall of communism
Hungary has over 85,000 hectares under vines in 22 wine regions, with 93 different varieties with more than 10 hectares of plantings: 75% of Hungary’s plantings are white grapes. Post-communism, the industry is very fragmented with very many, very small producers.
Flight 1 - Tutored Tasting & Seminar (8 notes)
with Dr Caroline Gilby, MW
Red
1999 Jozsef Bock Villányi Cuvée Barrique
89 points
13%
From southern Hungary, this is a blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. It is a very deep garnet colour. Rather straightforward Bordeaux blend on the nose with some vanilla and plenty of toasty oak and tobacco notes. Very nice palate: very open, quite mature with a notably mature feel on the finish. A very pleasant, pleasing wine. Very Good Indeed.
From southern Hungary, this is a blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. It is a very deep garnet colour. Rather straightforward Bordeaux blend on the nose with some vanilla and plenty of toasty oak and tobacco notes. Very nice palate: very open, quite mature with a notably mature feel on the finish. A very pleasant, pleasing wine. Very Good Indeed.
White
2006 Jozsef Bock Hárslevelű Villányi
86 points
This comes from the hottest part of Hungary on the Croatian border. A mid golden colour. The nose is quite gentle with apples, apple pie and some citrus, together with a hint of caramel. Rather simple on the palate, this is quite full and again with a bit of an apple pie flavour, especially on the finish.
White
2006 Pannonhalmi Apátsági Pincészet Tramini
85 points
The grape here is proper French gewurztraminer grown on soils and in a climate similar to Alsace. A mid lemon gold. Heavy, syrupy nose with lots of rose petals and some serious minerality. This is a fresh, light, notably dry gewurztraminer in the mouth with very good acidity. Simple but pleasing.
Red
2005 Ostoros-Bor Zweigelt Eger
84 points
This comes from a cooperative winery and spends about a year in oak. It is a young, dark mulberry colour and there are subtle black fruits on the nose. A good, simple palate. This is clean and easy, with soft tannins and a nice fruity after. Good.
Red
2004 Gál Tibor Pinot Noir
82 points
This spends 12-14 months in new Hungarian oak. It has a light, fairly mature-looking colour. The nose is a bit strange initially, though further exploration reveals big sous bois notes and a bit of cherry fruit. Fairly full on the palate, with lots of oaky flavours. You know it’s pinot noir, but it could do with a bit more varietal character. Maybe it needs food? Good.
Red
2003 Thummerer Winery Eger Egri Bikavér Reserve
89 points
Hungarian winemakers were not allowed to make Bikavér (the old Bull’s Blood) under communism: by law it is a blend of three varieties, though there are four varieties in this, including merlot and kekfrankos. It has a very deep black plumskins colour. Deep blackberry, plums and chocolate on the nose: very attractive. A good open palate, that’s very attractive and with a nice spiciness. Very good balance and a nice character. Very Good Indeed.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2004 Disznókő Tokaji Késöi Szüretelésü-Late Harvest
89 points
This has 89 g/l of residual sugar and 8g/l of acidity. It is a bright lemon gold and has a fragrant, honeyed, slightly marmaladey and apricots nose. Notably sweet on the palate, but with good acidity. It has some nice, very interesting fruit characters, with apples and sweet oranges. Some drying acidity on the finish. Very Good Indeed.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1999 Disznókő Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos
88 points
1999 was an excellent vintage, possibly the best of the 1990s. This has 165 g/l of residual sugar and 12.8 g/l of acidity. It has a very gentle nose – less obvious than the late harvest furmint – with gentle apricot fruit. It has sweet, fresh golden fruit flavours, but with some very serious acidity. Very elegant, almost refreshing, were if not for a somewhat lip smacking quality. Very Good+.
Flight 2 - Lunch Wines (9 notes)
The following wines were served with a light, simple lunch, starting with a plate of starters containing a goats’ cheese terrine with candied walnuts, smoked salmon on a wholemeal blini with cucumber crème fraiche, and Woodall’s ham with homemade piccalilli. Unfortunately the blinis were burnt: the burnt side was down on the plate, presumably in the hope we wouldn’t notice. Main course was a fillet of turbot with braised oxtail, creamed potatoes and a vermouth and red wine sauce. Unfortunately the oxtail had been cooked too quickly and left to harden, and equally unfortunately there was a huge quarter of very undercooked fennel also on the plate.
The dessert plate was better handled and comprised some Blacksticks Blue cheese with fruitcake; a dark chocolate terrine with a very nice white chocolate and lime ice cream; and a strawberry and rosewater jelly.
Rosé
2006 Garamvári Szőlőbirtok Cabernet-Merlot
84 points
A medium pink colour. Attractive strawberries/raspberries and cream nose. It has a decent, inoffensive palate, with some sweetness, though it’s a touch hard on the finish. Pleasant and inoffensive.
White - Sparkling
2000 Château Vincent Etyek Buda Brut
88 points
A sparkling wine made from chardonnay and which spent two years on its lees. It has a crisp, citrussy nose with a bit of lees character. Clean and crisp on the palate, this has a very pleasant austerity. Very Good.
White
2006 Pannonhalmi Apátsági Pincészet Rajnai Riesling
90 points
12%
Apparently this comes from vines that are still very young. It has an incredibly minerally nose with some zesty lime notes. It’s full on the palate with a nice riesling character. It is bone dry, with very good acidity and a real chalky minerality on the palate. Great character. Very Good Indeed.
Apparently this comes from vines that are still very young. It has an incredibly minerally nose with some zesty lime notes. It’s full on the palate with a nice riesling character. It is bone dry, with very good acidity and a real chalky minerality on the palate. Great character. Very Good Indeed.
White
2005 Gál Tibor Pinot Blanc
92 points
13%
There are crisp apples and melons on the nose. Very clean palate: nice and crisp with some very interesting flavours. Super length. Very Good Indeed.
There are crisp apples and melons on the nose. Very clean palate: nice and crisp with some very interesting flavours. Super length. Very Good Indeed.
Red
2004 Weninger Soproni Spérn Steiner
90 points
This is made from 40 year old kekfrankos vines grown very close to the Austrian border. The vineyard will be biodynamic from 2006 onwards. It has a very deep, somewhat youthful character. Lovely nose with black fruit and mushrooms. Very nice character on the palate with a lovely balance. Easy and attractive, with a nice character; and soft-grained tannins are evident on the finish. Very Good Indeed.
Red
2004 Heimann Szekszárdi Cervaes Cuvée
92 points
12.5%
This is a blend of kekfrankos, kadarka, cabernet franc and merlot. It has a fantastic nose with a real fragrant note, alongside black fruit and an earthy note. Very good palate – initially very interesting, followed up with a lovely fruit character. Very elegant, yet with some quite sweet fruit. Very Good Indeed.
This is a blend of kekfrankos, kadarka, cabernet franc and merlot. It has a fantastic nose with a real fragrant note, alongside black fruit and an earthy note. Very good palate – initially very interesting, followed up with a lovely fruit character. Very elegant, yet with some quite sweet fruit. Very Good Indeed.
Red
2004 Weninger & Gere Cabernet Franc
81 points
14%
This had a stinky nose that took ages to blow off, and the stink never fully went. This almost has a nebbiolo note to it with some greenness. Decent palate, though it has a rather weedy feel. Overall, it lacks character and interest. Though it works surprisingly well with the fennel*, though not with anything else.
* Main course was a fillet of turbot with braised oxtail, creamed potatoes and a vermouth and red wine sauce. Unfortunately the oxtail had been cooked too quickly and left to harden, and equally unfortunately there was a huge quarter of very undercooked fennel also on the plate.
This had a stinky nose that took ages to blow off, and the stink never fully went. This almost has a nebbiolo note to it with some greenness. Decent palate, though it has a rather weedy feel. Overall, it lacks character and interest. Though it works surprisingly well with the fennel*, though not with anything else.
* Main course was a fillet of turbot with braised oxtail, creamed potatoes and a vermouth and red wine sauce. Unfortunately the oxtail had been cooked too quickly and left to harden, and equally unfortunately there was a huge quarter of very undercooked fennel also on the plate.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2001 Árvay és Társa Pincészet Tokaji Hétfürtös Tokaji Cuvée Edes Elet
94 points
11.2%
Edes Elet is apparently Hungarian for la dolce vita. It has an intense, concentrated nose with a perfumed apricot character. Superbly impressive attack. An immense balance is immediately evident. There’s great purity and freshness and a lovely character. Very Good Indeed/Excellent.
Edes Elet is apparently Hungarian for la dolce vita. It has an intense, concentrated nose with a perfumed apricot character. Superbly impressive attack. An immense balance is immediately evident. There’s great purity and freshness and a lovely character. Very Good Indeed/Excellent.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2000 Árvay és Társa Pincészet Tokaji Hétfürtös Tokaji 6 puttonyos
87 points
A remarkably minerally nose with some very creamy caramel notes. Very direct attack. It’s not immediately sweet at first, when there’s a great elegance and an orange caramel flavour. The sweetness comes along later, especially on the finish. It’s not the most balanced of Tokajis in that respect. Very Good+.
Flight 3 - Walkround tasting - native whites (5 notes)
White
2006 Szöke Mátyás Irsai Oliver
86 points
12%
A very pale straw. Floral, fragrant nose with a lemony minerality. Pure and direct palate. Rather interesting, but it has a hardness to it.
A very pale straw. Floral, fragrant nose with a lemony minerality. Pure and direct palate. Rather interesting, but it has a hardness to it.
White
2006 Ostoros-Bor Egri Leányka
88 points
An über minerally nose. Very interesting palate with good depth and nice layers of flavour. Very minerally after. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2004 Disznókő Tokaji Késöi Szüretelésü-Late Harvest
84 points
(from another bottle)
A lovely fragrant nose. Sweet palate without the acidity of others on show here today. Quite a caramelly feel on the palate.
A lovely fragrant nose. Sweet palate without the acidity of others on show here today. Quite a caramelly feel on the palate.
White
2006 Garamvári Szőlőbirtok Lellei
85 points
A pleasant nose. Very interesting on the palate. More off dry than sweet. A rather interesting wine.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2000 Disznókő Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos
88 points
A curiously stinky nose. Nicely balanced palate. This is a good full Tokaji, but not extra special.
Flight 4 - Walkround tasting - red blends (5 notes)
Red
1999 Jozsef Bock Villányi Cuvée Barrique
83 points
(from another bottle, later in the afternoon)
13%
65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% cabernet franc, 5% merlot. This has a very perfumed black fruits nose with some violet cream chocolates. Decent palate. But overall there’s a bit of a green, under-ripe feel with some very obvious tannins.
13%
65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% cabernet franc, 5% merlot. This has a very perfumed black fruits nose with some violet cream chocolates. Decent palate. But overall there’s a bit of a green, under-ripe feel with some very obvious tannins.
Red
2002 Thummerer Winery Eger Egri Bikavér Reserve
87 points
13%
A very pleasant nose with elegant black fruits and a touch of coffee. Rich, velvety palate. This has a very nice character. Soft and inviting, though possibly a bit of an international feel.
A very pleasant nose with elegant black fruits and a touch of coffee. Rich, velvety palate. This has a very nice character. Soft and inviting, though possibly a bit of an international feel.
Red
2004 Weninger & Gere Cuvée Phoenix
83 points
13%
A good nose with decent black fruit, but also a rubbery note. Good open palate: this represents interesting and nice easy drinking.
A good nose with decent black fruit, but also a rubbery note. Good open palate: this represents interesting and nice easy drinking.
Red
2003 Thummerer Winery Eger Egri Bikavér Reserve
90 points
(from another bottle, later in the afternoon)
13.5%
A very attractive nose with complex black fruits, cedar and some licorice. Lovely palate: it has a nice directness, which definitely does not equate to simplicity in this case: there are layers of flavours ending with a nice chocolatey feel. Very Good Indeed.
13.5%
A very attractive nose with complex black fruits, cedar and some licorice. Lovely palate: it has a nice directness, which definitely does not equate to simplicity in this case: there are layers of flavours ending with a nice chocolatey feel. Very Good Indeed.
Red
2005 Ostoros-Bor Eger Istar Egri Cuvée, Szaraz
87 points
alcohol content not shown
There are rich, ripe black and red fruits on the nose, with a blackberry-crème de mûre note dominant. The blackberry fruit continues on the palate. This feels quite direct and just a bit on the simple side, with rather young tannins on the finish.
There are rich, ripe black and red fruits on the nose, with a blackberry-crème de mûre note dominant. The blackberry fruit continues on the palate. This feels quite direct and just a bit on the simple side, with rather young tannins on the finish.
Flight 5 - Walkround tasting - Kékfrankos (4 notes)
Rosé
2006 Ostoros-Bor Kékfrankos
87 points
A very pale raspberry pink. Very slight nose with a notable manure-y note. Nice palate with lots of really good, giving fruit character. Nice finish.
Rosé
2006 Malatinszky Kékfrankos Le Sommelier
81 points
2006 Le Sommelier, Kekfrankos Rosé, Villany, Malatinszky Kúria, 12.5%
A very pale salmon pink. There’s gentle strawberry fruit on the nose with some good minerality. It has a decent, direct palate with some noticeable acidity. But there’s also a hardness, which makes it less than entirely appealing. The acidity is especially noticeable on the finish, when it becomes quite lip-tingling.
A very pale salmon pink. There’s gentle strawberry fruit on the nose with some good minerality. It has a decent, direct palate with some noticeable acidity. But there’s also a hardness, which makes it less than entirely appealing. The acidity is especially noticeable on the finish, when it becomes quite lip-tingling.
Red
2004 Weninger & Gere Kékfrankos Prestige
85 points
13.5%
This has a very meaty nose; slightly stinky/shitty. Very nice palate: open and expressive, but there’s also a really weedy, nettle-y feel on the palate with some green tannins, which end up giving an impression of a marked raw greenness.
This has a very meaty nose; slightly stinky/shitty. Very nice palate: open and expressive, but there’s also a really weedy, nettle-y feel on the palate with some green tannins, which end up giving an impression of a marked raw greenness.
Red
2005 Weninger Kékfrankos Soproni
89 points
12.5%
From the Spern Steiner vineyard, which apparently has slate soils. Again, this has a very meaty, shitty, mourvèdre-like nose with blackberry fruit behind. Simpler than the Gere with less terroir “structure.” Good, solid, fruity palate with a nice richness and a nice spicing, together with good structure. This has a sort of Chateauneuf du Pape nose and an Hermitage palate. Very Good Indeed.
From the Spern Steiner vineyard, which apparently has slate soils. Again, this has a very meaty, shitty, mourvèdre-like nose with blackberry fruit behind. Simpler than the Gere with less terroir “structure.” Good, solid, fruity palate with a nice richness and a nice spicing, together with good structure. This has a sort of Chateauneuf du Pape nose and an Hermitage palate. Very Good Indeed.