Szent Tamás Tokaji Nyulászó 2013
More Hungarian splendor—the 2013 Szent Tamás Nyulászó boasts a wonderful inner luminescence. Quietly elegant notes of bosc pear, almond, orange marmalade, and quince are the hallmark of this single vineyard designate. Nyulászó is one of Tokaj’s grand crus, and the vines are seated in brick-hued volcanic soils rich in zeolite, at the crest of the […]
Szepsy Tokaji Szent Tamás Furmint 2013
What a tremendous gift to taste the legendary Szepsy wines with István Szepsy Sr., while visiting the Tokaj region last week. The wines are impeccable, as is the case with the Szent Tamás Furmint 2013. Pungent aromas of quince and orange, one might call this wine pretty, were it not for its serious underlying structure. […]
Szepsy Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2008
My first Aszú, and what better way to taste it than in the Tokaj with István Szepsy Sr., a 17th generation winemaker. It’s amber colored and viscous with magnetic aromas of marmalade and dried apricot, fleshy quince, burnt caramel, nutmeg and dust. On the the palate, this wine’s considerable gravity, a honeyed elixir with an […]
Szent Tamás Tokaji 86 470 Palack Furmint 2012
Tasted while visiting the producer, the Szent Tamás Tokaji 86 470 Palack Furmint 2012 is as with all wines from this region are mineral-driven and nuanced The ’86’ is a reference to the parcel the Furmint grapes were harvest from, 2286. Truly, the Crus of this region are as complex as one might find in […]
MÁD Tokaj Kesoi Late Harvest 2013
I had the good fortune to have spent time with István Szepsy Jr. while in Tokaji’s Mád village, from which this wine takes its name. This is a late harvest Furmint-Hárslevelű endowed with pungent botrytisized aromas of dried mango, yellow peach, apricot, orange blossom and nougatine, it’s profile on the nose mirrors that of that […]
Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2008
Royal Tokaji, is only produced in years where botrytis or Noble Rot affects the grapes. What is perhaps even more remarkable is that the grapes are harvested berry by berry, not cluster by cluster. The 2008 5 Puttonyos Aszu is pure sunlight in a glass and offers up hedonistic notes of ripe apricot, quince, clover […]
Hungarian Wine Tasting at Soif Wine Bar & Merchants
My mother is Hungarian. My father was mostly English with some other nationalities thrown in, like most Americans, his family tree included a pinch of German and a nip of Irish. My dad never talked about his heritage, but my mother has always been fiercely proud of her ancestry. I suppose that’s why I’ve always […]
Füleky Aszú Pallas Tokaji Late Harvest Furmint 2012
The Fuleky Pallas Tokaji 2012 is a modern, late harvest Tokaji whose grapes have not been affected by botrytis (or Noble Rot). While enjoyable, I found myself wanting more complexity from both the nose and palate. It has light floral accents tinged with spiced pear and honey, and a moderate level of acidity and is […]
J & J Eger Eged-Hegy Dülö Kékfrankos 2009
Kékfrankos is better known as Blaufränkisch, which is certainly gaining in popularity in Burgenland. This Hungarian offering from J&J Eger is the work of two brothers, and it shines. It is also the one wine I purchased from the tasting, not only because I enjoyed it, but because the it was suggested as a great […]
Eszterbauer Nagyapám Szekszárd Kadarka 2013
Yet another relatively unknown grape, Kadarka traces it’s origins to the Szekszárd region of Hungary. For me, it’s somewhat reminiscent of Blaufränkisch, which, interestingly also originates from Szekszárd. Ruby-hued and aromatic, ebullient notes of red fruit, roses and subtle spice tumble forth. It’s equally generous on the palate with low tannins, balanced by a nice […]