These days, scores alone don’t sell wine. People want to meet the producers, hear their stories, and taste the wines. That’s why I’m a big fan of live tasting events and that’s exactly what Borjour is doing in Hungary.

This events company is located in Budapest and is dedicated solely to wine. Borjour is dedicated to connecting winemakers with consumers in a casual, non-intimidating environment. The organize about thirty events per year, the small tastings often have a theme or focus on a region. You can hear more in the short interview with co-founder Gábor Tóth below.

Hunting down Hungarian wines on the market in Budapest isn’t always the easiest thing to do. One thing I appreciate about Borjour is that they pull together producers from all over the country including lesser-known districts. If you’re visiting Budapest, these events are very helpful for those who want to explore Hungarian wine in depth.

In a fourth month span, I attended three of Borjour’s events. All of which were crucial in the research process of our upcoming book Discover Hungarian Wine. I attended their events around Sopron and Somló in addition to the big annual event, Borjour Magnum

Borjour Magnum

This year Borjour Magnum had over 200 producers pouring over 1000 wines. Charine and I spent eight hours tasting non-stop, finding the right Hungarian wines to recommend. Borjour Magnum consisted of the main tasting hall and a small, intimate upstairs room where producers could show one wine along with well-written tech sheets.

Bottles and producers from the biggest Hungarian wine regions (ie Villány, Eger, Szekszárd, Tokaj) are easily found in Budapest. However, there are excellent, small wineries found in the lesser-known Hungarian wine districts, that sell most of their wines locally or do not have the budget to market themselves properly. This is exactly what we were on the hunt for.

The show was great, although there were so many wines to discover. We wish Borjour Magnum lasted four days instead of one. We used Borjour Magnum to track down producers that are harder to find. Here are some of the most interesting wines from the show for us from either lesser-known regions or producers.

Wine Recommendations:

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

White Hungarian Wine

• Font, Generosa 2018 – Kunság

Font is one of the biggest names from the Great Hungarian Plain (in addition to Frittman) and Generosa is a unique Hungarian white grape. This is loaded with white pear, lemon, and white flower notes. There’s plenty of acidity here to wipe the palate clean. It’s a delicious white from a region known more for its quantity than quality. Score: 88/100

• Barcza, Juhfark 2017 – Somló

The Barcza Juhfark is big, clean, and rich. It has notes of bananna, pineapple, sweet peach, and minerals. Multiple layers of texture with a long peppery finish. The wine is chewy with great length. Score: 90/100

• Zsirai, Juhfark 2017 – Somló

Zsirai has projects in Tokaj, Villány, and Somló. The Zsirai Juhfark is a full-bodied, modern Somló. There is a lot of oak here, but it’s done well. Notes of pineapple, melon, smoke, and flint. This has a lot going on and has the potential to age in the bottle. Score: 91/100

• Zelna, ‘Füred’ Olaszrizling 2018 – Balaton

The Zelna, ‘Füred’ Olaszrizling is a single vineyard white Hungarian wine. This Olaszrizling is full of pear, lemon, green apple, and flint flavors. Part of the cuvée was aged in oak, which gives the wine a richer mouthfeel than your average Olaszrizling. This is for people that love the minerally structure of Sancerre (France). Score: 90+/100

• Béla Borászat, Ezerjó – Generosa 2018 – Kunság

Béla Borászat is another quality producer in the flat plains of Hungary. Their Ezerjó – Generosa blend is white with generous notes of white peach, yogurt, and lemon peel. The wine has texture and fiery acidity that begs for food. Score: 88/100

Red Hungarian Wine

• Gal Tibor, ‘Pajados’ Bikavér Grand Superior 2016 – Eger

The Gal Tibor, ‘Pajados’ Bikavér Grand Superior is a single vineyard Bull’s Blood from Eger. It’s a blend of Kékfrankos, Kadarka, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot. It’s got more layers and complexity than the Gal Tibor entry-level Bikavér (TiTi). This is a cool climate red with notes of cherry, strawberry, wet rock, and earth. Fine tannins and a silky finish. Score: 92/100

• Jammertal, Cassiopeia CF*C1H 2011 – Villány

The Jammertal, Cassiopeia CF*C1H is a premium red made mostly from Cabernet Franc with a small touch of Merlot. It’s a big, rich red that tastes younger than its age suggests. This is a fine red blend with notes of tobacco, black currants, black cherry, and pepper. Full and rich with ripe tannins. Score: 91/100

• Tűzkő, Cabernet Franc 2015 – Tolna

The Tűzkő estate is a project of the famous Italian family, Antinori. They produce good value-for-money wines in the lesser-known district of Tolna. The Tűzkő Cabernet Franc is a riper style with black olive, cherry, and pepper notes. The tannins are chewy and this could develop further with bottle age. All in all, it’s impressive for a wine that can be found in supermarkets. Score: 89/100

• Nador, ‘Falu’ Kékfrankos 2015 – Sopron

The Nador ‘Falu’ Kékfrankos is a lighter style of red. It has much more finesse than other examples from Sopron. Notes of cherry, pepper, strawberry, and fall leaves notes. The mouthfeel and flavors resemble a dense, New World Pinot Noir. Medium-bodied with soft tannins. Score: 90/100

• Garger Wachter, Kékfrankos Válogatás 2015 – Sopron

The Garger Wachter Kékfrankos Válogatás is an old-school style of wine. It’s made from a selection of Kékfrankos. There are flavors of tobacco, chocolate, dark cherry, and pepper. Full-bodied and smooth on the palate with round tannins. The medium finish holds it back a touch. Score: 89/100

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Hungarian wine articles

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Do you want to learn more about Hungarian wine?

Once the world returns to normal, we will launch our Kickstarter for our fourth wine book Discover Hungarian Wine. Sign up HERE to learn how you can be one of the first to get a special edition, signed copy with a discount.

Borjour provided complimentary admission to three of their tastings. Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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Volcanic wines are a hot subject these days and GoVolcanic proved to be an explosive tasting.

Bad jokes aside, the first edition of GoVolcanic in Budapest, Hungary proved to be an interesting event. There were great volcanic wines from all over the world including Hungary, Austria, Israel, Spain, Slovakia, Portugal, Italy, France, and the USA. The event was headlined by Master Sommelier John Szabo, who’s credited with being one of the founders of this wine movement thanks to his book Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit, and Power.

As a first time event, there were a few organizational hiccups but the quality of the wines is what matters to me most. With this in mind, GoVolcanic excelled and exceeded my expectations. On the tasting tables and in the masterclasses all the wines followed the ‘volcanic terroir’ theme.

Go Volcanic Masterclasses and Speed Tastings

The strongest part of the GoVolcanic tasting was the workshops. Both days were filled with masterclasses from both wine professionals and geologists. The main tasting room also featured ‘speed tastings’ modeled after the London Wine Fair, where one professional led stand-up tastings of six wines in thirty minutes.

As someone who loves to taste quickly, these speed tastings were perfect for me. I attended four and all were led by competent professionals who selected excellent volcanic wines. If GoVolcanic comes back for a second edition, I’d love to see more of this setup.

The workshops at GoVolcanic 2019 were lead by both wine professionals and geologists. Both went beyond the normal masterclass and dug deeper into what makes volcanic soil unique for viticulture. The classes also featured hard to find wines such as ‘Hidden Treasures/A Moric Project’ and old vintages from Somló, Hungary.

There was a lot to like about GoVolcanic 2019 and I hope it comes back for a second edition this year. Here are my ten favorite volcanic wines from the show.

Wine Recommendations:

Foreign Wines

• Feudo Cavaliere, Millemetri Etna Rosato 2016 – Etna, Italy

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

I tasted the Feudo Cavaliere ‘Millemetri’ Etna Rosato during a speed tasting conducted by Master of Wine Elizabeth Gabay. It’s made from Nerello Mascalese and is full of sour cherry, strawberry, and mineral flavors. It’s a serious rosé, not just fruity, there’s plenty going on here. Gritty texture and a long finish. Score: 91/100

• Pico Wines, Frei Gigante 2018 – Pico, Azores 

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Frei Gigante is a masterpiece by the Pico Wines cooperative. It’s a blend of Arinto, Verdelho, and Terrantez. Tine wine is high in mineral flavors with notes of smoke, flint, and a faint hint of quince. The palate is smoky and savory in addition to being highly structured with a long finish. This isn’t for someone who wants fruit, it’s for those who like complex, savory white wines. Score: 92/100

• Hidden Treasures/A Moric Project, Breitenbrunn 2017 – Leithaburg, Austria

Roland Velich of Moric winery in Austria has a label called Hidden Treasures. He picks unique wines from Austria and Hungary for this label. This wine is made with Lichtenberge-González, a producer in the Leithaburg DAC in Austria. This Blaufränkisch is a savory red wine with mineral, white pepper, cherry, and a touch of cedar. Firm tannins and high acidity, it feels a lot like Sangiovese. The wine has a long finish and is cellar-worthy. Score: 91/100

• Fattorie Romeo del Castello, ‘Vigo’ Etna Rosso 2013 – Etna

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Fattorie Romeo del Castello Vigo is everything I want in an Etna Rosso. This is a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. It’s robust and smoky red with notes of black cherry, redcurrant, smoke, and tobacco. It’s full and round on that palate at first and then the small tannins hit hard on the back end. Score: 92+/100

Hungarian Wine

• Homonna Attila, ‘Határi’ Tokaji Furmint 2017 – Tokaj

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Homonna Attila is a tiny producer in Tokaj and his Határi Tokaji Furmint is one of his top dry wines. It has notes of sweet peach, white pear, flint, and yogurt flavors. Full-bodied and rich with a touch of residual sugar. This has real texture and structure. The fruit flavors may be a tad muted but you can’t deny the quality here, it’s for people who like German Riesling and Sylvaner. Score: 90/100

• Bajnóczy, ‘Sárkány-Lelke’ Pinot Gris 2017 – Balaton

Nerd alert! The Bajnóczy ‘Sárkány-Lelke’ Pinot Gris’ is for hardcore wine geeks. This is partially macerated and done in a minimal intervention style. The wine is full-bodied and gritty with a smoky flavor along with the dried yellow fruit and a slight almond finish. Score: 90/100

• 2HA, Shiraz 2016 – Balaton

The 2HA (2 hectares) winery is a tiny estate in North Balaton that puts an emphasis on red wines (this is primarily a white wine region) The 2HA Shiraz is more of a Syrah style than a Shiraz. Notes of dark fruit, violets, chocolate, and pepper. It’s juicy with a peppery finish. Complex and extremely well done. Score: 91+/100

• Fekete Pincé, Furmint 2007 – Somló

Fekete Pincé is one of the old guards of Somló and this Furmint 2007 is classic. There are notes of mushroom, campfire, smoke, and dried apricot. It’s full-bodied, oxidative, and highly mineral with a chewy texture and a long finish. Truly complex and unique, this is a thinking wine and a very good one at that. Score: 92/100

• Győrgykovács Imre, Hárslevelú 2010 – Somló

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Another old guard of the tiny volcanic region of Somló. The Győrgykovács Imre Hárslevelú has notes of white flower, honey, flint, smoke, and a faint bit of white pear. This is shiny and highly mineral. It’s full-bodied and fairly neutral. Highly structured with a long finish. This is not for people that want gobs of fruit, but it is a brilliant wine. It’s was my favorite wine of the entire GoVolcanic Summit. Score: 93+/100

• Somlói Apátsági Pince, Juhfark 2017 – Somló

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Somlói Apátsági Pince is another classic producer from Somló while Juhfark is one of the star varieties. This example is a late harvest, dry wine. The flavors include apricot, pear, sweet peach and honey with subtle notes of botrytis. It is full-bodied and minerally, unique and delicious. Gritty texture and a touch of residual sugar to build the body and balance the acidity. Score: 90/100

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Be part of our fourth wine book Discover Hungarian Wine. Sign up HERE to learn how you can be one of the first to get a special edition, signed copy with a discount when our Kickstarter launches once the world returns to normalcy.

GoVolcanic provided complimentary admission. Cover photo is from the GoVolcanic website. Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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Discover Hungarian Wine is a project that we’ve been working on for over two years. Exotic Wine Travel is proud to announce that our fourth wine book is now available for pre-order on Kickstarter. We will need to reach our funding goal in order to bring this book to life.

Hungarian wine is one of the best-kept secrets in the world of wine. By backing our Kickstarter, you have the power to help us illuminate the mysterious and beautiful world of Hungarian wine. 

Hungary remains one of the last traditional European wine-producing countries yet to be fully appreciated internationally. It has a rich history with a wealth of indigenous varieties and wine styles that deserve to be better known.

 – John Szabo, Master Sommelier and author of Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit, and Power.

Hungarian Wine & Exotic Wine Travel

A few years ago, Charine and I did a pair of masterclasses back to back that changed our lives. The first was 2010 Bordeaux (left bank, 3rd – 5th growths) with the next featuring Villányi Franc from Hungary. Villány is Hungary’s premier region for Bordeaux blends and varietal Cabernet Franc. The highest quality examples are allowed to be named Villányi Franc. 

We were blown away by the quality of the wines in the second class. They stood toe to toe with the 2010 Bordeauxs. At that point, we made a pact to ourselves to explore the wines of Hungary in depth. Over the next two years, we would visit the wine regions of Hungary. In between 2017-now, we’ve spent six months in the country tasting wines and visiting producers nonstop. 

The quality of Hungarian wines continues to blow our minds. The country is famous for the sweet wines of Tokaj which can be ravishing, but there’s so much more than that. There are special wine styles that have persisted throughout the years, even through the Communism era. We are blown away by the barrel-fermented, mineral-driven wines of Somló. It’s a region that sits on a small extinct volcano (topped by a castle) with no paved roads. 

We suggested a Somlói wine to our friend (a serious Burgundy collector) and he wrote back saying, “this is the most complex 15 Euro wine I’ve had in my life”. 

Other styles have improved drastically, like the traditional Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) blend from Egér and Szekszárd. It’s a wine whose reputation was diminished greatly in the communist era. Now there are ambitious and well-crafted examples that some people might call a red Burgundy if tasted blind (we’ve witnessed it first hand). 

One of the most exciting styles for us is Tokaji Szamorodni Szaraz (Dry). It’s a high acid, barrel-aged wine with botrytized berries. It’s fermented dry and aged under the Flor, a la Sherry. When dry Tokaji wines started to become popular, this style started dying off because of the difficulty to make it (and the cost). Now it’s having somewhat of a renaissance thanks to producers like Frenchman Samuel Tinon. 

Hungarian wines are of outstanding quality and are strikingly original. Hungary is located in between 45-49 degrees north, allowing for true cool climate viticulture. In a world where alcohol levels are rising, local winemakers are finding beautiful flavors at 11.5-13% of alcohol. We are well-schooled in the wines of Eastern Europe and feel like the overall quality is highest in Hungary and Slovenia, with Croatia continually edging closer. 

It has become our mission to inform people of exciting wines being made in unheralded corners of the wine world. We believe people need to know about Hungarian wines. Because of this, we are launching a Kickstarter for our fourth wine book Discover Hungarian Wine: A Visitor-Friendly Guide. It’s meant to be a practical guide to the mysterious world of Hungarian wine. The book also has contributions by local experts like Ercsey Dániel and Győrffy Zoltán, in addition to Master of Wine Elizabeth Gabay, Master Sommelier John Szabo, and more.

We were not commissioned to do this book, it is 100% independently funded, like all of our other books. The research and writing of our book are about 50% done. We will be spending another six months in Hungary in 2020 to finish the research and writing before going to print. That’s why we are launching this Kickstarter, which gives people an opportunity to reserve a special edition, signed copy, along with some other goodies. 

I hope this guide would be useful to those who enjoy our work. You can take a look at our campaign below – complete with videos. Thanks again for letting Exotic Wine Travel be a part of your lives, it’s something that we treasure and is a responsibility that we take seriously. 

Please take a few minutes to look at our Kickstarter and feel free to back it and it with your family and friends. Hungarian wines are phenomenal and need more attention, but it will take all of us.

Discover Hungarian Wine: A Visitor-Friendly Guide

Take a look at our Kickstarter campaign for an opportunity to reserve a special edition, signed copy. We have a number of exciting rewards including.

• A pairing dinner with us in Budapest, complete with unique, hard to find vintages.
• A day trip with us exploring Tokaj.
• An opportunity to have us present at your company or tasting group.
• And more!

Back the Kickstarter campaign today and scoop up your reward, supplies are limited.

What Other Wine Professionals Are Saying

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Thank you to the Hungarian Tourism Agency who provided the photos in this article. Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Kreinbacher Selection 2015

The Somló region is located just north of Balaton Lake. Around 400 hectares of vineyards are planted on an extinct volcano. The volcanic hill stands out like a sore thumb amongst the plains of Western Hungary. It’s a region that I’ve long wanted to visit and we finally got the opportunity in the winter of 2017 (see below).

The wines from Somló are full-bodied and high in acid. They are very mineral driven and many people may be turned off by the lack of fruit. Fans of Chablis and Loire whites will feel right at home with the saline notes and high acidity. These wines are extremely complex and can be had for a song compared to wines of similar complexity from around the world.

Kreinbacher is one of the largest producers in Somló (in addition to Tornai). They have 43 hectares of their own vineyards, which are farmed organically. They also buy grapes from another 20-30 hectares depending on the year. In addition to their excellent dry wines, they have recently become well known for their sparkling wines – their Prestige Brut won a Platinum medal the 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards.

We haven’t gotten a chance to visit Kreinbacher but we’ve tasted many of their wines. They produce entry-level varietal whites in addition to premium, Selection wines. During our visit to Hungary in the summer of 2018, we got our hands on their Selection bottlings and came away impressed.

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the Wine Rating page.)

• Kreinbacher, Juhfark Selection 2015

Juhfark is a Hungarian grape that is now almost exclusively found in Somló. The name Juhfark translates to “sheep’s tail” in reference to the long bunches of ripe grapes. This Kreinbacher Juhfark Selection is barrel fermented and aged eight months in French oak and Acacia wood. Flavors include quince, smoke, pine, and honey. The nose isn’t very powerful but the fruit concentration and minerals hit the palate hard. Intense mineral notes and a salty finish.   4.0/5

• Kreinbacher, Hárslevelü Selection 2015

The Kreinbacher Hárslevelü Selection is a mineral-driven wine fermented with native yeasts. The wine is barrel fermented in French oak and Acacia wood then aged for an additional eight months. It has notes of flint, yellow peach, honey and campfire. There is fruit but it is dominated by mineral flavors. Some would say unbalanced, some would say brilliant. Saline finish dominates the fruit. The grape gives more body and aromatic profile than the more popular Furmint.   4.1/5

• Kreinbacher, Furmint Selection 2015

The Kreinbacher Furmint Selection barrel fermented and aged eight months in French oak and Acacia wood. Like many wines from Somló, this has notes of campfire and ash. Fruit notes of yellow peach and lemon accompany the toast flavors from the barrel. Full bodied with searingly high acidity. Long finish that is accompanied by a lot of fruit, rare in the wines from Somló.   4.2/5

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2017 marked the third year of our location-independent lifestyle and the second year of our wine career. It was a momentous year for us—in the span of 12 months, we authored and published our second and third wine book Sipping Santa Barbara and Cracking Croatian Wine, traveled to seven countries, and tasted over 2,000 wines. For professional development reasons, we usually aim to taste at least 3,000 wines every year. However, because of our publishing deadlines, we were relatively sedentary in 2017 as we spent more than half of the year in Croatia and Serbia while finishing the production of our books; the other six months, we were traveling in the wine regions of Austria, Cyprus, Italy (Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Sardinia), Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia. In all the countries that we visited, we managed to find outstanding wines in every one of them. We mean… magnificent… unforgettable… outstanding… knockouts.

All in all, it was a rewarding year if we measure it out in wine glasses.

So here we go again: our favorite wines of the year. As advocates for diversity in wine and “Drink Adventurously” (our tagline), we hope our list reveals the ever-expanding choices that are available to wine lovers. While these 17 wines have been chosen based on, first and foremost, their sensory merits, other aspects are also taken into consideration. Did the wine teach us something new? Did it make us re-examine our assumptions? Did it spark curiosity or inspire conversations? Did it have a story or human element that mean something special to us? Ultimately, these are wines that we would highly recommend you, our wine-loving reader, to seek out.

SPARKLING WINE

Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millenaires 1995 – Champagne, France

We tasted this at a Charles Heidsieck workshop organized by VinArt Grand Tasting in Zagreb, Croatia. The presenter Drazan Sunjic was also our WSET teacher. Drazan knows the Champagne region and Champagne Charlie inside out. So it was an honor to have him share his knowledge and passion with us. The Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995 was the last wine of the tasting, and it wowed everyone in the room. Made from 100% Chardonnay, this bottle was disgorged in 2015. 19 years of lees aging, woohoo! Following 1983, 1985, and 1990, 1995 is only the fourth vintage of this tête de cuvée Champagne.

Why we love it: We had a hard time choosing between this and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2006. We ended up picking Charles Heidsieck over Taittinger because it’s more developed at this point. The Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires 1995 is a wine that must be tasted, not described.

Learn More | Best Of Vinart Grand Tasting 2017: Part 2

WHITE WINE

Bott Frigyes, Super Granum 2015 – Južnoslovenská, Slovakia

Bott Frigyes is an ethnic Hungarian living in South Slovakia. We first heard about his wines from Ernő Sagmeister of Dukay-Sagmeister winery in Serbia. If one of our favorite wine producers suggests we try the wines of another producer, we will follow the recommendation dutifully.

And so we did. During our two-week press tour in Slovakia, we had the chance to spend a night at the guesthouse of Bott Frigyes. Thank you, Tibor Vittek and Peter Drotár for organizing. After an elaborate tasting and dinner, Bott and his family left the guesthouse but not before trying to make us feel the most welcome.

 

Spending the night at one of our favorite wineries in Slovakia. And guess what, it’s “open cellar” night!

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Dec 5, 2017 at 12:38pm PST

“Help yourself to the wines.” Bott had left all the bottles that we tasted in the dining room. It was a long work day; we were knackered, but nothing was going to stop us from enjoying a nightcap.

 Why we love it: Bott Frigyes Super Granum 2015 is a barrel-fermented cuvée of Furmint, Hárslevelü, and Juhfark. Exciting grapes? Check. The wine has a head-turning bouquet, vivid flavors, and an undeniable mineral characteristic. The quality level, irresistible refreshingness, subtle nuances, tension, and texture of this wine remind us of the best of Chablis.  

Nikolaihof, Vinothek Riesling 2000 – Wachau, Austria

We were fortunate to drink this wine twice in 2017: the first time was at a workshop in Zagreb, Croatia, and the second time was at Austrian winemaker Hartmut Aubell‘s birthday celebration. The 1995 vintage of Nikolaihof Vinothek Riesling was the first Austrian wine to receive 100 points from Robert Parker. Aged for 16 years in 3,500-liter oak cask and bottled in 2016, the 2000 vintage is the winery’s latest release of this wine.

Why we love it: It may be the greatest white wine that Matt has ever tasted. Also, this wine is a capsule of many fond memories—from our trip to Graz, Austria, to this…

A photo of our friend, Vjekoslav Stojišić, when he tasted this wine. Photo from: www.facebook.com/vinartgrandtasting

Learn More | Best Of Vinart Grand Tasting 2017: Part 1

RED WINE

Antinori, Solaia 2010 – Tuscany, Italy

One of the illustrious Aia’s of Tuscany… Ornellaia, Sassicaia, and Solaia. Antonio Galloni of Vinous wrote,” The 2010 is the greatest Solaia ever made.” We tend to agree with Galloni’s reviews, so when we found this 98-point wine—with an irresistible price tag to boot—in Belgrade, Serbia, it was a non-negotiable situation: let’s get it. Antinori Solaia is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Franc.

Why we love it: We opened this wine on May 22 to celebrate the second anniversary of our location-independent lifestyle. It was our first taste of Solaia, and it delivered more than we had imagined. Unfortunately, we did a disservice to this wine by drinking it at such a young age. Nevertheless, it showed a formidable marriage between finesse and power.

Concha y Toro, Don Melchor 2007 – Maipo Valley, Chile

 

A moment of truth: has it all been a misplaced love or is the Serbian Kremen Kamen by Matalj winery one of the greatest reds? We put the Kremen Kamen wines up to a taste test next to Don Melchor (listed 8 times on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list) and are glad to see that Kremen Kamen is indeed a wine of great substance. Now that our love and faith in Serbian wine are justified, we wish our dear friend from Matalj winery that Kremen Kamen will have the same impact on Serbian wine industry as Don Melchor has on the Chilean wine image.

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In May 2017, we were in the final production stage of two books and inching towards being burned out. Matt decided to purchase a few iconic wines as a form of encouragement and pick-me-up. The stash included Antinori Solaia 2010 (listed above), Antinori Tignanello 2011, Donnafugata Mille e una Notte 2012, Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve 2009, Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2011 (listed below), M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine 2010, and this—our good ol’ Don Melchor, a wine we used to drink a fair bit back in Singapore. Three out of those seven wines ended up being our “wine of the year”, so it was a perceptive splurge by Matt.

Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Merlot, this wine has been listed eight times on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, and the 2007 vintage scored 94+ points from The Wine Advocate by Robert Parker. We were in Serbia at that time so we thought we’d make a fun tasting out of this bottle. After all, it’s not often that one can find a 10-year-old Don Melchor on the shelf. We met up with Nikola Mladenović Matalj, the owner and winemaker of Matalj winery, and arranged a vertical tasting of his Matalj Kremen Kamen (which was in our Top 16 of 2016 list) along this wine.

Why we love it: We were fortunate to catch Don Melchor 2007 at its prime drinking window: the wine was showing the perfect balance between primary and tertiary notes. This remains to be the best bottle/vintage of Don Melchor we’ve tasted.

Learn More | Matalj Kremen Kamen: A Vertical Tasting

Fontodi, Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo 2011 – Tuscany, Italy

 

2011 Fontodi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo. A burly Chianti with 15% abv, fruit flavors so intense that they are redolent of berry strips, and 6% acidity that disciplines the many layers into a harmonious unity. This wine is approaching the window of great drinkability but clearly has many more years of evolvement ahead before unveiling its peak. Flavors of sour cherry, black plum, tobacco, licorice, sweet cedar, cinnamon stick, and leather. Chewy tannins lead to a lengthy, strikingly tart yet sweet finish. This is a divisive wine as we’ve just drunk a bottle of 2011 Tignanello. Matt prefers the Tignanello because he thinks it has higher drinkability now. Charine prefers this wine for its powerful attack.

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We had a bottle of Fontodi Chianti Classico on our first date. That wine turned out to be a favorable choice for us in more than one way. So five years later, it was time to step up and give this Gran Selezione version a try.

Why we love it: It was a tough choice between this and its preeminent sibling, the Fontodi Flaccianello Della Pieve. In the end, this burly Chianti took the spot because of its current accessibility. And, to us, it’s simply more distinctive and more memorable than Flaccianello 2009. This wine is so good that it may even make your burp smell good.

Francuska Vinarija, Obećanje 2009 – Negotin, Serbia

 

I guess it’s no surprise that the Serbian winery Francuska Vinarija’s headliner is this Gamay bottling, since the proprietors are from Burgundy. Bouquet of predominantly redcurrant, maraschino cherry, and chalk, with lingering notes of white pepper, lilac, and leather in the background. Structured with juicy acidity and ripe fruit sweetness on the palate. For a 2009 wine, it’s incredible that I feel a tad sad for drinking it too early. In 2 to 3 years, the leather character will probably become more pronounced, and I expect a bit more tobacco leaf and earthy notes that can make this wine more nuanced than it already is. I was going to say it is more Fleurie in style but later decided that a reference to an aged Saint-Armour might be more accurate.

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Located in East Serbia, Francuska Vinarija, which translates to “French Winery”, is owned and operated by a Burgundian couple. These wines are not available in Serbia as the entire production is exported, mostly to France. It took us nearly two years to track these wines down: our friend had some bottles in his cellar, and he offered a case for us to taste. We were impressed with all the Francuska Vinarija’s wines that we tried. However, this Gamay bottling called Obećanje was a cut above the rest. The name Obećanje means “the promise”.

Why we love it: It’s the best non-Cru Beaujolais Gamay we’ve tasted.

Learn More | Serbian Grand Cru on the Slopes of Danube

Jakončič, Carolina Select 2006 – Brda, Slovenia

Prior to our 2017 trip to Brda, Slovenia, we knew nothing about Jakončič winery. We only found out about them when we arrived in Slovenia and Matjaž Zagradišnik from the winery reached out to us with a cellar invitation. Throughout the tasting, we were happy with the wines. Then, we got to the Grand Vin—Carolina Select, a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon—and it was an epic slam dunk. A wine that is built to age for decades, Jakončič Carolina Select is a wine with a waiting list and rightfully so.

Why we love it: Jakončič Carolina Select 2006 is a superlative Merlot. When we tasted this wine, it was immediately clear to us that it would be a highlight of the year. It has an opulent bouquet, full and luscious texture, intense fruit attack on the palate, and a persistent, focused finish. 

Learn More | Marjan Simčič and Jakončič: Classically Styled Slovenian Wine

Kozlović, Santa Lucia Noir 2012 – Istria, Croatia

Another tough selection. We shortlisted Clai Brombonero Refošk 2011, Clai Sv. Jakov Malvazija, 2011, Coronica Gran Teran 2011, Trapan The One 2012, and this wine for the article. All of them are from Istria, Croatia. We ended up choosing Kozlović Santa Lucia Noir 2012 because of its current appeal balanced with future potential. It’s a wine that will undoubtedly appeal to many.

Made only in exceptionally great years, Kozlović Santa Lucia Noir 2012 is a 50-30-20 blend of Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon-Teran from the Santa Lucia Vineyard, an area that is best known for its mineral-driven whites. We were so glad that we managed to taste this wine right before finalizing our manuscript of Cracking Croatian Wine.

Why we love it: It’s a “Super Istrian”, so to speak.  This wine retains Teran’s tingling acidity and ferrous aroma while putting on some luxurious, Bordeaux-esque contours.

Learn More | 10 Istrian Wines to Try

Miani, Merlot Buri 2013 – Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

In January, we spent a week in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The winery that left the deepest impression was Miani, a recommendation that came from Antonio Galloni’s Vinous forum. When we posted on the forum seeking suggestions for “only the best wineries in Friuli”, one member replied, “There can only be one… Miani.”

Why we love it: The finest essence in a bottle. Want to know what soaring intensity feels like? This is your bottle. It’s one of the greatest Merlots we’ve tasted.

Learn More |  Miani: What Wine Dreams are Made of

Vylyan Duennium 2006 – Villány, Hungary

We first tasted Vylyan’s wine at a Villányi Franc workshop in February 2017. It was one of the two Villányi Cabernet Francs that stood out to us. A few months later, we had the chance to visit the winery. And as you might expect, we went with high expectations. By the end of our one-month stay in Hungary, we concluded that Vylyan remains as our top 10 favorite wineries in the country. Vylyan Duennium is a Cabernet Franc-based wine. For 2006 Duennium, some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were also added to the cuvée.

Why we love this: It was our favorite wine during our three-day tasting trip in Villány. Exceptionally youthful for its age, this is a wine that shows a sense of place. We would love to share a bottle with our collector friends in the future.

SKIN CONTACT WINE

Dario Prinčič, Bianco Trebež 2012 – Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Charine spotted the Dario Prinčič Bianco Trebež 2012 at an inconspicuous wine bar in Belgrade, Serbia. It was tucked clumsily in a corner of the wine fridge. Every time we see Dario Prinčič’s wine, it would be a done deal. We requested to purchase the wine, but as it turned out, the wine was not for sale;  it belonged to the bar’s owner. When the owner heard about our request and saw our enthusiasm, he decided to open a bottle and shared it with us. Dario Prinčič Bianco Trebežis is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio.

Why we love it: It’s a poised and complete amber wine with an allure that keeps us coming back for more. We were introduced to Dario Prinčič by our friend, John Wurdeman of Pheasant’s Tears Winery (Georgia). Since our first bottle with John, we’ve shared many bottles of Bianco Trebež with various people. In a way, this wine is like a torque to us: centralizing and generalizing friendships through the vinous power.

Movia, Lunar 8 2008 – Brda, Slovenia

This wine was tied with Movia Puro 2010 in terms of sensory merits. We ended up choosing Movia Lunar 8 because of the context in which we drank it. On Matt’s 35th birthday, we shared a magnum of this wine with a group of winemakers, wine writers, and wine enthusiasts in Zagreb, Croatia. We tasted more than 10 wines that night, and this was the “Wine of the Night” with nearly full consensus. Movia Lunar 8 is made from 100% Rebula.

Why we love it: Charine said, “This wine is so good that it makes me feel like I’m drinking above my station.” It’s a wine that can arouse much pride, desire, delight, curiosity, and awareness.

Learn More | Kabaj and Movia: Slovenian Wines with Big Personalities

Radikon, Fuori dal Tempo 2001 -Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Radikon was on our “Do Not Miss” list when we traveled to Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Our visit came less than five months after Stanko Radikon’s passing in the fall of 2016, and the family was missing Stanko dearly. Fuori dal Tempo means “outside of time”. This is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Sauvignon Blanc. 

Why we love it: At the time of our visit in January 2017, this was the second vintage confirmed for this bottling. Charine teared up when she tasted this wine. Radikon Fuori dal Tempo 2001 hovers on the palate with exquisite grace. It’s a sublime masterpiece that was personally crafted by Stanko Radikon.

Learn More | Gravner and Radikon: Italian Wines Without Compromise

SWEET WINE

The Anama Concept, Anama Vintage 2012 – Commandaria, Cyprus

In February 2017, we were on a two-week press tour in Cyprus. The Anama Concept wasn’t included in our official itinerary. But thanks to our friend George Gkenos, we found our way to the home of Lefteris Mohianakis and Kristina Apostolou Mohianakis—the husband-and-wife team behind this designer-chic producer.

The Anama Concept’s Anama Vintage cannot be officially called “Commandaria” because it’s made outside of the 14 designated Commandaria villages. But it’s still that time-tested, familiar taste of Cyprus’s most famous sweet wine made from the raisined grapes of Mavro and Xinisteri—both indigenous to Cyprus. This is the only wine that The Anama Concept produces, and the production is around 2,000 bottles per year.

Why we love it: The Anama Concept has taken one of the oldest wine brands in the world, preserved the tenets of Commandaria’s story, revitalized its image, refined its taste, and given it a time-relevant makeover. This wasn’t the only Commandaria-style wine that we loved during our Cyprus trip, but it stood out the most because of its dried fruit and citrus qualities, meaning it was less oxidative-tasting than most Commandaria wines. We also respect the vision of The Anama Concept and cherish the intimate time spent with Lefteris and Kristina at their home.

Learn More | Cyprus Sweet Wines: Commandaria and More

Tokaj & Co., 5 Putñovy 1990 – Tokaj, Slovakia

Tokaj & Co. was a state-run winery during the communist era in Czechoslovakia. The winery is now privately owned. The Tokaj & Co., 5 Putñovy 1990 is part of a limited-edition, archive wine release, which means it is still readily available on the market. The 127g/l of residual sugar is supported by 11g of total acidity.

Why we love it: During our two-week trip through the wine regions of Slovakia, this was arguably the most compelling Slovak wine that we tasted. True to the sweet Tokaji of that era, this wine is oxidative in style and densely packed but without heaviness. The botanical bouquet draws us in and the sugar-acid balance gives it dominance and youth. The front load of dried sweet fruit flavors are contrasted by a tart and spicy finish. This is a living example that great sweet Tokaji can be found in Slovakia.

Video | Exotic Wine Travel in Slovak Tokaj

Vega Sicilia, Oremus, Tokaji Eszencia 2007 – Tokaj, Hungary

Tokaji Eszencia is the rarest and most expensive of all the wines made in Tokaj. Prior to our 2017 wine trip to Hungary, we didn’t care much for Tokaji Eszencia. The idea of an exceptionally viscous wine with at least 450g/l residual sugar and 1-5% ABV was odd-sounding. Would it still taste like wine? Do people really drink it from a spoon?

Our visit at Oremus was set up by our friends from Wine Elite. During the tasting, we had the chance to try some rare, aged Tokaji Aszú wines including a 1956 vintage and a 1972. 1956 is a significant year because of the Hungarian Revolution and 1972 is widely touted as “the best vintage of the last century in Tokaj”. Still, Tokaji Eszencia 2007 was the transcendent one.

Why we love it: When we visited Tokaj, Charine was searching for the ‘Chateau d’Yquem of Hungary’. She found it in this exquisite bottle. Like pure energy in a bottle, drinking this wine makes us feel… healed. Vega Sicilia Oremus Tokaji Eszencia 2007 has 515g/l residual sugar, 15g/l total acidity, and 3% ABV. Those are some enticing numbers tucked in an extraordinary wine.

Video | Exotic Wine Travel in Tokaj, Hungary

This list seems fundamentally incomplete without a rosé wine. So here’s the most exciting rosé we’ve tasted in 2017: Gut Oggau Brutal Rosé 2016

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