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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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.

The post Hungarian Wine: Best of Borjour appeared first on Wine Travel.

There are a few can’t miss places for wine lovers in Budapest and Könyvbár & Restaurant is one of them. Every time we pass through the city, we pay a visit to Könyvbár (which translates to ‘book bar’). It’s located in District VII as is one of only two establishments listed on the Raisin Natural Wine App in Budapest.

The reason we frequent the restaurant is because of proprietor Mihály Lippai. He is passionate about wines, focusing on small producers within Hungary. We have tasted many wines here that are not available anywhere else in Budapest. Mihály leans toward natural wines, he carries labels from around the world but heavily features those from his homeland.

“There are some youngsters and curious makers who are ready to break the rules and move Hungarian wine forward. I believe this country is going to be better with this new generation,” Mihály says.

It had been one year since I last visited the restaurant. After a 4-day press trip with hungarianwines.eu, I made a long-awaited return. It was great to see the cuisine had improved with a new chef. The dishes have traditional Hungarian flavors prepared and presented in a contemporary way. Another noticeable difference is the number of foreign wines on offer.

That evening, I wanted to focus on Hungarian producers (although there were a few international wines sprinkled in throughout the night). The number of small, high-quality producers in Hungary baffles me. While there isn’t a big natural (minimal-intervention) wine movement in Hungary but there are several high-quality producers leading the charge. Some of these producers are already producing some knockout wines.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks:

• Bencze, ‘Kék’ 2017 – Balaton

Bencze is a small producer on the North Balaton shore. The Bencze Kék is made from the grape Kékbokator and it’s an exciting wine. The nose confuses you because it is rather shy at first with a faint amount of yeast and yellow flower. However, the palate explodes with starfruit and intense salinity. Long, citrusy finish it has Riesling-like acidity. Score: 91/100

• Sziegl Pincé, ‘Kolostor Domb’ Kadarka 2017 – Hájos-Baja

Sziegl is a small producer in the Hájos-Baja, which is not one of the more renowned regions in Hungary. We’ve been fans of their Kékfranks in the past but this is a step up in quality. The Sziegl ‘Kolostor Domb’ Kadarka is a made in tiny quantities – one barrel was produced.

There are notes of rhubarb, strawberry, pepper, and earth. This smells delicate and easy on the palate but it’s full and rich in body. The mid-palate is silky and intense while the finish is peppery and long. Only 12% in alcohol, this is downright beautiful, light red wine. Score: 93/100

• Grand vin de Barnag, Schmutzig 2018 – Balaton

Grand vin de Barnag is a tiny project started by a sommelier who produces small batches of wine in Balaton. This is Zweigelt aged in the barrel for 8 months. This is a light and earthy red wine. Notes of cherry, fall leaves, pepper, and caramel. This is a raw, juicy, and fruity natural wine. It smells like a conventional wine but tastes like natural wine. Tart acidity and low level of tannins. This is a name to keep your eye on. Score: 86/100

• Organic, Cuvée Marie Vallis Rufus 2016 – Južnoslovenská (Slovakia)

Stefan Kasynik is a wizard in Južnoslovenská (South Slovakia). Like many winemakers in the region, he identifies himself as ethnically Hungarian. The Organic Cuvée Maria Vallus Rufus is a blend of St. Laurent, Andrée, Zweigelt, Blaufrankisch, and Alibernet. Crazy blend that is crazy complex and delicious. Notes of dark berry, cedar, pepper, and dried strawberry. This is juicy, medium-bodied and crazy complex. It has a lot of ripe red fruits with a touch of French stemminess to it. Score: 92/100

*Check out our article on the Organic Cuvée Marie Vallis Albus (orange wine).

• Grál Borpince, Pelzberg 2016 – Tolna

Grál Borpince produces beautiful wines in the Tolna region, which is adjacent to the more famous Szekszárd. The Grál Borpince Pelzberg is 100% Kékfrankos. Notes of juicy strawberry, fall leaves, earth, and pepper. This wine is red fruit-driven and has tons of delicious factor. Silky mid-palate with slightly grippy tannins and a long finish. Outstanding stuff. Score: 92/100

• Ráspi, Kékfrankos Selection 2006 – Sopron

Ráspi is a big name in the region of Sopron, which is basically an extension of Austria’s Burgenland. The Ráspi Kékfrankos Selection 2006 has an incredible nose with wax, fall leaves, mushroom, red fruit, and pepper. This is a true, cool-climate red. The age has rounded the palate on this wine. The tannins are developed and the wine has a beautiful spiciness to it. Long finish. Score: 92/100

• Stumpf, ‘Nagy-Eged Cuvée’ Cabernet Franc Merlot 2015 – Egér

Stumpf Pincészet is a small producer in Egér constructing exciting wines with the help of Master Sommelier John Szabo. They producer several red wines from the Nagy-Eged Cru including a Bikavér, Kékfrankos, Pinot Noir, and this cuvée. The Stumpf ‘Nagy-Eged Cuvée’ Cabernet Franc Merlot is darker and richer than their other reds. It has a core of dark fruit that is held together with a tight frame of acidity and fine tannins. It’s got a subtly spicy finish. I prefer their other reds a tad more but this is still a delicious wine. Score: 90+/100

• Királyudvar, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2000 – Tokaj-Hegyalja

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Királyudvar is one of the legendary names in Tokaj and their 6 puttonyos is well regarded. The Királyudvar Tokaji Aszuú 6 Putonyos 2000 is dark in color from the bottle age. It has notes of caramel, lemon, natural gas fall leaves, coffee, and citrus peel. The wine is nutty, full-bodied, and rich. It’s an old-school Tokaj with a long and fiery finish. Score: 95/100

Bonus Vin Jeune

• Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot, Château-Chalon 2008 – Jura (France)

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Ok ok, the Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot Château-Chalon is not a Hungarian wine. This is a French wine from the Jura and a marvelous one at that. Vin Jeunes are wines aged under a thin layer of bacteria (flor) like Sherry. This has notes of almond, pear, white apple, caramel, and pepper. It’s unique and full-bodied with lots of nuttiness on the palate. This complex wine finishes long and salty. The Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot Château-Chalon is a true meditation wine. Score: 96/100

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Do you want to learn more about Hungarian wine?

We’re launching a Kickstarter for our fourth wine book Discover Hungarian Wine soon. Sign up to find out how you can be a part of it and receive a special edition, signed copy:

Thank you to KönyvBár & Restaurant who provided the tasting. 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.

The post Hungarian Wine: A Walk On The Wild Side appeared first on Wine Travel.

Charine and I are huge fans of Hungarian wines and jump at every opportunity to return to the country and taste. So when hungarianwines.eu invited me to attend their 4-day study trip for the second year in a row, I immediately said yes.

The trip included stops in the Hungarian wine regions of Egér, Hajós-Baja, Mór, and Balaton. The trip consisted of visits with producers, winemaker dinners, and organized tastings. I attended the trip with guests from Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

As expected, the quality of Hungarian wines I tasted on the trip were very good. This is a country with a long history of wine production and it’s unfortunate the world doesn’t know more about these wines. I feel there are several good reasons for that. First is the fact that the Hungarian language is incredibly difficult to grasp. To the consumer, Hungarian wine labels might as well be written in Martian.

In my opinion, the second reason is the overall mindset when it comes to marketing. Hungarians are proud people, as they should be. For decades, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of the largest and most powerful nations in Europe. It seems to me that many Hungarians feel too proud to market their wines or seek help. This is unfortunate because it deprives the wine consumer of experiencing fantastic and unique wines.

Despite these two factors, I am optimistic that Hungarian wines can breakthrough. Hungary is home to Tokaj, which produces some of the world’s greatest sweet wine and the quality of the dry wines is equally impressive. There is a wide range of styles from the rich reds of Villány and Szekszárd to the mineral-driven whites of Somló.

Charine and I continue to be the biggest cheerleaders of Hungarian wine. Overall, the quality of wine production in Hungary is among the highest in Eastern Europe. It should be a matter of time before the rest of the wine world shares our sentiment.

Here are the Hungarian wines that stood out the most during my four days back in the country.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks:

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

• Juliet Victor, Tokaji Édes Szamorodni 2017 – Tokaj-Hegyalja 

Juliet Victor is a new producer in Tokaj and this is their only sweet wine so far (they will be releasing a Tokaji Aszú in the future). Szamorodni is a unique style of sweet wine usually only sold in Hungary. The Juliet Victor Tokaji Édes Szamorodni is a blend Furmint, Hárslevelü, and Yellow Muscat. It has rich notes of sweet peach, white flowers, mineral, and lemon. It’s full and concentrated with a high level of residual sugar for a sweet Szamorodni (189 g/L). This needs to lay down in the cellar for a few more years to show its best. Score: 92/100

• Toth Ferenc, Egri Bikavér Grand Superior 2016 – Egér

The Toth Ferenc Egri Bikavér Grand Superior 2016 is the most impressive wine I’ve ever tasted from this winery. This Egri Bull’s Blood is a blend of Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch), Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir. It has notes of sour cherry, graphite, pepper, and stemmy. Aged for 15 months in the barrel. This plays on the lighter and stemmier side of red. It’s a medium-bodied red, the tannins are a little unripe, but overall this is a solid effort. Score: 90/100

• St. Andrea, ‘Boldogságos’ Egri Csillag Grand Superior 2018 – Egér

Egri Csillag translates to the “Star of Eger”. The St. Andrea Boldogságos isn’t the winery’s top Egri Csillag but it delicious and well made. This is a single vineyard wine with Olaszrizling, Pinot Gris, Hárslevelü, Furmint, Sauvignon Blanc and this vintage has a touch of Viognier in it. The latter grape adds some floral notes in addition to the flavors of white peach, lemon, and yogurt. It’s full-bodied and rich white with a grassy, spiciness to it. This is a baby now but will round out beautifully with some age. Score: 90/100

*For a step up in complexity we highly recommend their Örökké and Maria Egri Csillags.

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Thummerer, Egri Csillag Grand Superior 2015 – Egér

The Thummerer Egri Csillage Grand Superior is one of the best wines I’ve tasted from this particular estate. It’s a partially barrel-fermented white blend of Chardonnay, Olaszrizling, Királyleányka, Leányka, and Traminer. The Chardonnay really dominates here. This is ripe and big with notes of white peach, melon, yogurt, and a touch of grass. Score: 91/100

• Bolyki, Egri Bikavér 2016 – Egér

There were many good Egri Bikavérs at the tasting including Gál Tibor, St. Andrea, Kovacs Nimrod and others but the Bolyki Egri Bikavér stood out for its great value. This is found under 10 Euros in Hungary and is exported. This unfiltered wine is a blend of Kékfrankos, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zweigelt, and Pinot Noir. It has a rich nose with flavors of blueberry, cherry, earth, and a touch of pepper. This is a medium-bodied red with juicy acidity and soft tannins. Score: 89/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Koch, Premium Kadarka 2017 – Hajós-Baja

Don’t let the score fool you, the Koch Premium Kadarka is a fantastic wine that can be found for under 5 Euros in Hungary. It has notes of strawberry, pepper, and earth. The finish is earthy and spicy. Another excellent vintage of this wine, which we buy often when in Hungary. Fantastic fruit for an inexpensive wine. Score: 88/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Koch, Vin Art Csanád Villányi Cuvée 2012 – Villány

Koch also produces several reserve wines including the Vin Art Csanád Villányi Cuvée which is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon aged in oak for at least 18 months. This has a pretty nose with black cherry, violets, tobacco, cedar, and toast. Full in body with chalky tannins and a long finish. Score: 91/100 

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Kristinus, Kékfrankos Selection 2017 – Balatonboglár

The Kristinus Kékfrankos Selection is aged in oak for 14 months. It has notes of crunchy red fruit, fall leaves, pepper, and cedar. The wine is medium-bodied and silky on the mid-palate with a spicy finish. This is never overburdened by the oak and is food-friendly. Score: 91/100

• TR, Tokaji Dry Furmint 2017 – Tokaj-Hegyalja

The prices of dry Tokaji continues to rise, which makes the TR Tokaji Dry Furmint so appealing. TR is a young winery located in the village of Tállya. This wine has everything that I want in a dry Furmint, white pear flavors with intense mineral notes, combined with fiery acidity. Some of this wine was barrel-aged which builds up the body. For a wine that retails at around 10 Euros in Hungary, this is a steal. Score: 90/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Tornai, Top Selection Grófi Hárslevelü 2017 – Somló

Tornai is one of the big names in the tiny, volcanic region of Somló. The Tornai Top Selection Grófi Hárslevelü is in the top range of their portfolio. This is barrel fermented and half-dry with flavors of yellow peach, mineral, smoke, and white pepper. Like many wines from Somló, this is full-bodied with mineral notes and a powerful, long finish. The high acidity makes this feel like a completely dry wine. Score: 92/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Teleki, Villányi Franc ‘Kopar’ 2015 – Villány

Teleki is one of the oldest and largest producers in Villány, a red wine-producing region in the south of Hungary. The region is known for Cabernet Franc. The Teleki Villaányi Franc ‘Kopar’ is 100% Cabernet Franc from the esteemed Kopar vineyard. The wine has the typical notes of the grape, black cherry, olive, and capsicum with a touch of wood. It’s a full-bodied and dense Cabernet Franc with firm, but not overly drying tannins. Score: 90/100

• Csetvei, EA 2018 – Mór

Csetvei is a young producer in the tiny region of Mór. They specialize in the grape Ezerjo. The Csetvei EA (Ezerjo Amphora) is fermented and kept in amphora for 5 months without the skins. This is a clean and well-done amphora wine with notes of dried pear and pineapple. The wine is rich and chewy with a salty, complex finish. This is a producer we will be keeping our eyes on. Score: 92+/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Jackfall, Grand 2012 – Villány

Jackfall is a small producer in Villány and their Grand is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s rich with notes of graphite, black cherry, tobacco, capsicum. This is full-bodied with many layers of texture and Bordeaux-like flavors. The long finish is guided by chewy tannins. Score: 93/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

• Heimann, Barbar 2016 – Szekszárd

Heimann is one of the big names in Szekszárd and this is their flagship wine. The Heimann Barbar is made from Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Tannat, and Kékfrankos. It has notes of capsicum, black cherry, chocolate, green herbs, and tobacco. This is full-bodied and rich with smooth, ripe tannins. Score: 91/100

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

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Exotic Wine Travel Hungarian Wine Articles

Thank you to hungarianwines.eu who provided accommodation and meals during my four days in Hungary. 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.

The post Hungarian Wines Revisited appeared first on Wine Travel.

Are they orange wines or are they amber wines? Are these wines the real deal or are they just a fad?

Whatever you want to call these wines, we love them and don’t get sick of them. That’s why we chose to attend the Orange Wine Festival in Vienna for the second year in a row. The 2018 rendition of the Orange Wine Festival saw 68 producers pour over 200 orange wines (and a few reds) over six and a half hours. The event was again held at the Museums Quartier in downtown Vienna, Austria.

The Orange Wine Festival was full again this year. Producers from Slovenia showed strong again. The western parts of Slovenia (Vipava Valley and Goriška Brda) are the epicenter of orange wine production outside of Georgia. There were also a number of excellent wines present from Austria and Italy in addition to more exotic countries like Croatia, Slovakia, Hungary, and Serbia.

Are Orange Wines A Fad?

Orange wines receive their fair share of criticism. Wine writers like the famous Hugh Johnson previously stating that they “are a sideshow and waste of time.” Ian D’Agata who is the author of Native Wine Grapes Of Italy and contributor to Vinous has also lamented these “white wines treated like reds.”

With big names in the industry attacking these wines, who will stand for them?

Simon Woolf has recently authored the book Amber Revolution, a deep dive into the world of orange wines. Woolf believes that orange wines aren’t some new crazy fad and states, “It fascinates me – the deeper I go into it the more examples I find where these techniques were really the backbone of white winemaking in so many parts of the world.”

We come across a lot of orange wines throughout the year. Especially in Central and Eastern Europe. It seems like everyone is giving a go at producing an orange wine, which can be a good or bad thing depending on their competency. Regardless, it’s a telling sign of customer demand.

Whether you call them orange wines or amber wines, whether you love them or loathe them, it looks as if they are here to stay. If you’re curious to see what’s happening in this world of wine, the Orange Wine Festival is a must-visit. We tasted from the start to the finish of the Orange Wine Festival 2018 – here are some of our favorites.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks

My favorite wines were the Clai Sv. Jakov Malvazija 2016 from Istria, Croatia (95/100), Marjan Simčič Rebula Opoka 2016 from Goriška Brda, Slovenia (94/100), and the Batič Zaria 2016 from Vipava, Slovenia (94/100) but we’ve written about them extensively in the past. We would proudly shoe these three wines to any palate.

Mentioned wines are available for purchase at wineandmore.com.

These are fantastic wines but instead of writing about these producers again, we’ve highlighted other wines below.

• Schiefer, Weisser Schiefer 2013 – Burgenland, Austria 

Predominantly Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner with Pinot Blanc. Austrian orange wines tend to be clean and precise, the Schiefer Weiser Schiefer is no different. It’s rich and opulent with dried yellow fruit, fall leaves, and dandelion flavors. The ripe fruit flavors are accompanied with soft tannins guiding the long finish. Score: 92/100

• OUO, Rebula Ivanka 2016 – Vipava, Slovenia

Charine adored this producer when we first tasted the wines during our Vipava Valley trip in August. This time around, I finally got the drift. The OUO Rebula Ivanka is concentrated with apricot, ripe peach, and fall leaves. It’s full bodied without overly hard tannins that can come with Ribolla Gialla. It’s full-bodied and tangy but the alcohol shows through pretty strong – which is the only detractor.  Score: 91/100

• Hager Matthias, Hager Weiss Gemischter Satz 2006 – Lower Austria, Austria

The Hager Matthias Hager Weiss Gemischter Satz really impressed both of us. Gemischter Satz means “field blend” and this example is aging beautifully. Flavors include forest floor, dried apricot, mushroom, and almond. The wine spent two weeks on the skins. It’s medium bodied with racy acidity and a long finish. Score: 92/100

• Quantum, Enigma 2017 – Lower Austria, Austria

The funky labels of Quantum winery grabbed my attention while the wine kept it. The Quantum Enigma is made from Pinot Blanc and is only 10.5% alcohol. It’s chewy, ripe, and concentrated for such a low alcohol wine. Full of pineapple, apricot, nuts, and fall leaves flavors – you can really feel the Pinot Blanc standing out. This wine is raw and has a beautiful finish with rich texture on the palate. Score: 90/100

• Valdisole, Arké 2015 – Piedmont, Italy

The Valdisole Arké is concentrated and flat out delicious. It is made from the grape Arneis. The wine is earthy with apricot, lemon, soil, and ginger notes. Rich and full-bodied, this feels weighty on the palate but never awkward thanks to the acidity. Long finish and soft tannins. 93/100

• Jure Štekar, Moros 2017 – Goriška Brda, Slovenia

The Jure Štekar Moros is a beauty made from the grape Friulano. Charine puts it best the post below. 

Score: 92/100

• Tombacco, Origine 2014 – Sicily, Italy

Made from Grillo and Zibbibo (Muscat of Alexandria), the Tombacco Origine has a sherry-like nuttiness to it. The wine was aged in Marsala casks. Full of dried yellow fruit, almond, apricot, and lime flavors. It’s full-bodied and slightly sweet with 12 g/L of RS.  This unique wine was quite divisive at the show – it’s a love it or not type of wine. Score: 92/100

• Ražman, Malvazija Antiqua 2016

The Ražman Malvazija Antiqua 2016 recently won a platinum medal the Decanter World Wine Awards – it’s well deserved. It has notes of sweet peaches, dandelion, and citrus. It’s lighter bodied for a macerated Malvazija Istarska (Malvasia Istriana). The wine has a tanginess that is sometimes missing from the grape. Soft tannins guide the long finish. Score: 93/100

• Maurer 1880 Kadarka 2016 – Subotica, Serbia

Producers at the 2018 Orange Wine Festival were allowed to bring a few red wines from their portfolio. Oskar Maurer works with a lot of unique grapes in Northern Serbia (on the border with Hungary). This wine is made from ungrafted vines of Kadarka that were first planted in the year 1880 in sandy soil. The Maurer 1880 Kadarka is full of strawberry, rhubarb, cherry, and mineral notes. The wine is soft and medium bodied with juicy acidity and easy tannins. I often describe Kadarka as tasting like a lower alcohol version of Grenache. Score: 90/100

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

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Thanks to Orange Wine Festival for providing transport and passes to the event. Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. 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. 

The post Orange Wine Festival 2018: Here To Stay appeared first on Wine Travel.

During our first trip through the wine regions of Hungary, we missed the Szekszárd region. It was a place that we wanted to see dearly. All of the Szekszárd wines we tasted prior to visiting impressed us, peeking our curiosity. After a two-week tour through Slovakia, we returned to Hungary for some unfinished business.

Szekszárd is a small region in southern Hungary. It has the reputation of producing top-notch, spicy red Hungarian wines. Szekszárd is 70 kilometers north of Hungary’s other great red wine region, Villány, where Bordeaux varieties take center stage. In Szekszárd, Bordeaux varieties flourish too. However, there is a push from producers to focus on softer red wines made from Kékfrankos and Kadarka.

The town of Szekszárd sits in a north-south chain of rolling hills. Looking east of town, the views are expansive. The great plains extend east and south of Szekszárd. The hills allow for good drainage while hot air from the plains aid in helping to ripen the wine grapes. The hills reach 200 meters in height in some places and contain mostly loess soil.

The Direction of Szekszárd Wine

“The problem in Szekszárd is that all red grapes do well,” Adras Takler of Takler winery told us.

Many of the wineries in Szekszárd want to move toward marketing the region as an elegant red wine area. The fact that Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon does so well in the microclimate of the region, that it’s tough to just forget them. Couple that with the fact that there is still a fairly strong local market for big, luscious, and higher priced red wines.

Through our few days of touring the region, we tasted several excellent Hungarian wines made from international red grapes. However, many producers are putting their focus on producing elegant reds from the local grapes Kékfrankos (known internationally as Blaufränkisch) and Kadarka. Many of the producers we visited still make at least one big red wine from international grapes.

The Szekszárd Bottle

In the Fall of 2017, the region introduced a branded bottle – the Szekszárd bottle. The bottle is meant to brand the region and show a mark of quality, giving consumers confidence. A local committee blind tastes wines that wish to be packaged in the Szekszárd bottle. Two-thirds of the committee has to approve a wine for it to don the Szekszárd bottles.

Photo Courtesy of WineSofa

The bottle is beautiful and is a hybrid shape, in between a Bordeaux and Burgundy bottle. It also has the word Szekszárd embossed around the lower shoulders of the bottle. It’s a bottle that looks attractive and has won us over. All of the wines we have tasted out of the Szekszárd bottle have been very good to outstanding.

We came away very impressed with the quality of Szekszárd wine. In the video below, you can see what the region looks like and hear some of our thoughts (~9 mins).

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

• Heimann Céh Kereszt Kadarka 2016

Aged in a combination of barriques and large casks, the Heimann Céh Kereszt Kadarka is made from a top selection of Kadarka clones. Light in color with strawberry, red cherry, and white pepper flavors. Medium bodied red with the gorgeous mouthfeel and a slightly spicy finish. It’s not extremely elegant, but that is what makes it charming. A juicy and delicious, lighter style red wine.  4.2/5

• Heimann Alte Reben Kékfrankos 2013

The Heimann Alte Reben Keékfrankos is made with fruit from old vines. It has a brilliant nose of cherry, mineral, fall leaves, and pepper – almost like Sangiovese. It is medium bodied with a good balance between fruit and earth. The wine has sandy tannins and a long finish, it’s coming along beautifully and still has a lot of life ahead of it.    4.3/5

• Sebestyén Iván-Völgyi Bikavér 2015

A blend of Kékfrankos, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Kadarka aged in oak for 15 months. The Sebestyén Iván-Völgyi Bikavér is masterfully crafted elegant wine. It’s full of delicate red fruit, earth, graphite, and mineral notes. It’s medium-bodied on the palate and it feels very silky in the mouth. The tannins are easy going and the wine has many layers of flavors.   

This is a Hungarian wine that could be confused with a Village level red Burgundy… Seriously.  4.3/5

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Dec 13, 2017 at 2:30am PST

• Takler Kékfrankos 2016

For a simple, entry-level red wine, the Takler Kékfrankos over-delivers in a big way. It’s not made to be a fine wine but it’s flat-out delicious. Juicy and delicious with red fruit, menthol, and fall leaves. It’s a light bodied and easy to drink Hungarian wine.    3.8/5

• Takler Bikavér Reserve 2015

This is a blend of Kékfrankos, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Kadarka. The Takler Bikavér Reserve is aged for 12 months in used oak barrels. Black cherry, eucalyptus, spice, fall leaves, and ripe strawberry flavors dominate the palate. Medium bodied and juicy, it’s enjoyable to drink and complex at the same. It has a slightly spicy finish. We’ve had a few older vintages of this and can confidently say this wine ages gracefully in the medium term.    4.2/5

• Takler Syrah Premium 2012

Aged for 16 months in new French Oak with flavors of bacon fat, blackberry, chocolate, blueberry, and spice. Big and luscious, the Takler Syrah Premium is round on the mouth. A massive and fruity effort with high alcohol but it works here. The finish is long and citrus driven, it has a long life ahead of it.    4.4/5

• Vida Szekszárdi Bikavér 2014

This Hungarian wine is based on Kékfrankos with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Kadarka. It is aged for two years in big barrel. The Vida Szekszárdi Bikavér has flavors of light red fruit, pepper, and earth. This is medium bodied, juicy, delicious red wine. The tannins are easy going and this is a good balance between fruit and earth. With a medium, spicy finish this is beautifully crafted.    4.2/5

• Vida La Vida 2013

The Vida La Vida is 90% Merlot and the remaining blend is Cabernet Sauvignon and Kadarka. It’s aged for 21 months in 500L oak and 6 months in stainless steel. Flavors include black plum, rubber, graphite, black cherry, and earth. Elegant and structured on the palate, it’s controlled and not huge. The tannins are firm and it needs more time in the bottle. It’s a beautiful wine with a long finish.    4.3/5

Thanks to Piroska Koltai of Wine a’More Travel and Daniel Ercsey of WineSofa for organizing our visit. Additional thanks to Takler Wine Estate for providing one night of accommodation. 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.

The post Spicy Hungarian Wines From Szekszárd appeared first on Wine Travel.

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!

Bott Frigyes Winery

During the planning of our Slovakia wine trip in December 2017, we flagged up Bott Frigyes and Strekov 1075 to the organizers. We didn’t know much about Slovak wine then but those two wineries stood out to us. A few weeks prior to our trip to Slovakia, we were in Hungary and many producers and wine enthusiasts there recommended the wines of Bott Frigyes, an ethnic Hungarian making wine in Slovakia.

The village of Mužla (and neighboring town Belá) consists of low-lying hills that gently slope into the Danube. The hills have volcanic origins and are south-facing, making them attractive spots for viticulture. This area falls in the Južnoslovenská wine region, which is dominated by ethnic Hungarians. Bott Frigyes’s vineyards are on the Mužla hill, near the confluence of the Hron and Danube Rivers.

The post Bott Frigyes Super Granum Red 2016 appeared first on Wine Travel.

Special thanks to Tom Leitner who set up the appointment with these wineries and also acted as our guide.

Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell

Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell is located in Südsteiermark, perhaps the most celebrated area among the southern Austrian wine regions. The green rolling hills of this area are steep and make for a scenic drive. The Austrian border with Slovenia is here. In fact, one of the roads is built on the border. A few producers in Südsteiermark have vineyards in both Austria and Slovenia.

The proprietor and winemaker is Hartmut Aubel. He farms his 9.5-hectare plot biodynamically. Hartmut only uses native yeasts in his annual production of 20,000 to 25,000 bottles. All wines are bottled without filtration. The white wines get at least 48 hours of skin contact, with the exception of his amber wines, which see even more maceration time. Hartmut puts an emphasis on picking earlier to get higher acidity and it really shows in the wines.

We visited Weingut Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell on Hartmut’s birthday. He had a small celebration on his gorgeous tasting deck. It overlooks the border with Slovenia, which is only several hundred meters to the south of the winery. Several of his friends were there for the celebration including the family of Nikolaihof winery. Hartmut is best friends with Nikolaus Saahs who is the winemaker at Nikolaihof.

It was a fast and furious day. After a tour of the vineyards, it was time to celebrate Hartmut’s birthday. Over the course of eight hours, Hartmut brought out 16 of his wines and six from Nikolaihoff. Everybody else was drinking and celebrating so it was difficult to keep up with writing tasting notes. At one point, Hartmut took the spit bucket off the table. When I tried to replace it, he took it off the table again much to my dismay.

In the end, it worked out great. Hartmut brought out his entire portfolio including a few archive wines. Hartmut is a hardcore, natural winemaker and one observation is that there is no definitive house style. Rebenhof has dry and off-dry wines. They also have wines that are fresh and crisp while others are oxidative in style. Hartmut makes several barrel fermented wines and he also makes a few macerated whites.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

• Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell Inox 500 2012

Hartmut likes to experiment and he makes several macerated white wines in different-size barrels. The Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell Inox 500 is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Morillon (Chardonnay), and Riesling macerated for 6 months and aged in 500-liter barrels. This is bigger bodied and stronger than the Inox 300. It also has more wood influence. Full of tangerine, sweet cedar, apricot, and autumn leaf flavors. The wine has dense fruit, high concentration, and a sweet tobacco finish.   4.3/5

• Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell Silt Sauvignon Blanc 2013

This is a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc. The Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell Silt Sauvignon Blanc is loaded with minerals, chalk, herbs, white fruit, and citrus flavors. It’s medium-bodied on the palate. Nice weight without being too cumbersome. Squeaky clean and well made, this effort will make French wine geeks happy.  4.1/5

• Rebenhof  Hartmut Aubell Quercus 328 2012

This is a secret blend of white grapes matured in 328-liter cigar barrels. The famous winery Didier Dagueneau in the Loire Valley uses these same cigar barrels for its Silex line of wines. There is a small amount of residual sugar here and it works well. Full of fall leaves, pear, peach, and some tertiary notes. The Rebenhof  Hartmut Aubell Quercus 328 is medium bodied for a barrel fermented and aged white wine. It has mouth-cleansing acidity and a small level of tannins.   4.2/5

Herrenhof Lamprecht

The Herrenhof Lamprecht winery is just a 30-minute drive east of Graz. Fruit orchards, pumpkin patches, and cornfields dot the rolling hills of the area. It doesn’t look like a wine-growing region at all. However, that didn’t stop the proprietor/winemaker Gottfried Lamprecht.

In the past, the area was planted with vineyards for a monastery located 100 kilometers to the north. Gottfried’s grandfather bought the property and for many years the land was used for fruit orchards. Gottfried wanted to replant the land with vineyards and restore wine growing glory to the property.

His first vintage was 2008 and in a short amount of time, he has built up an impressive portfolio of wines. Gottfried’s vineyards are certified organic and he uses native yeasts for fermentation. He tries to bottle wines without filtration whenever possible and uses the low amount of sulfites.

The hard work pays off. Herrenhof Lamprecht wines consistently receive high scores from the Austrian wine magazine Falstaff. He also was the beneficiary of a few 90-point scores from Robert Parker in previous vintages.

All of the wines in the Herrenhof Lamprecht lineup are excellent. In fact, this was one of my favorite winery visits in 2017 so far. These wines all have bright, ripe fruit with some bite and balanced acidity. Gottfried plans to expand white wine production in the future, which he believes the area is best suited for. However, the reds here are nothing to scoff at. Both the Blaufränkisch and Pinot Noir wines display elegance and subtle power.

This is a highly recommended producer.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

• Herrenhof Lamprecht Sand & Kalk 2016

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Herrenhof Lamprecht Sand & Kalk is 85% Pinot Blanc and the rest of the blend is Morillon (Chardonnay), Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris. Chalk, lime, peach, and smoke flavors are present in the glass. The wine has tart fruit flavors and juicy acidity with a long, mineral finish. Out of the winery’s portfolio, this is the wine made in the largest quantity. It’s a beautiful effort for an entry-level white wine.   4.2/5

• Herrenhof Lamprecht Sand & Kalk “r” 2015

A reserve wine made with 100% Pinot Blanc from old vines. The Herrenhof Lamprecht Sand & Kalk “r” is aged for 18 months in oak. Gottfried said that this vintage is the best Pinot Blanc he has ever made. The wine has explosive pineapple, yogurt, lime, and mineral flavors. There is a rich texture on the palate with a sandy feel from the barrel. The finish is long and mineral driven. This is serious juice that will taste beautiful with further bottle aging.   4.4/5

• Herrenhof Lamprecht Butchertberg Weiss 2015

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Herrenhof Lamprecht Butchertberg Weiss is a field blend of 65 grapes. Yogurt, dandelion, fresh cut grass, kiwi, starfruit are the main flavors. A big mid-palate punch with a wild finish. It is a wine with some bite. The wine has a lingering and tart end palate that has a touch of dandelion. Unique, bright, clean, and wild all at the same time.   4.3/5

Herrenhof Lamprecht also makes a macerated white wine with this field blend that is worth seeking out.

• Herrenhof Lamprecht Buchertberg Rot 2015

This is a field blend of mostly Blaufränkisch. Other grapes in the Herrenhof Lamprecht Buchertberg Rot include Pinot Noir, St. Laurent, Blauer Wildbacher, and Kadarka. The wine is aged for 18 months in oak. Flavors include red fruit pie, white pepper, violets and V8 juice. Juicy while being vegetal, nice balance of fruit and earth. This has the elegance and subtle power of a good Pinot Noir.  4.2/5

You  May Also Enjoy

• A Crash Course on Biodynamic Austrian Wine
• Gut Oggau Brutal Rosé 2016
• Austrian Wine from Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell and Herrenhof Lamprecht

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. 

The post Tasting at Rebenhof Hartmut Aubell and Herrenhof Lamprecht appeared first on Wine Travel.

We had a fantastic time at the (Facebook) #winelover’s See You In Serbia trip. Having spent nearly six months in the country, we consider ourselves rather familiar with Serbian wines. Because of that, we oscillated between “Let’s go. I’m excited!” and “Meh. I’m not sure if we will see, taste, or learn anything new.” In the end, we committed to the trip because “Of course there’s always something new to learn and experience.” But the ultimate determinant was the friendships: to show support for an initiative that our friends work so hard for and take the opportunity to know the #winelover community.  And we’re glad we participated as we were rewarded in more ways than one.

Tomislav Ivanović, Mirjana Maksimović, Igor Luković, and Dušan Jelić did a remarkable job of organizing the trip for a large group of discerning wine lovers. Over the course of five days, #winelovers from all around the world got to taste Serbian wines from nearly 50 producers.
 

BYOB Dinner

All #winelover trips usually start off with a BYOB dinner, and this trip was no exception. The dinner was held at Steak & Wine with Dejan Živkoski, President of SERSA – Serbian Sommelier Association, as the host. All attendees brought at least one bottle of wine to the dinner. For us, it was almost a civic responsibility to share Croatian wines. We chose a Tomac Amfora 2008 and a Križ Plavac Mali 2015 to share with the group.

There were many outstanding wines that night, but the highlights were the many bottles of Hungarian Furmint and Tokaj wines that Daniel Ercsey, Koltai Piroska and Sue Tolson from WineSofa shared with us. And the “wine of the night” for us was a Paolo Bea Sagrantino from Montefalco Secco Pagliaro 2009 that Rowena Dumlao Giardina from Apron and Sneakers brought (photo below).

 

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 18, 2017 at 12:20pm PDT

Negotin Region

East Serbia is home to what we believe is  Serbia’s best area for red wine. The journey to Negotin from Belgrade is tediously long. We started the day in Belgrade at 7:30 AM and came back at 1:30 AM. While many people grumbled about the long bus ride—having been to the region—we felt it was vital for the group to visit Negotin.

You can mouse over the picture below and play the video.

 

On the Aquastar Maxim ferry that took us through the Iron Gates gorge on the Danube River. Romania on one side, Serbia on the other, and wine lovers from all over the world on board.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 18, 2017 at 2:18pm PDT

The day started with a cruise ride through The Iron Gates, a gorge on the Danube River. The Iron Gates acts as a border between Romania and Serbia. At 2,860 meters, the Danube River is Europe’s second longest river and flows through 10 countries. During the ride, we passed through the narrowest point of the river. Here’s a look at that point.

The gorge is also home to a sculpture of Decebalus. As the last king of Dacia, he fought against the Roman emperors to preserve the kingdom’s independence. At over 40 meters in height, the sculpture is the tallest rock sculpture in Europe.

After the boat ride, we arrived at Matalj Winery. The proprietor Nikola Mladenović Matalj hosted 10 wineries from East and Southeast Serbia at his winery. The #winelover attendees all had their list of favorites, and many from the group walked away impressed with the quality, if not potential, of Serbian wines. We took personal delight in the fact that the Matalj Kremen Kamen impressed many wine lovers.

 

Excellent example of Vranac and a common favorite among the #winelover people at the tasting. Lots of oak influence but well integrated into the wine: it was fruit first, then secondary profile, and only a sign of tertiary notes in this 6-year-old wine. With its high acidity and tannins, this is a candidate for longer aging. Even with 15% alcohol, it has enough fruit and extract to go some distance.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 19, 2017 at 3:57am PDT

Our surprise of the day was the fresh Chardonnay by Bukovo Monastery; the wine had a floral-accented profile along with fruit power. Their wines are made by superstar-winemaker Radovan Djordjević (owner of Podrum Čokot). Many people from the group also enjoyed the Vinarija Raj Game (Gamay) and the Aleksić Armanet (Vranac).

 

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 13, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT

The night ended with a trek up to the old cellars of Rajac. While not everyone appreciated the one-kilometer, uphill hike, we got a chance to taste some romača (homemade) rakija and wine, which softened the four-hour bus ride back to Belgrade.

 

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 13, 2017 at 3:49pm PDT

Prokupac Day

September 14 is International Prokupac Day. Our trip included passes to the annual Prokupac Conference organized by Wine Identity. The conference consisted of four workshops that were delivered at a breakneck, yet efficient manner. The conference was headlined by Master of Wine Caroline Gilby.

 

90-people strong class on #ProkupacDay.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 14, 2017 at 8:25pm PDT

The class on the aging potential of Prokupac by Tomislav Ivanović caused a stir among the crowd. Tomislav presented several labels and vintages from Vino Budimir, including Budimir Triada, Budimir Svb Rosa, and Budimir Boje Lila. As the workshop showed, while there might not be examples of Prokupac (yet) that show enough fruit power to undergo decades of aging, those wines can definitely develop well in the short and medium term.

Two wines that also impressed us were the Čokot Radovan 100% Prokupac 2015 and the latest 2015 vintage of Ivanović No 1/2 (50% Prokupac, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Merlot). It’s no surprise since these two producers, along with Budimir, are among the top wineries in the Župa Valley—the spiritual home of Prokupac.

One example that caught our attention was a white wine made from Prokupac. The Milanov Vinarija Prokupac Belo (White) showed that this grape might be capable of making pleasant Blanc de Noirs wine. Other new producers of red Prokupac that stood out to us included Vinarija Grabak and Vinarija Yotta.

The Exotic Wine Travel team has always been fond of Prokupac, and we believe that it has the potential to shine on the international platform; so it was exciting to witness the reactions from the #winelover group. The remarks were mostly positive. However, there was a clear divide between people who think that Prokupac wines should be blended with international grapes and others who like it as a varietal wine. Regardless, many concurred that the grape is capable of making good wines.

Wines From Šumadija and Vojvodina

The third day included a field trip to Šumadija, a wine region in Central Serbia. The first stop was Aleksandrović Winery, one of the first three privatized wineries that appeared in Serbia after the Soviet period and also one of the biggest producers in Serbia.  The rest of the afternoon saw us making stops at The Kings Cellar in Oplenac and Despotika Winery.

We enjoyed tasting with the #winelover group, which consisted of wine professionals, winemakers, wine importers,  writers, bloggers, and staunch wine lovers. It’s always eye-opening and humbling to taste wine with people with extensive and varied experience. Here’s a snap of the group at Aleksandrović. Thank you Sharon Parsons from Spaswinefood for the photo.

Our stop at The King’s Cellar provided a look at the history and lives of King Alexander and Queen Maria. While we’ve never found pleasure in drinking their wine, the visit offered a brief look into the history of Yugoslavia and the Šumadija region. We followed up with a visit to Despotika Winery, where eight wineries from Central Serbia presented their wines.

 

The Church of Saint George in Oplenac offers a stunning interior of 3500-square-meter mosaics. The Jesus on the ceiling is the largest piece.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 19, 2017 at 12:49am PDT

Many people found the wines from Virtus agreeable with their palates; the newest vintage of its Marselan was a popular favorite with its full body, deep color, high level of extract, and excellent price-quality ratio. Several of the whites from Despotika also impressed the group, including an off-dry Morava with piercing acidity. The Janko Zavet Stari (Bordeaux Blend) and Radovanović Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve also received a fair share of votes. While there were many excellent producers present, we were disappointed that the wines from Cilić weren’t there.

Here’s a shot of Despotika‘s vineyards at sunset.

 

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 15, 2017 at 4:33pm PDT

The group headed back to Belgrade and we concluded the day with a gala dinner at The Square in downtown Belgrade. The restaurant is located in Square 9 Hotel, and it’s often touted to be one of the best dining spots in the city. The wines of Vojvodina (North Serbia) were showcased, and the Bijelica Saga 2016 stood out to many people. Indeed, we think this blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is perhaps the best fresh white wine in Serbia right now.

Biodynamic and Orange Serbian Wines

We finished the trip with a morning tasting of biodynamic and amber wine / orange wine from Serbia. Even though the modern wine industry is fairly young in Serbia, there is a progressive movement for minimal-intervention wine. There were five producers present at the tasting Bikicki, Dukay-Sagmeister, Imperator, Kovačevic, and Maurer.

Several people enjoyed this tasting the most out of all the ones in our program.

Oskar Maurer is probably Serbia’s most well-known producer as his wines are available at at least 10 Michelin-starred restaurants in the world.

Oskar also helps make the wine at Bikicki, a new producer that crafts a light and delicious macerated Pinot Grigio and a late-harvest Traminer among others.

The newest vintage of Riesling from Imperator drew many positive responses as well.

Dukay-Sagmeister stole the show that morning. The dry Furmint received rave reviews in addition to his elegant red made from Kadarka. Many people bought several bottles of Dukay-Sagmeister‘s wines.

Kovačevic was somewhat neglected at the tasting. Perhaps it was because there was no one from the winery to represent their wines, or maybe it was because their wines do not follow minimal-intervention farming.

 

Furmintis because it’s botrytis Furmint. 😂😂😂 Absolutely stunning Serbian dry Furmint and the best discovery from last night’s Wine Jam event. The noble rot flavors, such as honey and cotton candy, are present on the palate and show only the slightest presence on the nose. What’s stunning is those flavors are mere ‘afterthoughts’–so light-footed that they, in fact, highlight the varietal characteristics: the Furmint’s primary flavors and acidity march out straight from the textbook. Overall, it’s a really nuanced wine. We have to re-taste and probably enjoy a whole bottle to fully comprehend this wine. Yea, thankfully, we managed to buy a bottle!

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 8, 2017 at 8:14am PDT

The People of #Winelover

Romania was never high up on our priority list of “exotic wine places” to explore because of the lack of an active motivation or an experiential hook. Recently, one of my best friends had a swindler-related, near-violent experience there. The limited Romanian wines we tasted also failed to impress us (although we are certain that there are excellent Romanian wines).

More than 10 Romanians attended the #winelover trip, and they offered us a window into a place that we were unfamiliar with. They were warm, funny, and enthusiastic, and we bonded during the five-day trip. Now it looks like we might have to make a trip to Romania in 2018!

Special thanks to Alexandra Sabotnicu Serban, Silviu Serban, Serban Sincai, and Simona Sincai for making us love Romania even before we’ve met it.

 

Today marks the end of the #winelover trip in Belgrade. We are so lucky to meet so many new friends during this trip, and some of them have left us hooks to visit their countries.

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Another wonderful person we met was Manuella Webber-Witt, a Brazilian making wine in Germany. On the last day, we got the chance to taste her Riesling from Pfalz. It’s a Qualitätswein with brilliant acidity and crystalline fruit flavors. All the best to Manuela as she works on making her wine a commercial product!

Everyone else on the trip touched us in one way or the other. There were a lot of laughs on this trip including Giannas Krassaki who overslept and missed the entire first day of the trip (he is not in our group photo below). Thanks to everyone who made this trip so special for us. The enthusiasm and passion that the #winelover group displayed are what make these trips so special. Thank you Luiz Alberto of The Wine Hub for the photo below.

We look forward to meeting all of you, current and future members of #winelovers, on the next trip!

 
 
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Articles: Serbian Wine
Videos: Serbian Wine – YouTube Playlist
More photos and updates about the #winelover trip in Serbia can be found on our Facebook and Instagram.

Check Out the Websites of Our #Winelover Members
Carol Lopez-Bethel’s Swirl Wine Consulting
Christina Portz’s Just the Bottle
Dušan Jelić’s Wines of Balkans
Mirjana Maksimović’s Žena i Vino (in Serbian)
Piroska Koltai’s Wine a’More Travel
Razvan Stoenescu’s Povești cu vin (in Romanian)
Sarah May Grunwald’s Taste Georgia
Tomislav Ivanović’s Vinopedia

The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions.

The post See You in Serbia #Winelover Trip appeared first on Wine Travel.

After a whirlwind, two-month period launching our book Uncorking the Caucasus in Georgia and Armenia, we decided it was time to leave the region. Winter was starting in Tbilisi and the cold weather came quickly, so we jumped on a plane and headed to the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), or Macedonia for short. We had reason to go back to this tiny Balkan country; there was a special event taking place.

Downtown Skopje, Macedonia, the site of Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon 2016.

Our friend Ivana Simjanovska was instrumental in putting together the first Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon. We wanted to show Ivana support for all of the hard work that she put into making this idea a reality. The Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon was a well-organized tasting of nearly 20 Macedonian wineries, in addition to several other wineries from Serbia, Slovenia, and Italy. The Wine Salon was held on the weekend of November 11 & 12, 2016 at the Mariott Hotel in downtown Skopje.

The main room at the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon.

It was a small but fantastic show. We had traveled through Macedonia earlier in 2016 so most of the wines were familiar to us. At the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon, we got a chance to taste some new vintages and discover a few wines that we previously missed. The main ballroom was bustling but small enough to taste at every booth without much hassle.

Saša Špiranec and Igor Lukovic leading the workshop on Balkan indigenous varieties.

Master classes were conducted on the same floor during the event. They were the highlight of the Vinodonia Skopje Salon for us.
 

Indigenous Balkan Grape Varieties

This was a highly educational workshop about Stanušina from Macedonia, Prokupac from Serbia, and Plavac Mali from Croatia. Each grape was presented by a renowned wine writer of the same country of origin as the grape. Ivana Simjanovska presented two Stanušina wines, Igor Luković had four examples of Prokupac, and Saša Špiranec showed three wines made from Plavac Mali.

The first two glasses in the upper left are Stanušina. The next four moving left to right are Prokupac, and the final three on the lower right are Plavac Mali (one glass of Plavac Mali is cut off). Note the color differences between the wines, especially the much darker Plavac Mali.

Stanušina is a Macedonian variety with a clouded history. It produces lightly colored and low in tannins wine with medium-level alcohol, which reminds us of a much softer version of Grenache. There are only two producers making Stanušina wine commercially at the point of writing. Hopefully, this grape gains more traction as a worthy variety that produces elegant, lighter red wines; this would be a good contrast to most of the reds coming from Macedonia, which are ripe and massive.

Prokupac hails from southern Serbia. It is an ancient grape variety with some ties to the grape Kadarka. It is Charine’s favorite grape from Serbia and it’s capable of making serious wine. The best examples we tasted were from the Župa valley where fruit is sourced from old bush vines. We’ve had many different styles of wine made from this variety. When done well, it can taste like an imaginary cross between Rhône Syrah and Pinot Noir. It is a grape that wine nerds should definitely seek out.

Plavac Mali is Croatia’s flagship red grape. It is the offspring of the original Zinfandel (Tribidrag/Crljenak Kaštelanski in Croatian) and another local grape called Dobričič. We know this grape very well. At its best, the wine can have luscious notes of red fruit, perfume, and earthiness. At its worst, it can taste moldy, overripe, and rustic. The wine has the potential to make incredible wines but you have to sift through a lot of uninspiring examples in Croatia to come across the great ones.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

• Brušani Stanushina 2013

Light brick red in color with a nose of ripe cherry pie, clay, and cranberry juice. Flavors of red cherry, dirt, minerals can be felt on the palate with some light tannins. It is very complex for such a light red wine with tight tannins. The production is tiny and the winemaker finds his inspiration from Chateau Musar, so expect to find some volatile acidity and dirtiness in this wine. Still, the minerality of the wine is undeniably appealing. 

• Ivanović Prokupac 2015

Dragoslav “Gaga” Ivanović is a legend in South Serbia. When we were traveling through the country, someone referred to Gaga as a “Zen Master”. This is a blend of 85% Prokupac, 7.5% Merlot, and 7.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is dark purple in color with dark plum, blue fruit, and brown spice notes on the nose. The palate is rich with flavors of earth and dark fruit while staying tangy and acidic, with some tannic tug. A wine that is pleasurable now but is definitely worthy of aging. 

• Budimir Prokupac Boje Lila 2009 

Find at wineandmore.com

This is the third time we’re tasting this wine. The first time we tasted it, our initial impressions were very good but not exceptional. However, this time it really impresses us. Budimir is the only winery in Serbia to have their wines scored by Robert Parker.

This is 100% Prokupac, aged for five years before release. The dominant flavors are of earth, perfume, flower, and herb held together by a blackberry core. Good texture and a silky smooth finish.

• Miloš Stagnum 2007

Find Miloš Stagnum here.

One of Croatia’s cult wines, made from 100% Plavac Mali. Frano Miloš makes a range of varietal wines from Plavac Mali. He farms organically, employs natural yeasts, utilizes spontaneous fermentation, and believes in long aging. The 2007 is the current release. It has a nose of dried cherry, leather, rubber, mineral, and earth. On the palate, flavors of tangy cherry, leather, tar, and rubber emerge with nice acidity. The wine has rich flavors and is a throwback to the old-school style of winemaking.

Vertical Tasting of Chateau Kamnik Ten Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon 2004-2015

We visited Chateau Kamnik in April 2016 and tasted through their entire portfolio. A link to the article based on our initial visit is at the bottom of the page.

The Ten Barrels line from Chateau Kamnik consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah; the Syrah range is excellent as well. As the name suggests, there are only ten barrels of each wine made in a good year.

Macedonia receives nearly 300 days of sunshine each year. The country is at the confluence of Mediterranean and Continental climates which bodes well for grape growing. The thriving red grape is Vranec, but there is potential for many other red grapes to do well.

Eight vintages of Chateau Kamnik Ten Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon. spanning from 2004-2015.

With the high amount of sunny days paired with long, dry autumns in Macedonia, it’s not surprising to see many wineries with plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon. In this vertical tasting, we got a chance to taste eight vintages: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015.

The early vintages were balanced and had developed nicely. After 2009, the alcohol levels started rising and the wines showed riper fruit flavors and more oak. The wines of 2011 and 2013 were too ripe and big for us—that’s not to say that they are bad wines, it’s just a matter of preference. The 2015 vintage was a barrel sample and it showed a surprising amount of balance despite clocking in at 15.3 % ABV. The 2015 could shape out to be the best wine of the flight in the years ahead.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

Find Chateau Kamnik wines at wineandmore.com

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2006

Clocking in at 14.1 ABV, this wine is an absolute beauty. The wine has bright cherry, tomato leaf, sweet tobacco, and rubber. The notes on the nose are very focused. The palate is full of sour cherry, sweet tobacco, and mint. It is wonderfully balanced, refined, structured, and delicious. This is great wine, period.

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2007

At first, Matt detested this nose but it kept revealing more secrets as it opened up. Charine loved this from the start. The nose is full of sweet tobacco, crushed flowers, black licorice, and potpourri. The palate is dark and complex with black licorice, incense, potpourri, and black fruit. It is nice in a different way than you would expect from Cabernet Sauvignon. This vintage has developed more tertiary (aging) notes than the 2006 vintage, which is interesting. 

• Chateau Kamnik Cabernet Sauvignon Ten Barrels 2009

A higher alcohol wine at 14.7 ABV and has vanilla on the nose at first but opens with rubber, cherry juice, and brown sugar. The palate is full of black cherry, pencil lead, spice, and smooth tannins but the body is big and strong. This is big and fruit-forward but not overly bruising. 

At this point in the tasting, we could sense the new vintage was becoming bigger and the alcohol level rising.

Stobi Winery Private Reserve Wines

The last masterclass of the salon was by Stobi. This winery is relaunching their top wines under the label Private Reserve. Stobi produces close to 4.5 million liters of wine each year; all are bottled wine. The winery is in central Macedonia, next to the ancient Roman city of Stobi, a well-preserved site. The peacock on the Stobi label is taken from a mosaic found in the ancient city.

The Stobi Private Reserve Line.

We visited the winery and superb restaurant in the Spring of 2016. Anyone who visits Macedonia should eat at the Stobi restaurant! The wines of Stobi are very impressive, especially for such a big-production winery. All of their wines, including the basic one-liter bottles, are of good quality. The top wines are well made and of screaming values. The Vranec Veritas 2011 has received 90 points from Wine Enthusiast and is listed on Wine-Searcher at 17.99 USD.

The Stobi Private Reserve Line.

The problems that plague many Macedonian wines include flavors that are too ripe, over-extraction, and poor oak management. These are not problems at Stobi. Balance is displayed in these Stobi Private Reserve wines—a rarity in a country where wines routinely reach 15-17% ABV. There are no blockbusters in the Stobi portfolio (yet) but all of their wines are very good at fair prices.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

• Stobi Acacia 2013

Made from 100% Chardonnay. This wine is aged for eight months in Acacia and French oak. It has a nice dandelion color and the nose is very pleasant with yellow flower, pear, melon, and crushed white flowers. The palate is similar to the nose with a touch of pineapple. This is crisp and delicious for a wine aged in wood. Easy to understand and satisfying.

• Stobi Axios 2013

Made of 100% Merlot. The wine is aged 18 months in oak and is full of chocolate, pencil lead, and plum. The palate adds flavors of earth, pepper, capsicum, and slate. It tastes a lot like a lean, right bank Bordeaux. A well made and easy to drink wine.

• Stobi Aminta 2013

A blend of 34% Vranec, 33% Merlot, and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon. This spends 24 months in oak and has a nose full of chalk, red fruit, chocolate, and herbs. The palate is tangy with red and black fruit, blueberry, mineral, and a nice mid-palate spike. The wine is delicious, unique, yet strangely familiar. 

Thanks to Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon

We would like to extend a special thank you to Ivana Simjanovska and the team at Vinodonia. They provided us passes to the event and workshops. It was a fun event and we hope to make it to another one in the coming years.

We interviewed Ivana Simjanovska about Macedonian wine on our website in a previous article. You can learn more about Vinodonia on their website. We’ve also written an in-depth piece about the wines of Chateau Kamnik.

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You May Also Enjoy: 
Barovo Tikveš: World Class Wine from Macedonia
10 Plavac Mali Wines to Try (Besides Dingač And Postup)

Disclosure: We were given complimentary passes to the Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon. However, the ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and not associated with any other sponsors or business promotions.

The post Vinodonia Skopje Wine Salon Impressions appeared first on Wine Travel.