Mád Furmint and Fungus

On Friday afternoon I drove through the great Hungarian planes, that run all the way to Belgrade, to reach the Tokaji region.

Not far from the Polish, Ukrainian and Romanian borders, this area of Hungary is a gorgeous pocket of rolling hills, vineyards, and historic villages. This area used to be part of the greater Tokaj-Hegyalja region within the Kingdom of Hungary, but was divided between Hungary and Czechoslovakia after the Treaty of Trianon. A region rich in history, and - of course - the wine isn't bad either... dry or Aszu (actually pronounced Ossu!) style.

View of Mád through Tokaji vineyards

The Royal Tokaji Company is located in one of the three principle villages of the Tokaji region Mád. I love it for the name alone: I'm sure we all think we sometimes live in the village of Mad!

There I was met by Istvan, the winemaker of over 15 years. With an armoury of stories and a twinkle in his eye, he showed me around his precious cellars. Friday afternoon was all about tasting the dry furmints, blends and single vineyard wines. As good as all these wines are, the most exciting moment was tasting our new exclusive blend from the 2012 vintage that we put together a few months ago from very young components. So this was the first time we tasted the finished product. It is also the first time that the Royal Tokaji Company has done an exclusive blend for any customer, and we will also have an exclusive label. You will love the wine!! To be launched October.

Istvan tasting with us from barrel. New exclusive 2012 blend.

From the barrel room, we then headed to the old underground cellars which are full of fungus. If you are interested in this (and Istvan certainly is!!) have a look at the video below where all is explained...

My favourite story of the visit was about a group of Masters of Wine who were visiting a few years ago. There were 33 in the group but after the cellar visit, only 30 got back on the bus. Three were lost in the tunnels, the lights went out, and there was no mobile phone coverage. Being down in the cellars when told this story, I could see how the three involved weren't impressed by the experience. But Istvan recounted the story with a gleam in his eye: 30 out of 33 wasn't bad, no?

Saturday morning was all about Aszu wines. This was such a treat and reminded me to remind you all that we should be telling all our customers to get their hands on a bottle. With as much vineyard variation as Burgundy, and as much complexity as any of the world's great wines, everyone should have a bottle in their cellar. 

 

For more photos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151697779296241.1073741844.738991240&type=1&l=fc048378be 

 

Sunset over the Tokaji vineyards

It's All Hungarian To Me

Could someone please have warned me? Yes, I'd seen this local grape variety Juhfark in written form but it never occurred to me how it might be pronounced. If anyone is in doubt, come and ask me. Honestly couldn't believe my ears! Means "sheep's tail" by the way...

Apart from the impossible to pronounce language (or the embarrassment of pronouncing some words correctly!), Hungary is going to be a continuing great source of interesting varieties to which we can introduce our customers. Like Kiraly Leanyka. This local white variety literally translates as "the little princess". Lovely idea for the story behind the brand and easy to say! It has traditionally been used in blends but is a super fresh, delicate white with a lovely name. We are going to keep a parcel of this aside from the 2013 vintage so we can try a single variety wine. Gabor is on the case...

Winemaker Gabor Laczko

The Danube Also Rises

As I write this from a cafe safely perched on the Buda castle hill in Budapest, below the Danube is gushing past, rising and rising as it heads east. The volume of water is now seriously impressive. Towns in the Danube's path in Germany have already been inundated, and now northern parts of Budapest have been evacuated. The hot temperature and the summer sun belie the dangerous flow of the river.

Redundant street sign!

Sand banks are being constructed while the closest roads to the river have already been submerged. I hear tomorrow will be the peak: good thing I am flying out tonight!

Sandbanking on Danube

Just out of Budapest, vineyards have also had a lot of water from weeks of heavy downpours but if the sun of these past few days stays out for a while, 2013 looks like a good vintage. Which is why I am here. Lots to do to prepare for new vintages of Campanula as well as loads of other opportunities...Trying to stay a step ahead...!

Original poster from Torley, home to Campanula

With three strong regions in our Central & Eastern European range - Hungary, Romania and Moldova - now is the time to push these forward as well as looking at some other regions in this area. Why? Amazing history, changing social and political trends, unique personal stories, and the wines are getting better and better. I want to bring a few more interesting wines, especially reds into the range over the next year - watch this space - but for the immediate future, whites are the superstars. And there's a big opportunity... with NZ prices going up and a practically non-existent vintage in the Loire, where can we look for consistently good quality and value Sauvignon Blanc? We're missing a trick if we don't push Albastrele and Paris Street Sauvignon Blanc (both award winning!). And now I'm looking to complete the trio from Hungary with a new SB to launch with the '13 vintage.

For more photos of the flooding Danube and Budapest, go to:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151697760706241.1073741843.738991240&type=1&l=f60029273d 

AND 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151697732331241.1073741842.738991240&type=1&l=8f6a210312