92 Decanter accolades to Hungary!
At the largest ever Decanter WWA experts judged 18.094 wines from 56 countries. Hungary received 92 accolades: 1 Best in Show, 4 Platinum, 15 gold, 40 silver and 32 bronze. Best in Show: St Andrea Egri Bikavér Grand Superior. Highest score from Hungary: Patricius Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos, Gold for an aromatic wine (!): Tornai Top Selection Tramini. Red Power – 3 gold winner red wines: Sauska Cuvée 7 Siklós, Vesztergombi Vintage, Heumann Trinitás. Old style revival: Gizella Szamorodni is also gold winner. Congratulations!!!
Best in Show – The bull is back!
This acknowledgement goes to best wine of a country, provided there are a significant amount of entries of a given country. We are happy to see that Egri Bikavér, the red blend of Eger wine region could show its merits (producers avoid the translated name of the blend, expressing that these Bikavér wines are completely different from the cheap and mass produced Bull’s Blood of the Communist era). St Andrea Egri Bikavér Nagy-Eged Grand Superior, 2017 proved to be the best wine of Hungary. DWWA judges about the wine:
“Those who remember how thinly disappointing many Bull’s Blood wines of the past were will be shocked to discover how deep and reassuringly bull-like this blend of Kekfrankos with Merlot and the two Cabernets is. The intense fruits have been harvested at the cusp of ripeness, then oak-aged with enough sensitivity to ensure that the dark urgency of the black fruits emerges limpidly and clearly, pointed up with a little leafy freshness. On the palate, this is clearly a young wine with a future: deep, dark, dense, fine-sewn and detailed, with ample juicy poise and incipient structure alike. The finishing extracts are very promising, too. The bull is back.“
Patricius Aszú – Platinum and the highest score
Hungary won 4 platinum awards, all the winners are from Tokaj, Patricius received the highest scores (98 points) for its Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2017 (even higher than Best in Show St. Andrea above with 97 points). “Nice quince notes on the nose with orange and citrus over almonds, nougat, honey and dried figs undertones. Concentrated and youthful, quite rich and pure with a lovely lingering acidity.“
Gold for Gizella Szamorodni – an ancient style
We received 15 gold medals, 9 of the gold winners came from Tokaj, and what is a pleasure to see is that besides the luscious Tokaji Aszú wines and the elegant dry Furmint wines an old style was appreciated as well: Tokaji Szamorodni 2018 from Gizella Winery (with 96 points). “Attractive and intense spicy character with delicious notes of dried pineapple, honey and apricot jam. Fiery character with character and fragrance ending in a succulent finish.“
Gold for Tornai Tramini – generous aromatics
Aromatic wines are not often seen on the top of the lists, but there are exceptions – certainly in this case the unique volcanic terroir must have played a part. Tornai Top Selection Tramini 2019 from Somló received gold medal with 95 points. “Lovely aromatics which are generous and well defined; lime leaf, lychee and Turkish delight notes. Good weight, intensity of flavour and impressive length. Very characterful.“
More about Tornai Winery
Red power – Sauska, Vesztergombi, Heumann
Hungary is first of all a white wine country, yet we are even prouder when we can show the country’s potential to produce ripened, elegantly matured, balanced red wines – like now.
– Sauska Cuvée 7 Siklós, Villány, 2017 (96 points)
“Ambitious nose of ripe bramble with notes of elegant chocolate and inky nuances. Full-bodied with a fresh acidity backbone and firm tannins structure. Well-handled oak.” (On the left in the photo.)
More about Sauska
– Vesztergombi Vintage, Szekszárd, 2017 (95 points)
“Ripe and smoky nose with complex aromas of charred wood and chocolate over rich dark fruit nuances. Full bodied and rich, with a persistent tasty finish.“
– Heumann Trinitás Franc, Villány, 2016 (95 points)
“Serious and classy nose with lots of spicy character, ripe dark cherries and plums. Lovely depth of fruit supporting the alcohol and grainy tannins.“
Full list of Hungarian DWWA results
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