Type of wine: Dry, white
Grape varieties: 100% Irsai Olivér
Alcohol: 12%
Acidity: 4.9 g/l
Residual sugar: 3.0 g/l
Extract: 22.0 g/l
Terroir, vineyard: Balatonlelle (Balatonboglár wine region), Garamvári Vineyard
Technology: Reductive
Serving temperature: 8–10 °C
Food pairing: Recommended to pair it with salads and fish.
Bottled quantity: 20.000 bottles
Cellar webshop retail price: 2350 HUF / 5–7 EUR
What is Irsai Olivér?
It is planted widely in Hungary due to its popularity. Wonderful examples of the grape are produced in Kunság region, where the best winemakers can hold in check the aromatic character of the variety. Also popular in Mátra, Balaton, Etyek–Buda, Neszmély, Sopron.
Irsai Olivér is a crossing between Pozsonyi Fehér and Csabagyöngye created by Pál Kocsis in 1930. There are several legends of the naming of the grape, one says that Kocsis was a passionate gambler and he gave away the name of the crossing due to his massive debt, but the truth is likely to be much simpler: Irsai Olivér was of the son of a respected wine merchant friend of Kocsis.
Ripening early, it gives a very aromatic, intense wine with grapey aromas, delicate spices. Easy drinking wine with medium-low acidity and alcohol, almost always vinified reductively for instant consumption.
It is a very widespread variety in the Balatonboglár wine region and is very popular among consumers. A light, tasty, easy-going, specifically reductively aged wine – the fresher, the better. Tastes are discerned by direct grapey aromas and a nice, somewhat bubbly freshness with zesty, lightly acidic crisp at the finish. Flowery, perfumed bouquet with peach and ripe grape aromas and bursting fruitiness on the palate.
