For the sober days…

Vylyan Vineyard and Winery has been producing verjus for some years, we have already had the chance to taste it several times. Verjus can be an alternative of “spritz”, when we want to avoid alcohol – the juice of the green grape mixed with soda water is the ultimate refreshment of winelovers. Certainly, it has found its role in the contemporary cuisine. Did you know that the recent trend of verjus began with some unsold South Australian Rhine Riesling?

Verjus: the silver lining of a bad vintage

Verjus (or verjuice), the word comes from the French expression ‘vert jus’ meaning ‘green juice’, since the unripen, green grapes are pressed to obtain the substance. According to some resources verjus goes back to as early as the Middle Ages.The recent trend of verjus has spread thanks to a South Australian winemaker and foodie, Maggie Beer. She was the first to produce verjus commercially due to a bad vintage: “I can hardly believe it was over 30 years ago that serendipity provided us with a glut of Riesling grapes we couldn’t sell, at the very same time my knowledge of this thing called Verjuice had been piqued. From such humble beginnings, I never dreamt of the huge journey it would take me on. I’m told that I’m the first in the world to make Verjuice on a commercial scale.” – says Maggie Beer. She also has some pieces advice on how to use verjus in the kitchen:
“For mushroom lovers, Verjuice will be your new best friend as it is the perfect partner for mushrooms! Use in place of white wine if you prefer not to cook with alcohol. Verjuice is perfect in a pumpkin risotto. Otherwise, simply enjoy it as a quenching refreshment, super chilled with plenty of ice.”

Vylyan Verjus from the south of Hungary

Verjus is sour, there is nothing to hide about it. But who despises lemon, one of the sourest things in the world? On the contrary, lemon is an obligatory ingredient of most meals, including desserts. In Villány, the southernmost wine region of Hungary verjus is made by Vylyan, a leading wine estate. As they say, the key of the sourness is the time of the harvest – they choose the “golden mean”, thus their verjus is neither too sour and neither too mild.
The label was designed by Botond Csiby-Gindele, an earlier winner of Vylyan Bogyólé label contest, and he brilliantly expresses what Vylyan Verjus represents: freedom, health and freshness.
Vylyan Verjus costs 3490 HUF / 8–9 EUR on Vylyan webshop
Vylyan verjus is available at Eleven wine bar in the city of Pécs (South of Hungary), where visitors can taste verjus spritz and verjus limoncello cocktail.
More about Vylyan Vineyard and Winery

Vylyan wines are available in several countries. If you are interested in importing Vylyan wines or / and adding Vylyan Verjus to your range, contact Vylyan team here.

Visit Vylyan on 23 November 2024 (Saturday) on the 9th edition of Franc & Franc tasting day, where Vylyan is one of the five host estates, guests visit all the five places and taste Cabernet Franc wines from more than 40 wineries. Only a few tickets are left!
Get your ticket here (in Hungarian, but google can help)