Decanter gold medal for Kővilla Syrah 2024 Villány

Every gentleman is happy to hear the expression in the title, but a winemaker is even happier, reading it on the website of Decanter World Wine Awards. The annual grandiose wine competition results were published a month ago, but we still have some great acknowledgements to publish – like the gold medal and 95 points for this Syrah from Villány wine region. Hungary received 15 gold medals and 144 medals altogether.

Decanter tasting notes:

“Spicy blackcurrant, smoky blueberry and damson are lent extra complexity with violet florals and a minty zing. Fulsome and firm, concentrated and impressively long.”
See full Decanter fact sheet of the wine
Csányi Winery, the producer of Kővilla Syrah won a bronze medal (87 points) as well with Teleki Inspiráció Bio Villányi Franc 2023.

Syrah from the “Valley of Tears”

The story of Jammertal
This famous grapegrowing place presumably got its name after the Battle of Szársomlyó in 1687. According to legend, even weeks after the imperial army’s victory, the cries of the wounded Turks could still be heard echoing from the mountains (Jammertal is a German / Swabian word meaning Valley of Tears). Teleki cultivates 9 hectares of Syrah here with medium high cordon training, 5,435 vines per hectare. Additionally, there are 5 hectares of Merlot with Single Guyot training system, 5,435 vines per hectare.

How was Kővilla Syrah made?
The harvest took place on 4 September, 2024. The controlled fermentation in Ganimade-type tank took place within 16 days with punching over three times a day. After pressing, malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tank, and then the wine was racked into new 300-litre oak barrels for 12 months.

Food pairings: Beef stew with red wine garnished with dumplings with sheep cheese, lamb stew, Hungarian layered cabbage casserole, lamb rib seasoned with rosemary, beef cheek confit, matured cheeses.

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