Happy grapes Archives - Hungarianwines

Hungarian „Happy Grape” on IWC Canopy website

Hungarianwines.eu — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 08:00:55 +0000

„The plant is clever enough – we shouldn’t tell it how to grow,” – says Csaba Koch Hungarian winemaker and biologist in a recent article by Chris Boiling, wine editor of Canopy on International Wine Challenge website. Chris Boiling visited Koch Vineyard in Hajós–Baja wine region this August with Hungarianwines.eu team, and he was amazed by the vigorous vineyard Csaba Koch showed us around. „The key is that we do not restrict the grapegrowing. We create big but airy leafage, which significantly triggers the photosynthesising capability of the vine-plant, and (boosts) the quality of the grape and wine.” Csaba Koch’s method seems to be funcioning: his wines have been collecting gold medals and other prestigious prizes, and meanwhile he can keep prices at reasonable level due to the savings in the vineyard. „Many winemakers underestimate the role of leaves” – explains Koch in Canopy article. For those, who don’t, and what to learn more, Koch Winery offers vineyard tours and winery visits, plus they also have 8 rooms to stay in a lovely guest house surrounded by „happy grapes”.

Read the whole Canopy article

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New sparkling wine by Koch Winery

Hungarianwines.eu — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 11:33:09 +0000

Koch Chardonnay Brut

Csaba Koch is famous for putting his relatively unknown wine region, Hajós–Baja on the wine map of Hungary. His winery was awarded Winery of the Year in 2014, and he implemented a system called „happy vines” (see below). He is equally good at making great price-value ratio entry level wines and at creating wine selections with great care (just think of his Csanád Cuvée made of Bordeaux varieties and achieved several international medals, plus a recent award by Hungarian Winewriters). He has also made an adventure to the world of natural sweet wines with a late harvest Chardonnay, an ice wine made of Rhine Riesling, and a so called Snow Wine as well. And now, the new hit has arrived, a superb bottle fermented sparkling wine!

„Too good to spare”

„We have bottled 4000 bottles, but it proved to be so delicious that most of it has been consumed by now” – said Csaba when we asked him about the „new child”. The fruit comes from Szenes vineyard, where the soil is the famous „Bácska black soil” rich in limestone and micro elements suitable for sparkling wines. 2016 vintage was an ideal one, thus Csaba Koch started to fulfill this dream: with the help of a Russian expert he conducted the sparkling production in his own winery. Manual riddling and bottle fermentation took place in the winery as well. No expedition liquor was added, the sparkling wine is still brut, because the base wine had a little residual sugar. The resulting sparkling wine is elegant, rich in flavours, has a creamy texture, fine bubbles. As Dr. József Kosárka wine expert and international wine judge describes: „Intense on the nose. The palate reminds us of the flavours of the classic sparkling wines with fruity notes. Vibrant acidity, subtle, featherlight bubbles. Medium long finish, freshness and elegance.”

The ’happy grape’

Koch Winery has implemented his own vineyard techniques regarding canopy management in Hajós–Baja wine region. The owner and winemaker, Csaba Koch studied biology, he is an oneologist and agricultural engineer, and his main concern is the vine and its wellbeing. The main point of the special grape growing method is that after a srtict pruning and canes tying (sylvoz training system), buds are not hid, the free growing of the vine is not obstacled in any way. The result is a relatively big, airy canopy that grows according to the needs of the plant around the wires. The plant grows as much canopy as it needs for the optimal photosynthesis. A small proportion of the leaves is cut at the end of the summer. The result is high quality and low costs, since the vineyards saves a lot of manual work. The vine plant is happy, because it can absorb and use as much sunshine as possible.

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‘Their Excellencies’ worked hard, the wine is marvellous!

Hungarianwines.eu — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 16:41:46 +0000

There is a tradition in Hungary: diplomats gather every year in a renowned vineyard, ‘imitate’ some picking, numerous photos are being shot, and then leave the vineyard for the sake of the wine tasting and lunch. However the last harvest at Koch Winery was a serious one: the picked fruit has been vinified into a special Chardonnay, which has already been presented and proved to be outstanding!

The Cellar

The limited amount Koch Premium Chardonnay called Together in Wine is not available on the market however it can be tasted at Koch Winery in the hardly known Hajós–Baja wine region. Another reason to visit Csaba Koch, this young and ambitious winemaker, who is not only a winemaker, but a scientist, who loves his grapes and ‘make them happy’. Read more about Csaba Koch and his theory of happy grapes here
And we are pleased to present an article from Diplomacy and Trade magazine about the wine Together in Wine.

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