Etyeki Kúria, Pinot Gris Orange Wine, 2017

Sándor Mérész, chief winemaker of Etyeki Kúria has an experimental projects called ‘Mérész Sándor Projekt’. One of the fruits of his creativity is an orange wine made of Pinot Gris. The bunches were picked by hand, after destemming the must was kept on the skin for 10 days – to obtain flavours and the typical colour. The wine was then aged in second and third use Hungarian and French oak. Only 1300 bottles were filled, no wonder, the wine is sold out in most places. If you are lucky enough, you can treasure hunt amazing flavours: “Fruity and floral nose with pink grapefruit, candied orange peel and red cranberries. The palate is also fruity and complex with sour cherry, blood orange, orange peel, clove and cinnamon.”

However, do not cry over the sold out orange wine, taste the latest release by Sándor Mérész: MSP Fumé 2018, a Sauvignon Blanc, which was matured in the so called “breathing vessel”, the Flexcube.

More about MSP Fumé and other Etyeki Kúria wines

Kristinus Wine Estate, Pinot Gris Orange Wine, 2019

Kristinus Wine Estate in Balatonboglár wine region (South Balaton) is in the middle of convertion into biodynamic, as we wrote earlier in our article “No more gas masks!”. On the journey to more natural, Kristinus created its first orange wine of 100% Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris) last year. Only 600 bottles were made, therefore it is a limited experience indeed. “The biodynamicly grown fruit was carefully hand-picked, handled minimally, soaked and fermented on its skins in clay terracotta then nurtured in Hungarian oak for six months. Not only is the wine alluring and delicious to smell and taste, but possesses an absolutely gorgeous copper like colour to admire. You’ll explore aromas and tangy flavours of brown spices, dried apricots, green apple, pear skin, tropical citrus, coriander, caramel and peaches.” At the moment, within harvest Furmint is picked and the whole bunches go into the barrel – we can’t wait to taste the result of this new experiment!

More about Kristinus Wine Estate

Csetvei Cellar, NaranCH Orange Wine, Chardonnay, 2015

Krisztina Csetvei in Mór loves experimenting, her portfolio includes varietal wines in three versions according to the vinification method. She visited Georgia and she was among the first ones to age wine in amphora. She could not miss the orange wine trend, thus she made an orange wine in 2015, but unlike most winemakers, she used Chardonnay, not Pinot Gris. ‘Narancs’ means ‘orange’ in Hungarian, and CH obviously refers to the grape imitating the abbreviations of the periodic table. In an orange wine tasting held by Hajnalka Szabó wine blogger, this wine was one of the best according to the participants. The wine was made in limited quantity, a few bottles might be found, the best is to visit the winery in Mór (only 90 minutes’ drive from Budapest) and taste it along with Kriszti’s other experimental wines.

More about Csetvei Cellar

A shop in the capital

However if you do not have time for a trip to Balaton, you can enjoy „the taste of the lake” in Budapest, in the very centre of the city! Deák square is really the vivid heart of this youthful capital, it used the be the main bus station, then for a while this suqare was meant to be the location of the new national theatre. Finally plans have changed, the theatre was built by the river Danube, but a hole already dug for the theatre remained. It took some years while the square has found its objective in life: now it hosts and underground parking house and some grass covered places for just killing time. In summer the square is full of youngsters sitting on the grass, with their feet in the  decoration pools, drinking wine and chatting. This square is the place where Kristinus Wine estate opened a shop, called Kristinus Borboutique (’bor’ stands for wine). Pop in, taste the new vintage Irsai Olivér, this crispy, aromatic, enchanting wine!

More about Kristinus Wine Estate

Kristinus Borbutique
1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér 11.