Wine of the Weekend

Finally women on the label! Eszterbauer Winery in Szekszárd pictures forefathers and members of the forefathers’ household on the wine labels, but mostly men. Just think of ‘Nagyapám’, (‘My Grandfather’), the flagship Kadarka of the winery, ‘Tüke’ Bikavér, featuring János Eszterbauer’s great-grandfather or Tivald Cabernet Sauvignon (this the wine Matt Damon enjoyed). However, a new release Rhine Riesling is available in very limited quantity – honouring some “foremothers” of the family finally.

Theresia Rhine Riesling 2020

The grapes came from a small parcel in Porkoláb valley, thus the quantity is very limited, only 752 bottles. The wine reveals the typical citrusy notes of Rhine Riesling with great complexity. The label features two women and a little girl: the owner’s gread-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and the sister of his grandfather. The photo was shot in 1916, and the women wear Bavarian / Swabian folk costume. “Maybe they brought their grape varieties to the new home land along with their traditions and folk costumes. In Germany “Rüsseling” grape has written evidences from as early as 1348.” – says János Eszterbauer about the reason for choosing the ladies for the wine.

In Hungary: Order the wine from Eszterbauer webshop for only 1790 HUF (around 5 euros)

Eszterbauer wines are imported to the Netherlands and Slovakia

MRK Fresh, 
Thoma Wijnimport
Artpalace

Other European countries: order Theresia from Winelovers Webshop, they ship to every European country

Wine of the Weekend

VinAgora international wine competition (controlled by OIV and VINOFED) announces special prizes every year to highlight the best wines of a region or variety. The latest edition of VinAgora selected Eszterbauer Tivald Cabernet Sauvignon 2017  from Szekszárd as the best example of the variety. Matt Damon is lucky to have tasted it!

Indigenous or international?

Whenever a winery starts to flirt with the thought of exporting, the first tough decision to make is whether local or international grape should be promoted. While wine geeks are curious to discover unknown varieties, however the average wine drinker is still on the safe side and more likely to pick a wine from the shelf made from a familiar grape variety. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted black grape in the world with reason – it has the potential to give amazingly juicy, flavourful, complex, full bodied wines. If a Cabernet is made well, it can be outstanding. Wine drinkers have a reference, they know what to expect – thus a small wine country like Hungary can prove its winemaking expertise through international varieties. Szekszárd wine region in the south of Hungary is ideal for the variety, it ripens fully, yet refreshing acidity is retained to give a vibrant character to the wines.

Tivald – balanced and complex

Since 1746, Eszterbauer family’s vineyard has been included in the archives of Szekszard city. János is the 10th Eszterbauer generation, who operates the tradition-based wine company harvesting from 25 hectares. Grapes for Tivald came from Görögszó vineyard. The hand harvested berries fermented spontaneously, the wine aged in barrique for a year.

“Deep, dark colour. Medium intensity on the nose, but complex, full of black berry, blueberry, bitter chocolate and bonbon filled with cognac infused sour cherry. On the palate firm, but still pleasant tannins, pepper and Christmas spices. The alcohol is high, but the structure is still balanced, the wine is matured, complex, characteristic with beautiful barrel notes. Good length with a wide range of aromas.“

More about Eszterbauer wines

Matt Damon receiving Tivald Cabernet Sauvignon

Compensing Tivald, the shabby dayman

The wine is dedicated to a dayman of the owner’s grandfather. ‘Tivald’, the dayman was rather shabby in his look, and therefore he was despised by the owner who was a child that time. János Eszterbauer, the owner of the winery was a naughty child who used to disturb this old man – of course now he regrets this naughtiness and therefore dedicates a premium wine to him as a kind of compensation for the hard work Tivald had done.