If you have never heard of Csomorika, don’t blame yourself, this variety is a rarity even in Hungary. At the end of the year, Tornai Winery in the volcanic Somló wine region released a sparkling wine – in two versions depending on the dosage – made of this ancient, yet unknown grape.

Hungary made sparkling wines well before the Spanish

Whether it was Dom Perignon abbey in Champagne or British merchants in London, who invented sparkling wine – or who realized the bubbles appear when wines referment –, we will never know, that dispute will hang in the air forever. The Catalans also claim that an abbey in Mallorca and another one in Girona discovered bubbles in wine, well before Dom Perignon – again, there is not much evidence. However, we know that the first officially recorded sparkling wine in Spain was made in 1872.
And in Hungary? Almost 40 years earlier! The first Hungarian sparkling wine factory was founded in 1834, by Ignácz Prückner in Budapest, and the second one was founded in 1859 in the southern city of Pécs, by Lőrinc Littke. This latter was the sparkling winery that used Csomorika grape as base wine for sparkling wines.
And it was Endre Tornai, founder of Tornai Winery in Somló, the present owner’s late father, who introduced the variety in Somló winer region. And it was Tamás Tornai, present owner, who created the first Csomorika sparkling wine in Hungary, after the change of the regime (Ottó Légli also has plantations of Csomorika, but his sparkling wine is not released yet.)

Forget all other sparkling wines!

Csomorika is quite likely to have Hungarian origin, though it has a German (Swabian) name as well: Lammerschwanz. Csomorika is a wine rich in flavours and with quite high acidity, which makes it an ideal base wine for sparklings.
Borsmenta Hungarian online wine magazine published a panel tasting of Hungarian sparkling wines in December, here is their opinion about Tornai Brut: “The sparkling wine opens with a pleasant, sugary aroma, followed by white flowers, ginger, peach, pear, and finally citrus. The taste is elegant, floral, citrusy, slightly bitter, with persistent effervescence and a beautiful bubble structure. Well chilled, it makes a perfect welcome drink, but it will also go down well on summer evenings in the garden or on the terrace.”
Tornai Winery itself describes it with the following sentences:
“The bouquet bursts with lively citrus aromas, reflecting the unique character of this rare Hungarian grape variety. On the palate, delicate creamy effervescence accompanies an almost bone-dry profile, where vibrant lime and subtle grape blossom unfold beautifully across the palate. The long, graceful finish lingers with notes of grapefruit zest and hints of dried chamomile.”
We also tasted it at an event before New Year’s, we agree with both of the descriptions, but most of all with the unique character. It cannot be compared to a sparkling wine of Chardonnay, it is not only a different style, but a completely different genre. It is definitely worth trying, especially for winelovers with thirst for adventures!
Brut has 5 g dosage, while the other version, Extra Dry has 15.5 g/L sugar.
Retail price on the winery webshop: 4990 HUF (approximately 13 EUR).

More information about Tornai Winery and the sparkling wines

Tornai Wines are available in several countries, for example in the United Kingdom at Astrum Wine Cellars. If you are interested in importing, contact Éva Dományházi commercial manager.

Thanks, Ollie!

Oliver Coleman, wine writer of JancisRobinson.com has recently visited Hungary, and he did his lesson, there is no doubt about it. His comprehensive article includes a detailed, easy-to-read historical background of Balaton wine region, and he really immersed in the stories of local winemakers to give an insider, detailed snapshot of the 6 subregions of Lake Balaton. Oliver also entered his article in the 7th Hungarian WebWineWriting contest, clearly not to gain votes, but to make the article published in one more place. His 102 wine reviews are 102 gems, useful material for all the winemakers.
(The cover photo features Oliver Coleman in Kistücsök restaurant, taking notes during the 2nd Hungarian Wine Summit.)

Read the whole article here (with subscription)

Kéknyelű, the “fickle grape”

The comprehensive Balaton article is available only for subscribers – well worth. Here we quote a few sentences from Oliver about Kéknyelű, one of the most peculiar grapes of the Lake, and we also quote three of the many Kéknyelű reviews by Ollie.

“…Kéknyelű is perhaps the most compelling, not least as an apposite analogy for the whole region’s revival. A female variety that needs a co-planted variety to pollinate, it’s a fickle grape that requires careful work in the vineyard and produces low yields (around 1 kg per vine). In the 18th century it was renowned but, by the late 1980s, only around one hectare remained in two micro-plots. The local viticultural research institute in Badacsony and a few tenacious producers saved it. Now there are 46 ha (114 acres) and interest is growing. Often quite subtle in youth with a stony, floral, herby character, it seems to really come into its own with age, opening into a toasty, burnt-orange and hay character after five years or more. An example from 2006 by Szeremley is still extraordinarily alive.”

Borbély Kéknyelű 2022, 16 points

From a plot on the Gulács Hill, where there is a little loam mixed with the basalt tuff. Fermented and aged for six months on the fine lees in eight-year-old Hungarian oak barrels (1,500 and 2,000 litres).
Quite expressive for the variety – fleshy, ripe nashi pears, red apples and lemon curd. Perhaps a hint of green pineapple, even. Similarly juicy on the palate with some broadness from the oak/lees. There’s a spiced edge – caraway and fennel seeds – and lively acidity to lighten the texture. Distinctive style of Kéknyelű and quite delicious.

More about Borbély Family Winery

Földi Bálint, Szent-György-hegyi Kéknyelű 2020, 16.50 points

Bálint Földi is a great believer in Kéknyelű – he even wrote his thesis on the variety. He is also the winemaker at Sabar but has small plots of his own vines. This one is from Szent György Hill, from a south-east-facing vineyard just below the tree line at the top. Whole-bunch-pressed – the juice gets a touch of oxidation in the press. Spontaneous fermentation in oak. Aged in Hungarian oak barrels for seven months. TA 6 g/l, RS 4 g/l.

An inviting nose of linden leaf, apple and apple blossom. A touch of toasty honeycomb, which melds beautifully with the appley fruit. Silky, oily texture. Lovely vein of vibrant acidity running through the palate. Ends with a hint of toffee apple and roasted fennel. Mouth-watering length. Great advert for the variety.

Szeremley Kéknyelű 2006, 17 points

A great vintage, according to winemaker László Szeremley. Whole-bunch-pressed. Stainless-steel fermentation with selected yeasts. Aged in large old vats (3,000– 6,000 litres).
Gorgeous aromas – quite a heady experience. Toast, lime cordial, honey, dried meadow flowers, linden leaf and a touch of petrol. Dried orange peel and almonds. Concentrated palate. This is still very much alive. The acidity is still so vibrant. Electrifying mineral spice on the finish. A tingling saline character remains on the lips. This wine may be something of a one-off, but it is a marvellous example of Kéknyelű’s ability to age under the right conditions.

Read the whole article here (with subscription)

Sárfehér is literally ‘Mud white’, however, according to some historical notes mud does not refer to the colour, but to the weight of the berries. The clusters are large, and the berries are “heavy as mud”. It originates in Hungary, yet it is grown only in 2 hectares, 1.57 of it in the volcanic Somló wine region. (Sárfehér is different from ‘Arany Sárfehér’, this latter one is grown on 476 hectares). Fehérvári Wine Estate makes a barrel aged, elegant, complex, yet light and playful Sárfehér wine.

Fehérvári Nagy-Somlói Sárfehér 2021

Only 2 barrels were made of this rarity. On the nose the vanilla of the barrel makes lovely balance with the juicy, citrusy notes. “A fun, yet elegant, sophisticated wine that was born from the duality of innovation and tradition. A bold attempt? Salute? We say a journey towards oneself.”
Fehérvári is a family estate cultivating 30 hectares, producing award winning méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines and still wines, mainly of indigenous grape varieties.
Petit Somló is a white blend of the winery, one of their most sold products. Petit Somló is made of Juhfark, Sárgamuskotály, Tramini, Hárslevelű, Furmint and Sárfehér

More about Fehérvári Wine Estate and its wines
More about Petit Somló

The whole range of Fehérvári wines and sparkling wines are available on Winelovers Webshop. They ship to every European country. If you are interested in importing Fehérvári wines, contact Péter Pacher sales director.

A great selection of Fehérvári and other Somló wines are available in Poland

A great selection of Somló wines in Poland

Our earlier article about the bottle fermented sparkling wines of Fehérvári Wine Estate

An Unconventional Rosé Sparkling from Somló

Vylyan Csóka from Villány in Polish Trybuszon magazine

“Red wine in the style of mature Nebbiolo. The philosophy definitely reminds us of Piedmontese wines. Concentratedaromas with plum jam, chestnuts, bonfires and ashes. The palate is enriched with spiciness. Well integrated tannins and acidity.” These are some of the comments from the blind tasting in the section of “Wines from the editor’s cellar”. The surprise was great when it turned out where the wine really came from! Not from Piedmont, but from the south of Hungary, from Villány. And the grape, Csóka is a true rarity, even in Hungary.

The experts of the Polish wine magazine also commented that Villány gives more and more elegant and balanced wines, in spite of the past decades when powerful oaky wines were abundant from the southernmost wine region of Villány. “It is good that it is also accessible in our country.” – added the editor.

Resurrected and now lives happily!

Csóka (meaning ‘blackbird’) was an almost extinct grape variety. Vylyan Vineyard and Winery was looking for something local and ancient, when they discovered Csóka, and together with the Research Institute for Viticulture and Oenology of Pécs they planted a small amount as an experiment. Csóka has proved to be a success story: by now Vylyan cultivates 4000 vines of Csóka. The variety gives the best examples in hot vintages. Medium body, attractive acidity, aromas of rosehip and dried sour cherry.
Vintage 2018 is available on Vylyan webshop for 4000 HUF / 10 EUR.

More about Vylyan Vineyard and Winery

Find Vylyan wines in Poland at 2Bratanki!

An exciting, almost unknown grape variety from our precious Tokaj wine region. Try it with honeyed pork knucke!

What
%100 Kabar – a hardly known grape varirty of Tokaj.
Kabar is a new variety (the crossing was made in 1967 in Tarcal research centre) allowed in the Tokaj wine region since 2006. Kabar represents only 1 percentage of Tokaj plantations. Exclusively grown in Tokaj, in fact it is an experimental strain previously known as Tarcal 10 that is a cross between Hárslevelű and Bouvier. It ripens at a similar time to Zéta, but produces lower yields. Kabar has a good tendency to accumulate sugar, botrytises well to become an aszú grape, but because of its thicker skin the aszú berries are less vulnerable to rainy periods. Kabar gives wines with some linden blossom on the nose and high acidity on the palate.

How
The grapes were harvested by hand. Pressing in whole bunches, matured in secound use 3/6 hl barrel for 6 months.

Why
Dereszla Kabar is a superb example of the variety. The linden notes typical of this grape variety are paired with the vanilla aromas from the barrel ageing. Lovely, long finish.

What to pair with
Ideal walads, pasta dishes, fish or poultry plates, and delicious by itself. Try it with honeyed pork knuckle! Recipe here.

Where and how much
The Netherlands
– Hanos wine shop, 10.95 euro
– Bovino, 19.50 euro (vintage 2021)
– Siersma, 19.95 euro (vintage 2020)

Romania
– Happy Wines, 91.40 euro / 6 bottles (vintage 2020)

Germany
– Wine Shop 24, 20.40 euro (vintage 2018)
Hungary
– Monarchia Wine Trade, 9.76 euro (vintage 2018)

 

More about Dereszla Winery on Hungarianwines.eu
Dereszla estate official website
Honeyed knuckle with Dereszla Kabar

Honeyed knuckle with Dereszla Kabar