Hungary's Balaton region – the tasting notes

From Szent György Hill. The grapes were crushed and then spent up to 24 hours on the skins before fermentation at warm temperatures. 100% malolactic conversion. Aged for eight months in Hungarian oak barrels (Kádár), followed by another four months in stainless-steel vats. Practising organic and biodynamic, but not certified yet.
Ripe, generous stone fruit – smells golden. Smoky minerality peeking out through the fleshy apricot, red apple and yellow plum. A little oak character in a touch of birch-bark woodiness. Plush and oily through the mid palate. Great freshness to balance. Woody spice and fleshy orchard fruit on the finish. A full-on style, but very well done indeed. Great now, but likely to improve with another couple of years. (OC)

From the Templomdombi vineyard on Szent György Hill. Bencze’s first vintage was in 2013. Founders of the Hungary-wide natural-wine group ‘Lees Brothers’. Whole-bunch-pressed. Fermentation in stone vessels, then aged for 14 months in two large Tava amphorae and one small Clayver amphora.
Intense nose – ripe yellow plums, windfall apples and pears, white pepper. And dried flowers. Aromatic, certainly, but elegantly so. More citric on the palate with tremendous freshness, aided by a subtle grip. Very long, layered and mouth-watering. (OC)

Rajnai Rizling (Riesling). From a plot of terraced vines on Szent György Hill planted in 1976. The naturally low number of bunches – and the presence of deer – restricts yields. Whole-bunch-pressed. Just one Tava amphora used. Aged in bottle for two years.
Beautifully scented. Elderflower blossom, lemon sherbet, grapefruit pith. Wonderfully aromatic. The palate is so pure and focused, with a welcome touch of grip as a counterpoint. Spiced, chalky. Great length. One for ageing. (OC)

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. (OC)

This bottling includes a small proportion of the pollinator variety Rózsakő – a crossing of Kéknyelű and the traditional co-planted variety Budai Zöld – named after a famous basalt stone found on the Badacsony Hill. From Badacsonyörs. Hand-harvested. Fermented and aged in stainless-steel tanks. TA 4.4 g/l, RS 0.7 g/l.
Embryonic nose. There are depths here, but it’s subtle. Alpine herbs, streams and wet stones on the nose. A touch of walnut skins; tart green apples and pears. Fresh, linear, tightly coiled palate but there’s an inviting, gently oily texture, too. The very hot 2022 vintage making its presence felt in the slightly diminished freshness. Still, the basalt finish is unmistakable. (OC)

From Badacsonyörs. Hand-harvested. Fermented in stainless-steel tanks and then aged in barrels for six months. TA 6.9 g/l, RS 1.5 g/l.
Light greenish straw. This carries all the hallmarks of aged Kéknyelű – toasted almonds, burnt orange peel, wildflower honey, dried apple peel, potpourri, and a light herbal grassiness. The palate is lithe, with plenty of lemon-peel freshness and yuzu-pepper spice. Long, refreshing finish that completely reflects all the aromas and flavours. Drinking very well now. (OC)

From Badacsonyörs. Hand-harvested. Fermented and aged in stainless-steel tanks. TA 4.3 g/l, RS 1 g/l.
Light straw colour. Fleshy, ripe pears, lemon curd, a touch of linden-blossom character and almond. But it’s the gun flint, musk and sansho pepper that wins out. Full, textured, generous style, with good yuzu freshness that lifts the palate. Appetising, pithy, perfumed-pepper finish. (OC)

From a warm south-facing site on Badacsony Hill (terraced, hence the name), just below the forest. Traditional bush-trained vines. Long, gentle whole-bunch press. Spontaneous fermentation in oak. Aged in old oak for 20 months.
Subtle but complex, intriguing nose – apple, lemon cordial, alpine herbs, walnut skins and flint. Plenty of lively acidity and a gentle grip lend lovely structure to the palate. Fresh mineral and fennel-frond finish. (OC)

30-year-old vines co-planted with Rózsakő on the south- and south-east-facing side of Badacsony Hill. They have 1 ha of the variety. Two-thirds fermented in stainless-steel tanks; one-third in third-fill 500-litre Hungarian oak barrels, previously used for Juhfark.
Flintstone minerality and a fennel-herb character floating over apple, lemon and lime. A subtle wine. A lithe, elegantly textured palate with just a touch of creaminess. More about the texture than the fruit. Salty mineral-driven freshness on the finish. (OC)

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. (OC)

40% Furmint, 40% Rajnai Rizling, 20% Olaszrizling. Owner and winemaker Robert Gilvesy says he 'only uses varieties with an historic connection to Szent György Hill'. Whole-bunch-pressed. Nine months in barrel for the Furmint.
Mineral, almost sea-spray character – the basalt impression. Pithy lemon and red grapefruit on the nose. Citrus purity with a stony edge on the palate. Pure, energetic, laser-focused and long. An expression of the place, rather than varieties. (OC)

Contains 10% of the co-planted pollinator variety Rózsakő. From a vineyard planted in 1995 on Bács Hill. Inoculated. Fermented and aged for eight months in stainless-steel tanks. Istvándy used to use lees-stirring and spontaneous fermentation but is now totally against it; he believes that his current approach shows the inherent character of the grape better. TA 6.5 g/l, pH 3.4, RS 1.5 g/l.
This displays the charms Kéknyelű gains with some age. A toasty marmalade and burnt-lemon note, with an edge of wildflower honey. A clear flinty impression, too. Good harmony of those ageing characteristics with fresh orchard and citrus fruit. Quite a silky texture. A shansho pepper note adds freshness to the vibrant acidity. Long. Excellent. (OC)

From a vineyard on the southern slopes of Badacsony Hill. The name roughly translates as ‘the steepness of God’ – it is, unsurprisingly, situated on a precipitous slope.
A ripe and deep example of Kéknyelű – yellow plum and red apples. Fleshy almost. The nose also reveals some ageing notes in a toasty, honeyed nuttiness. Broad toffee-apple palate. Mineral complexity and lifting acidity to balance the ripeness. Quite a muscular take on the grape overall. Good persistence. (OC)

From a small plot on the south side of Csobánc Hill, next to the chapel of St Donát, hence the name (meaning ‘chapel’).
Expressive nose of fleshy quince, apple, Williams pear. Plenty of nose-tingling peppery spice and whetstone minerality, too. Very well defined. Slick texture, but no shortage of refreshment either. The fruit takes over in the mid palate, though it finishes with a fantastic volcanic crackle. (OC)

This is grown and made by the Viticulture and Oenology Research Institute in Badacsony – the institute that was crucial in saving and stabilising Kéknyelű post-communism. Winemaker András Kolláth says they aim to make a benchmark modern style for the variety. Fermented in stainless-steel tanks.
Water white. Light pear and apple aromas with a subtle floral character floating above. The Badacsony minerality comes through, too, in a slaty note. Pretty, gentle, silky palate with mouth-watering acidity. Decent length. Accessible and enjoyable. I can see why they call this the ‘benchmark’; it sits in the middle of the various expressions of the variety, nothing extreme. (OC)

From a vineyard on Gulács Hill – pergola-trained vines. Hand-harvested, spontaneous fermentation. Aged for seven months in 500-litre 12-year-old Austrian oak barrels with no lees-stirring. TA 5 g/l, RS 4 g/l.
The subtle nose of the variety – fennel, stones and green-apple skin. A waxy note, too. The fruit and mineral character in good balance, neither dominating. On the palate, broadly textured with mineral-driven freshness. There’s plenty going on, but it’s not the most expressive. The finish is smoke, herbs, rocks and tart green apples. Good now but will benefit from another year in bottle. (OC)

Hand-harvested. Stainless-steel fermentation with selected yeasts. Aged for four months in stainless-steel tank. TA 4.7 g/l, RS 0.5 g/l.
Bright, fresh and aromatic nose of grapefruit, apples and lemon barley. Alongside a more serious note of smoky minerality. Fruit-salad palate, with a rather nice, mouth-filling texture and refreshing, lemony acidity. Quite a decent finish. For an entry-level Olasz, this is very well put together – easy-going and very pleasurable. (OC)

From the Bács-Hegy vineyard on the ‘skirt’ of Köves Hill. Hand-harvested. Fermentation in barrel with selected yeast. Aged for eight months in 500-litre 10-year-old Hungarian oak barrels. TA 6.1 g/l, RS 3.7 g/l.
Wonderful nose. The ripest of yellow fruit, but with a rather lovely almond note, bay-leaf touches and fresh elderflower. The palate is elegant and broad, but a lovely line of acidity freshens and lifts. Those yellow fruits, almond and bay continue all through the palate, but are joined by a vanilla-pod creaminess. And a touch of mineral sparkle on the persistent finish. Although quite generous, there’s some tightly coiled energy here, too. Delicious, mouth-watering and very moreish. (OC)

From an eight-year-old vineyard plot between the Bács and Csobánc hills. Hand-harvested. Stainless-steel fermentation with selected yeasts. Aged for five months in stainless-steel tanks. TA 6.7 g/l, RS 7.3 g/l.
Gently aromatic nose leading with stone fruits, grapefruit with a touch of lemon curd, with a mineral edge and floral lift. Off-dry, lending some texture, but more than matched by the bracing acidity and pink-grapefruit freshness. The volcanic energy crackles away on the long, super-mouth-watering, saline finish. I’d like to taste this in a few years. (OC)

From the north-west side of Badacsony Hill. Bush vines. Low yields. No malolactic conversion. Stainless steel only.
This is starting to acquire a touch of wildflower honey and roasted apple. But it’s subtle. Some savoury spice – fennel seeds. This is quite light on its feet and sour-fresh but doesn’t lack interest or complexity. It has a notable flint character and is redolent of resinous herbs. Fresh finish. (OC)

From a reclaimed vineyard on the Szigliget hills next to Lake Balaton. The site is unusually warm and so is one of the only places in the area where cicadas (kabóca) live. However, proximity to the lake also means frequent rot and this wine is, therefore, only made in the best years. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged in stainless-steel tanks and 500-litre Hungarian oak barrels for six months. TA 5.6 g/l, RS 5.1 g/l. Certified organic.
Deep, incense-like concentration on the nose. Incredible depth of musky spice, shichimi pepper, ripe pears, almonds and flint. The nose is fascinating. Equally so, the palate: plush textured. The palate has so much energy and depth. The finish is a remarkable mix of fresh tart apple, spice, herbs, incense and dried flowers. There’s a subtle grip, too – a comforting rusticity. A saline lick and leaves the whole mouth – lips, tongue and all – vibrating with energy. (OC)

From Szent György Hill. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged in a mix of stainless-steel tank and 500-litre Hungarian oak for three months. TA 7.2 g/l, RS 0.9 g/l. Certified organic.
Light straw gold. Ripe orchard fruit and membrillo. Apple and walnut. No shortage of volcanic intensity, either. The palate is super-fresh with some seriously bracing acidity. Almost austere. A touch of toffee apple on what is, otherwise, a tart-fresh finish. One for acid lovers. (OC)

From Szent György Hill. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged in a mix of stainless-steel tank and 500-litre Hungarian oak for two months. TA 7.2 g/l, RS 2.7 g/l. Certified organic.
Quite an aromatic hit for Kéknyelű – it has that smell of a florists (freshly cut, wet stalks and flowers), apricot kernel, russet apples, pears and green pineapple. A touch of gun-flint minerality. Generously textured but there’s no shortage of voltage provided by the acidity. A hint of toffee apple to the palate, alongside a fresh fennel character and plenty of tart citrus fruit. Long, super-fresh finish. (OC)

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. (OC)

Hand-harvested. Short skin contact, then spontaneous fermentation. Unusually for Kéknyelű, winemaker Péter Váli uses malolactic conversion. Aged in barrel for eight months. TA 7.9 g/l, RS 7 g/l. Certified organic.
Elegant nose. The lead is mineral – whetstone and musk. But it’s not as austere as some expressions. Juicy pears and windfall apples, bright wild-flower notes and a touch of dried fennel. The palate is light on its feet but lacks nothing in depth – there’s a delicious grapefruit freshness atop the stone character. The vibrant, mouth-watering acidity absorbs the residual sugar. A touch of wild-flower honey on the long finish. A persuasive intro to the variety. (OC)

A vineyard planted in 2005 on the southern side of the Tóti Hegy. One day on the skins. Spontaneous fermentation. Complete malolactic conversion. Fermented and aged for six months on the fine lees, 50% in stainless-steel tanks, 50% in used 500-litre Hungarian oak. Lees-stirring for the first month. Certified organic.
Beautifully layered aromas emerge with a little aeration. Apricot, pears, elderflower and fennel seeds. The palate is creamy and silky, much more so than most other Kéknyelűs, but it works very well. A stony, herbal character emerges on the mid palate as a counterpoint. A gentle grip. Mouth-watering acidity. Great depth and energy. Compelling and very long. (OC)

Ceramic bottle. 12 days on the skins and aged in amphora. Péter Váli says this is an experiment. 1,000 bottles made.
Straw colour with green tinges – quite light for a skin-contact wine. Fantastically aromatic nose of elderflower, yellow plums and red apples. The palate has a waxy, earthy character with yuzu pepper, fennel seeds and wet pebbles. A hint of grip and an appetising chalky texture. Long and delicious. A very interesting take on the grape – a strong argument for ‘orange’ Kéknyelű. (OC)

Rajnai Rizling. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged for eight months in used barrels. TA 7 g/l, RS 3 g/l. Certified organic.
Bright and focused aromas – lemon rind, grapefruit and orange peel, elderflowers. A touch of apricot, too. Mineral streak of wet flint. Grippy, salty, energetic palate with the same concentrated citrus-and-spice minerality from start to finish. Super-refreshing and, as with the Kéknyelű from the same vintage, there’s just a drizzle of honey on the finish. (OC)

A blend of Chardonnay, Rajnai Rizling, Olaszrizling, Zöldveltelini (Grüner Veltliner). Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged for 10 months in mix of 750-litre Stockinger barrels and 300-litre Erik Millard barrels. TA 5.1 g/l, RS 2.8 g/l. In transition to organic.
Interesting nose. Yellow pears, quince and sour apples, but with a creaminess and a touch of vanilla. A birch-bark/green fig/dried-grass character, too. Floral! It has a bit of everything. Generously textured and oily without being overblown. Mouth-watering freshness. Quite Olasz-dominant on the palate in that mix of orchard fruit and spice. The finish is long, with a pleasant vanilla-honey lick. (OC)

From Csobánc Hill. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged for 10 months in 1,800-litre Stockinger barrels. TA 7 g/l, RS 4.9 g/l. In transition to organic.
The nose is an elegant combination of peach, yellow fruit, an acacia-blossom floral character, mountain herbs and a touch of flint – the Badacsony basalt effect. Full and textured on the palate. Well-defined yellow fruit and citrus weaves in and out of the basalt character and herbal hints. Electrifying acidity through the long finish. For Riesling aficionados, this is a great find that harmonises the variety with a real sense of place. (OC)

Classified as a ‘Hegy Bor’ (hill wine) under the Balatoni Kör regulations – the second tier of three. This wine is, apparently, served in the Hungarian parliament. Quite late harvest. Five months on the lees.
Very ripe nose – golden-fruited, almost tropical. A touch of jasmine, too. The palate, similarly, has a plush generosity, aided by the lees. A touch of mealiness and a nutty almond character add a welcome counterpoint. A bold and interesting take on the grape that plays to the warmth and generosity of Balatonboglár. (OC)

Classified as a ‘Hegy Bor’ (hill wine) under the Balatoni Kör regulations – the second tier of three. From the Csirip-Tető vineyard on the southern shores of Lake Balaton at 270 m elevation, hence the name. Made with the Novi Sad (Serbian) clone of Olaszrizling – producing less-compact bunches and higher acidity.
Gentle, ripe, inviting nose of red apples and juicy pears with a touch of sansho pepper adding complexity. Very pleasant, silky texture. The same interplay of orchard fruit and spice. Good freshness. Easy-going but with a good number of layers to enjoy. (OC)

A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir in equal proportions. No malolactic conversion. Three-and-a-half years on the lees.
Elegant nose of yuzu and conference pear, with a light touch of autolysis. Creamy mousse lifted by rapier acidity – there’s around 8 g/l dosage, but it's masked by the freshness. Again, well-defined citrus and green fruit on the palate with a chalky texture. Super-fresh and quite long. (OC)

Stainless-steel tank only. TA 6.2 g/l, RS 1 g/l.
There’s a slightly reduced edge that dissipates with air. A definite potpourri, talcum aroma. A tad woody/musky. Ripe peach and apple underneath, though. The palate is dry and lively, with vibrant acidity and a gentle peach-skin flavour. The dried-flower character dominates the pithy-bitter finish. (OC)

From 25-year-old vines in Kötcse, south of Lake Balaton. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged in used 1,500-litre barrels for one year. TA 5.6 g/l, RS 5.4 g/l.
Fragrant nose of ripe yellow orchard fruit, mirabelle plums – almost pulpy – with a sprinkling of dukkah spice and dried flowers. The palate is much the same – warmly textured and ripe/fleshy, helped by the residual sugar no doubt (which is, perhaps, a little too prominent). Adds a touch of honey, too. That fleshy fruit gives way quickly to a grapefruit-pithiness and yuzu pepper. A ripe and plush expression of the grape, showing the warmth of the southern shore. (OC)

Rajnai Rizling, Furmint, Chardonnay and Zenit. Traditional method. Hand-harvested, protective winemaking, six months on the lees. Disgorged January 2024. Dosage 6 g/l. TA 8 g/l. In transition to organic farming.
Fresh, citrus-fruit-led nose – grapefruit, lemon – with some green apple and a touch of floral grassiness. There’s quite a lively froth at first. The palate is very taut, linear and majors on those citrus flavours. There’s some seriously bracing acidity and it finishes with a pithy tartness. Very mouth-watering indeed! (OC)

A very hot vintage. Owner and winemaker Ottó Légli never uses malolactic conversion, saying that ‘acidity is part of the Balaton style’. Hand-harvested. Fermented in barrels with a pied de cuve. Aged in 500-litre oak barrels for nine months. TA 6.2 g/l, RS 3.5 g/l. In transition to organic farming.
Light golden straw. Gentle aromas of fleshy pears and apples. Some orange blossom and white pepper, too. A broadly textured palate featuring the variety’s classic blend of orchard fruit, flowers and almond and spice. There’s the typically mouth-watering Légli acidity – a strong counterbalance to the residual sugar. Quite a notably warming finish (14% abv in this hot vintage), but good length of cardamom and citrus pith, with an appetising sapidity. (OC)

Fermented and aged for seven months in stainless-steel tanks. TA 7.84 g/l, RS 1.9 g/l. In transition to organic farming.
Light lemon sherbet, makrut-lime nose with a touch of pear and apple skin. The palate-entry has a tart citric character, but this is quickly subsumed under the rapier-like acidity. Super-mouth-watering, chalky, salty, lemony finish. (OC)

A rare Kéknyelű from outside its Badacsony home. Hand-harvested. Fermented and aged for six months in stainless-steel tanks. TA 5 g/l, RS 1 g/l. Certified organic.
Slightly unyielding nose at first – very restrained aromas. Evolves into walnut skin and green figs, with hints of blossom, pear and wet stones. It is subtle, but not simple. You have to mine this wine for the fruit. Tight, linear, nervy, but with a freshness and a hint of pithy bitterness on the finish. (OC)

Unusual to find Juhfark away from its Somló homeland. Hand-harvested. Fermented and aged in stainless-steel tanks for six months. TA 5 g/l, RS 1 g/l. Certified organic.
Generous compared with the Kéknyelű – yellow pears, russet apples, lemon. Waxy, too, with an interesting note of wet grass and acacia blossom. Prickly spice on the nose. Rocky salinity on the palate, which has a certain generosity to balance the fresh acidity. A gentle intro to the variety, without the Somló intensity. (OC)

Grown on calcareous soils in the Tag vineyard. Hand-harvested. Aged for six months, 50% in stainless-steel tanks, 50% in 500-litre Hungarian oak barrels. TA 5.5 g/l, RS 1 g/l. Certified organic.
Tense, nervy nose – green almonds, conference pears, blossom (bergamot) and just the merest touch of birch bark (from the Hungarian barrels …?). Opens up with aeration. The oak influence is a little more noticeable on the palate in the rounded texture – a nice counterpoint to the freshness and minerality, alongside the Olaszrizling spices – ground coriander and touch of yuzu pepper. Super-lively and with a bitter-almond herbal finish. Good persistence. (OC)

Certified organic.
Slightly more generous and fruit-expressive than the Tag Dűlő – yellow pears and red apples. The floral notes are more to the fore, too. But there’s no mistaking the minerality and spice on the palate. A serious Olaszrizling but made in an approachable style. (OC)

A blend of Zenit, Cserszegi Fűszeres, Királyleányka and Olaszrizling. Machine-harvested. Reductive fermentation in stainless-steel tank. TA 5 g/l.
A fragrant, pretty nose of orange blossom, peaches, pears and a sprinkling of white pepper. A pleasing balance of texture and freshness on the palate, and the finish has a gentle white-pepper and flower persistence. A charming wine for summer afternoons. (OC)

The bottle carries the ‘Balaton Bor’ branding and label used by a number of producers around the lake to indicate a ‘typical’ entry-level Balaton Olaszrizling. Machine-harvested. Fermented and aged in stainless-steel tanks. TA 4.4 g/l, RS 1.1 g/l.
Nicely defined pear, apple and peach. Honeysuckle, too. Quite soft and mouth-filling. Good ripeness but lacks the spice and floral punch of the variety at its best. (OC)

Conventional machine harvest, reductive fermentation, stainless-steel tank. TA 4.1 g/l.
Peach and pear-drop nose of cool fermentation. Gentle floral notes and a notable birch-bark aroma. The wine’s silky texture is balanced by light lemony acidity and an unexpectedly spicy finish. (OC)

Winemaker Mihály Figula notes that Olaszrizling and Furmint are traditional blending partners in Balatonfüred – Furmint was, in fact, one of the most widely planted white grapes in Balaton during the 19th century. He approaches his winemaking in the same way his grandfather did. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation in barrel. Aged in 1,000-litre oak barrels for six months. TA 6.4 g/l, RS 3.6 g/l.
Broad, waxy nose that’s definitely on the savoury side – lanolin, dried herbs and flint. The fruit provides the bass line – delicious depth of orchard fruit and even mandarin. The generous, inviting texture is in keeping with the waxy character and ripe fruit. But it’s so fresh as it heads towards the long finish, which displays a very Hungarian spice and sour apple. Delicious. (OC)

An unusual blend of Chardonnay, Olaszrizling and Furmint. Named after the Greek god Silenus, companion of Dionysos. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation in barrel. Aged for six months in steamed Zemplén oak barrels (1,000 litres). TA 6 g/l, RS 1.4 g/l.
Heady, inviting nose of apricots, nectarines and red apples, drizzled with honey, sprinkled with white pepper and baking spices. Full-bodied, richly textured, but the Furmint brings its typical acidity to lift the palate. Long, evolving finish. An intriguing, albeit rich, blend and well made. (OC)

A Csopak Codex wine from the Kertmög vineyard in Paloznak. Hand-harvested. Spontaneously fermented and then aged in 225-litre barrels for six months. TA 6.3 g/l, RS 0.9 g/l.
An intriguing nose that flits between just-underripe pineapple, almond and ground coriander. Same interplay on the palate with a hint of waxiness, but perhaps lacking a little in conviction and drive. Still, there is some vibrant acidity and salinity to the finish. That pineapple continues for long while. (OC)

90% Olaszrizling, 10% Rajnai Rizling. From vineyards around Paloznak in Csopak. Grown on Permian sandstone and marl. Fermented and briefly aged in a mixture of stainless-steel tanks and used 500-litre oak barrels. TA 6 g/l. In transition to organic.
Slightly cloudy. Shochu-like nose. Slight spritz. Still very young. White pepper, quince, lemon verbena, zesty, chalky, saline. Textured and broad. The Rajnai Rizling is adding some extra steeliness and vibrancy. Tongue-tingling, spice-laden finish. Needs a little more time to settle. (OC)

Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged for seven months in 225-litre used French oak barrels. TA 5.9 g/l, RS 3 g/l.
Definite gun-flint notes alongside Szechuan pepper and dried flower petals. The orchard fruit takes a back seat, but this has good definition and ripeness. Unmistakeable Furmint acidity lifts the broad palate, and with lemon- and lime-pith freshness. Quite a long, powerful finish with lots of spice and mineral interest. Evolving in the glass. (OC)

Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged for six months in 225-litre used French oak barrels. TA 6.5 g/l, RS 1.1 g/l.
Ripe orchard fruit, but lashings of spice, nuts, dried petals and herbs. Salinity at the fore. Fresh, focused. Much more generous apple and pear on the palate, but some serious spice and mouth-watering freshness at the end. Intense expression. (OC)

From the Nivegy Valley. Stainless-steel fermentation with ambient yeasts. Aged on the lees in Flexcubes. TA 5.7 g/l, RS 1 g/l. Certified organic.
Carefully balanced effort between ripe green fruits, spicy musk (white-pepper and jasmine hints) and a subtle bark note, but not oaky. A touch herbal, too. Not exuberant but has interesting niches to explore. Inviting, oily texture on the palate and a fleshy, appetising, almost sapid finish. With a spicy, salty lick on the lips at the end. Slight warming sensation. (OC)

From marl soils ('márga' means marl). Hand-harvested. Fermented and aged in stainless-steel tanks for six months. TA 6.5 g/l, RS 1.4 g/l. Certified organic.
Yellow pears, quince and golden apples. Subtle honeysuckle. A distinct stony smoke hovering over the whole thing. Layered but nervy – the minerality gives it such a stony sensation, an effect heightened by the brisk acidity. The flavours linger with layers of spice, stones and lemon-lime. Beautiful and will age well. (OC)

From the red Permian sandstone soils in the Slikker vineyard, which was first mentioned in a document in the year 1079. Hand-harvested. Fermented and aged in stainless-steel tanks for six months on the fine lees. Unfiltered. TA 6 g/l, RS 0.7 g/l. Certified organic.
A range of interesting aromas – beldi lemons and Persian limes (in a hint of sourness) with cardamom and coriander spice. Again, a distinct mineral note that underpins everything. The palate certainly has less acid-driven tension than the Furmint but reflects the nose beautifully and has an inviting silkiness. Appetising, chalky finish. Long. Deliciously distinctive expression of Olaszrizling. (OC)

From vineyards located between Csopak and Paloznak. Hand-harvested. Fermentation in stainless-steel tanks (80%) and used oak barrels (20%). TA 6.8 g/l, RS 0.8 g/l.
An Olaszrizling that goes big on the fruit expression! It has the variety’s spicy undercurrent, but this is very much reminiscent of a bowl of grapefruit, pears and apples sprinkled with elderflower. It’s super-fresh but has breadth, too. Very enjoyable. Picnic perfect. (OC)

From the Hajnóczy vineyard in Paloznak. Fermentation and ageing in stainless-steel tank (70%) and oak barrel (30%). TA 7.9 g/l, RS 7.3 g/l.
Light gold. Riesling-like nose, majoring on gun flint, smoke and toast. There’s some inviting fruit, too – apricot skin, tangerine and lemon rind. Powerful, layered palate bodes well for ageing. The residual sugar rounds off the palate, but the rapier acidity counteracts well. Saline smoke-and-spice finish. Long and mouth-watering. (OC)

Furmint and Olaszrizling. Fermented in stainless-steel tanks. TA 7.4 g/l, RS 8 g/l. Certified sustainable.
Quite deep, golden lemon colour. Well-focused apricot, apples, quince paste and roasted houjicha tea. Honeyed, with a touch of flinty minerality and ground coriander. Textured, almost oily, competing with the mousse. Quite a rich and heady style, but it certainly speaks of the varieties. Good vein of acidity balances that richness. Not the longest, but very enjoyable. (OC)

Stainless-steel tank fermentation. TA 5.6 g/l, RS 0 g/l. Certified organic.
Quite an exuberantly fruity nose – pear, golden apples, peach – with some jasmine and a sprinkling of white pepper. There’s some minerality, too, in a gentle smokiness. Very pretty, layered nose – inviting. Soft, clean and generous texture, with fresh, balancing acidity. Very juicy. A spice-and-fruit-laden finish – enjoyably youthful and should be drunk so. (OC)

Single-vineyard wine (dűlő). Hand-harvested. Fermented in a mix of stainless steel (70%) and used 500-litre barrels. TA 5.9 g/l. Certified organic.
Less vivacious than the ‘Balaton’ bottling; more gravitas and depth, but it has intimations of the same ripe orchard fruit. Quite a rich, oily palate of Concorde pear and apricot. A drop of honey, alongside linden blossom and dried-apple chips. Smoky minerality and nutty dukka spice dart in between the fruit. There’s good freshness in the lightly salty finish. (OC)

Rezeda is the name of a flower which grows around the vineyards in Káli. From five hillside sites within the Káli PDO, all with basalt soils. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation and ageing for six months in stainless-steel tanks (60%) and the rest in used oak barrels (225–500 litres). TA 6.5 g/l, RS 2.3 g/l.
Pale lemon. An embryonic nose – almost entirely flinty and mineral-led – as if someone had spread a pulped green apple over wet river rocks. An inviting top note of meadow flowers. There’s an elegance about the palate, a subtle creamy texture interwoven with a lemony acidity and sansho-pepper spice. This expresses texture and terroir, rather than exuberant flavours. And it is extremely inviting, moreish and appetite-whetting. A long citrus-pith and almond-inflected finish. (OC)

From the Töltési vineyard (dűlő) on the Fekete Hill. Grown on basalt tuff soils. Hand-harvested. Free-run juice only. Spontaneously fermented and then aged for seven months in used 500-litre oak barrels. TA 6.8 g/l, RS 2.1 g/l.
Light straw. Deeper, more generous nose than the Rezeda – fleshy orchard fruits, a touch of linden blossom – but that wet-stone minerality is woven in between. On the palate, white peach, quince. Good energy and drive; the acidity is super-fresh, verging on tart, but there’s still that elegance to the texture that the Rezeda has. Not about fruit, though it’s there and deep. Spicy, tingling. More persistence and a lovely line of saline freshness, crisp green-apple skin and walnuts about the finish. Long. So much energy. Very good, indeed. (OC)

From the Pengyér vineyard (dűlő) in Monoszló. 35-year-old vines. Hand-harvested. Whole-bunch pressed. Spontaneous fermentation in one 700-litre barrel and one 225-litre barrel. Aged for seven months in the same. TA 6.6 g/l, RS 1.7 g/l.
Light straw. Wildflowers, linden blossom, marjoram, peach, apples with a nose-tingling mineral spice. Gentle, oily texture at the front of the palate, but quickly assumes a super-fresh, green-apple-skin and lemon freshness. There’s more than a touch of the volcanic and saline about it. Mouth-watering, appetite-whetting, salty, mineral finish. (OC)

Furmint. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless-steel tanks. Secondary fermentation carried out in Budafok – a district on the outskirts of Budapest where there are a number of companies which undertake secondary fermentation and ageing of sparkling wines. Most producers in Hungary, bar the largest, currently do not have the technology for producing traditional-method wines in-house. Bottle-aged for 28 months. Disgorged in January 2023. TA 7.19 g/l, RS 10.9 g/l. Practising organic, not yet certified.
Mid straw gold. Well-focused, expressive aromas on the nose – yellow pear, lemon curd, apricot and with a definite wild-flower honey, dried-apple-peel character. A pastry note, some stony minerality and a touch of nuttiness add further interest. Fine bubbles on the palate, which is fruit-led (citrus, stone fruit). Fantastically bright acidity. A mouth-watering finish. Deliciously different sparkling. (OC)

From the Mál vineyard. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation and aged 70% in old 1,000-litre Hungarian oak barrels, 30% in stainless-steel tanks for 12 months. Gyula Pálffy uses the barrels for their oxidising effect, otherwise, he says, Olaszrizling would be too dense and closed. TA 5.2 g/l, RS 4.9 g/l. Organic practices, not certified.
Light straw. Attractively ripe, fleshy pears, apple and quince, sprinkled with white pepper. There’s a touch of green almond and stoniness. Broad but elegant. The palate is silky at first then firms up with good tension, freshness and a long spice-and-nuts finish. Nicely balanced between body and acidity. (OC)

Olivin is the name of the semi-precious green crystals that are fused into rocks found in this vineyard. Basalt tuff soils. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged for 12 months on the lees in 70/30 stainless steel and 500-litre oak barrels. TA 5.2 g/l, RS 5.7 g/l. Organic practices, not yet certified.
Mid gold. Plush, rich, tropical-fruit-led nose but with musky spice and stony minerality typical of the region. Reminds me of grilled-pineapple sprinkled with pepper. A honeyed richness on the nose and palate. Full, apricot and apple compote. Good freshness, too. The alcohol adds richness to the palate but is perhaps a little too present on the finish. Delicious, but pretty heady stuff. (OC)

60% Rajnai Rizling, 40% Olaszrizling from the basalt-rich tuff on the Fekete (black) Hill. Classified as a Káli Királyi within the PDO system – lower yields and permitted varieties only. Hand-harvested. Spontaneous fermentation. Rajnai Rizling aged in stainless-steel tanks for 12 months; Olaszrizling in 500-litre oak barrels. TA 6 g/l, RS 6.8 g/l. Organic practices, not yet certified.
Invitingly aromatic, beautifully layered nose. Sings of the varieties and the place. There’s well-focused pear, apple and nectarine, with an overlay of acacia blossom and musky spice. Minerals and flints. Similarly expressive palate, with an intense apricot flavour lifted by a vibrant, lemony freshness, plenty of that warm allspice and shichimi pepper on the long, saline finish. (OC)

Spontaneous fermentation in barrel. Aged on lees without added SO₂ for 10 months in 260-litre Hungarian oak (Zemplén). TA 5.8 g/l, RS 0.9 g/l. Certified organic.
Intriguingly, a darker straw colour than the 2017, verging on gold. The nose, too, is much more expressive. This is incredibly layered, offering different impressions each time I return to the glass. Riper stone fruit (nectarine) and more mikan orange, more mineral-laden and with a touch of candle wax to match the smell of extinguished candle wick. Honey, nuts and sage. And something sour. Tightly coiled energy to the palate, but there’s a generosity to the texture, too. A delicious combination. Long, sour-fresh fire-and-brimstone finish. (OC)

From the basalt-rich western slopes of Somló Hill. Spontaneous fermentation in barrel. Aged on lees without addition of SO₂ for 10 months in 260-litre Hungarian oak (Zemplén). TA 5.5 g/l, RS 0.9 g/l. Certified organic.
An initially reticent but beautifully layered nose. Returning to the glass brings something new each time. Wet slate. Almonds. Peach and mikan oranges, cantaloupe even. Marjoram. A whisper of smoke and ash. Honey on toast. The palate is taught and vibrant. Alongside a lemon/lime-cordial character, it’s got plenty of the crackle and spark you’d expect from Somló. And a touch of Hungarian-barrel woodiness. Lingering, layered, gun-flint-inflected length. (OC)

Aged for 12 months in old Hungarian oak (1,000 litres).
Smoke, gun flint, crackling Szechuan pepper in the lead. It’s fairly elusive at the moment and still in its shell. But a very layered nose. No doubting its credentials on the palate – powerful, mineral-driven, barely disguised voltage. A savoury character of resinous herbs with a squeeze of grapefruit juice. Incredible acidity. So complex, if embryonic at this stage. Long finish, long life ahead. Give it some time. (OC)

6–12 hours’ skin contact. Then the juice goes into very old 1,000- to 1,500-litre acacia barrels. After five days, the wine is tasted and left undisturbed until January on the gross lees, ‘letting the barrel do the work’, says winemaker Károly Kolonics.
Still a little reticent. Yet, with so many tightly packed layers, this will open up wonderfully with age. The Somló flint and steel is there, but so too is a well-defined melange of citrus fruit, and the sour quince of the variety. Fantastic purity, power and underlying energy on the palate. Very long. (OC)

A field blend (owner/winemaker Tamás Kis calls this his Gemischter Satz) of Juhfark, Hárslevelű, Traminer, Olaszrizling and Furmint. From 30-year-old vines in the Celli vineyard, situated right below the basalt ‘organ pipes’ at the top of the hill – the soils are strewn with chunks of basalt. Spontaneously fermented in stainless-steel tank. Aged on the fine lees in barrel for eight months.
Still embryonic at this early stage in its life, but showing enormous complexity already. Ripe stone fruits, red apples and Williams pears, alongside spring hedgerow flowers. A counterpoint comes from pepper spice and an inherent mineral power. Very concentrated and still so tightly packed. Incredible energy both from the minerality and the acidity. Will no doubt flourish. (OC)

100% Juhfark taken from different sites on all sides of the hill – Tamás Kis, owner and winemaker, says that the rich basalt soils are quite similar all around the hill, so you ‘have to play with different sides of the hill to get different characteristics’. Spontaneous fermentation. Fermented and aged for eight months in a mix of used French and Hungarian oak barrels. Certified organic.
Elegant, if subtle, nose of peach, peach kernel and linden blossom. But there’s no mistaking the intense smoky flint character of Somló – nose tingling. There’s a gentle woodiness, too. Silky texture, electric acidity on the palate but with so much energy and mineral power on the finish. Needs to come out of its shell a little, but certainly will do. (OC)

Same winemaking as the 2023. Certified organic.
Mid-straw colour. This Juhfark has blossomed wonderfully with some age – rich, expressive. Apricot, wild-flower honey, dried marjoram – a very appetising floral herbaceousness. Savoury depth and unmistakeable volcanic power on the palate – salty, gun flint. With an animating vein of acidity. More apple and quince, too. So long. (OC)

A sui generis wine – made with the two rarest of the authorised Tokaji varieties. Owner/winemaker Tamás Kis describes this as a Somló version of a Szamorodni – a mix of botrytis and late-harvested grapes. There are less than 0.2 ha of these varieties in Somló. Only 600 bottles made. RS 69 g/l. Certified organic.
Heady nose that wears its noble-rot character on its sleeve – marmalade, apricot conserve and toast. A touch of phenolic bitterness and still the basalt flinty-saline notes come through. Deliciously plush texture. The refreshing acidity easily wins out over the sweetness on the long finish. (OC)

Aged in large-format old oak. TA 4.8 g/l, RA 5.2 g/l, dry extract 23.3 g/l.
The Spiegelberg power and breadth already apparent on the nose. Quince, almost membrillo-like, but it’s the fire-and-brimstone minerality and spice that take the lead. Mouth-filling texture, crackling volcanic sensation. This is far removed from Tokaji expressions of this grape. Again, it’s the flint and peppery spice that drive the freshness on the palate and finish. An intense wine and a marvellous distillation of place. (OC)

Aged in large-format old oak. Full malolactic conversion – István Spiegelberg believes this is important to temper Somló’s naturally intense acidity. He also harvests late for the same reason.
Inviting, broad nose. Smoky mineral overlay. Very ripe, rich. Spice-laden stone fruit and tangerine. Essence of acacia. Prickly warmth on the back palate. Very long, crackling; almost as if there’s a sprinkling of Szechuan pepper. Grip. Fiery, powerful, volcanic finish. Very broad indeed. The freshness comes from the mineral streak, rather than acidity. This is Somló with the volume at max. Quite an experience. (OC)

A great vintage, according to István Spiegelberg. Aged for nine months in oak. This bottle has been bottle-aged in his cellar ever since – he tries to keep back around 100 bottles each vintage to see how they age. TA 4.6 g/l, RS 0.8 g/l, dry extract 19.5 g/l.
Incredible nose that strikes a perfect balance between aged character and still-fresh fruit. Honey, hay, roasted Japanese tea (houjicha), toasted walnuts. Petrol. Beautiful array of citrus fruits, running the gamut from grapefruit to lemon. Dried yuzu. So many layers, it’s hard to describe. Plush, generous, mouth-coating. Beautiful. And not done yet. (OC)

60% Olaszrizling, 40% Rajnai Rizling. Grown on the loess, clay and gravel soils of the Mura region, a new PDO within the wider Zala appellation. Quite different conditions to the rest of Balaton. Spontaneous fermentation in a mix of used small French oak and local Zala oak barrels. Aged for six months on the lees with some lees-stirring, then racked off for a further six months’ ageing. Certified organic.
Slightly hazy light straw. Expressive orchard fruits and wildflowers. Invitingly silky texture married to delicious refreshment. A strong saline character, too, on the long finish. (OC)

From the Kövecs vineyard – the name is a reference to the large gravel rocks in the vineyard, which are the remnants of an ancient riverbed. Soils have some chalk, too. Spontaneously fermented in large Zala oak barrels. The local cooper uses the wood from the surrounding forests. Aged for 12 months on the fine lees with occasional lees-stirring. The owner and winemaker, Dori Bussay, is also the local doctor in her village. TA 5.9 g/l, RS 1.1 g/l. Certified organic.
The nose is redolent of a spring meadow – wild flowers, dew-laden grass and herbs, sitting atop a layer of Conference pears, Granny Smith apples and quince. A touch of leesy pastry adds another dimension. On the palate, the fruit weaves its way through the mouth-coating, chalky texture. The acidity is so fresh and carries through from start to the long finish of grapefruit pith and pastry. Very well balanced, all the elements in harmony. A touch of grip, too. (OC)