A couple weekends ago I attended a massive wine tasting event called VinCE. VinCE is a Central European wine event to taste, buy and sell, meet and learn from leading experts plus network. About 100 wine makers were represented displaying 600+ wines. The wine vendors included these. Bottlehugger Ben, John G. and I tried to avoid the ones we already were familiar with. We had a very good time. Many of the winemakers were friendly and happy to speak with us at length, and many knew English.  It was great to get to know so many different vineyards and try so many wines. The event organizers next time could do something to improve the availability of food vendors. There was only one cheese stall for food. Not only did this lead to hunger, but also unnecessary drunkenness due to empty stomachs – myself included. Even if you are mostly spitting and not swallowing, the sips do add up.  From what I can interpret from my notes, I tried at least 84 wines over 2 days. If there is no comment, then I either don't remember or cannot read my notes. * = particular favorites. These included:

*Cramele Recas SOLO Quinta 2009
*Bodri Vineyard’s Merlot Valogatas 2007 and Faluhely Pinot Noir
*Jackfall ‘s Grand 2006 and Pillangó 2006
*Bauer 2007 Cabernet
*Léon Barral Faugeres 2005
* Weninger Merlot-Syrah


Bodri Pinceszet (Szekszard)
•    Szekszardi Rose “Rozi” 2009 – good
•    Szekszardi Kadarka 2008 – tasted like Portugieser
•    Bodrikutya 2008 (Kekfrankos/Merlot) – tasted like Kadarka
•    Cabernet Franc Valogatas 2007 – nice, dry
•    *Merlot Valogatas 2007 – great color, very good, 6000 huf a bottle, my favorite of the vineyard
•    Optimus Cuvee 2007 (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) – smooth and dry
•    Faluhely Kekfrankos – better, but a weak finish
•    *Faluhely Pinot Noir – raw beef fragrance that put me off until I tasted it, and runner up for favorite from this vineyard. Good, dry and spicy. About 3000 huf a bottle.

Davino Pinceszet (Romania)
Established 1999, about 150000 bottles a year
•    Revelatio 2009 (Sauvignon Blanc and ??) – earthy, pear, cheap house wine
•    Domaine Ceptura Blanc 2009 (Olaszrizling, Sauvignon Blanc, ??) – ?
•    Domaine Ceptura Rose 2009 (Merlot, Cabernet ?) – grapefruity

Elso Magyar Borhaz (Badacsony, Szeremley Huba)
•    Badacsonyi Keknyelu 2005 – I have never liked Keknyelu, same again
•    Badacsonyi Muscat Ottonel 2009 - ?
•    Badacsonyi Rose – fresh, strong strawberry taste
•    Badacsonyi Merlot 2006 – very good, very spicy

Fischer Pinceszet (Badacony and Burgenland, Austria)
•    Jegbor/Ice Wine 2005  (Zöldveltelíni) – earthy, thick and sweet

Grof Degenfeld (Tokaj)
•    Muscat Lunel 2008 half-dry – I’d say half-sweet, but very good

Heimann Csaladi Birtok (Szekszard)
•    Fuchsli-siller 2009 – ok
•    Szekszardi Kadarka 2007 – raw beefy fragrance, but good Kadarka with a good finish
•    Szekszardi Cabernet Franc – good, good nose, a bit smoky
•    Szekszardi Kekfrankos – good
•    Heimann Birtok Bor 2007 (Cabernet Franc, Merlot, ?)

Heumann Pinceszet (Siklos)
•    Villany Chardonnay 2008 – nice barrique
•    Villany Kekfrankos 2007 – better on second taste
•    Villany Merlot 2007 – nice
•    Villany Terra Tartaro 2007 – nice
•    Cuvee Blanc “Eric” (60% Lindenblättriger (Harslévelù), 35% Chardonnay (Barrique), 5% Gewürztraminer) – raisin overtones
•    Cuvée Segreto 2007 (50 % Cabernet Franc, 20 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 % Merlot, 10 % Blauer, Portugieser) – very spicy

International Food and Drink Trade Ltd.
•    Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut 2006 (South Africa)
•    Peter Lehmann 'Peppers' Marananga Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Barossa Valley, Australia) – nice aroma, blackberry, tobacco, grass. From Marananga terroir, from 35 year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, aged for 18 months in French oak barrels
•    Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz 2005 (Australia) – very good
•    Something from the Malbec Estate (Argentina) – good with good body
•    Ramon Bilbao – unfiltered, no aroma
•    Schlumberger Les Princes Abbés Riesling (France) 2005 A Wine Spectator 2007 Top 100 – too sweet
 
Lenkey Pinceszet (Mad, Tokaj)
•    Az Elet Szep Ivobor Jobaratoknak 2007 – great design on bottle, one year old, 80% Furmint, 20% Harslevelu. See previous blog from our Bitch Moan and Wine tasting with them.

Monarchia
•    Starry Night Syrah 2003 (Russian River, California, USA)
•    Starry Night Zinfandel 2005 (Russian River, California, USA)  - very nice, but too weak finish
•    Takler Noir Gold 2006 (Szekszard) – Kekfrankos, 18 months aging in 50 % new, 50 % second filled barrique barrels, almost beyond Portugueser
•    Takler Regnum 2006 (Szekszard) – very nice (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Kekfrankos, Syrah
•    Monarchia NJK 2006 – Cabernet franc, Kékfrankos and Merlot aged in new French and Hungarian barrique barrels for 2.5 years – good aroma, like a Syrah
•    Monarchia Pinot Noir 2007? – crazy almost like a Portugueser, but very nice, 15% alcohol

Palffy Pinceszet (Koveskali)
Koveskali is an amazing area, and the area wines are getting a lot of good press lately. We tried this one because of the good memories of our wine-bike tour last September, and because someone from the area recommended it.
•    Koveskali Szurkebarat 2007 – distinctive medicinal herbs, yukky
•    Koveskali Tramini 2008 – yukky
•    Koveskali Late Harvest Italian Reisling 2006 – half-sweet, raisiny, pineapple

Cramele Recas (Romania)
The surprise and highlight of the weekend. This vineyard boasts 800 hectares and produces 7-8 million bottles annually. The vineyard employs an Australian winemaker from Yellowtail, and a Spanish winemaker.
•    Fekete Leanyka 2008 – nice, black cherry tones
•    SOLE Chardonnay barrique 2009 – good, a bit too spicy and a banana aftertaste
•    Kiralyleanyka  2009 – fresh, nice
•    *SOLO Quinta 2009 – Merlot vinified in 4 white wines; Chardonnay, Muscatel, ?, ?. Excellent, spicy, chocolate, chili. 2500 huf a bottle
•    Cuvee Uberland 2007 – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon. Amazing aroma. 700 huf

Santomas (Slovenia)
Use only local varieties of grapes.
•    Malvazija 2008 – very nice, a bit of a bite at the end
•    Refosk 2007 – not bad, average
•    Refosk Antonius 2005 – aged 2 years in new French barrique barrels, grapes from selected terroirs. But reminded me of the smell of Kmart.
•    Grand Cuvee 2005 – the wine of the cellar. Same as above but from different terroirs and in selected barrels. Better than the previous, but a bit fishy.
One of only 2 at the event to use a decanter for their reds. Also available is a very nice olive oil and their own chocolates filled with their grapes. I think this region is worth a visit.

Sauska Pinceszet (Villany)
•    Cuvee 11 2007 – from the Makár, Örögáro and Zuhánya terroirs. 40% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Syrah. Aged for 17 months in new French oak barrels
•    Cuvee 7 Siklos 2007 – good. From the Makár and Zuhánya terroirs. Aged for 15 months in specially coopered new French oak barrels. 34%Merlot, 33%Cabernet Sauvignon, 33%Cabernet Franc
•    Cuvee 7 Villany 2007 - good
•    Cuvee 7 Villany 2006 – very good. From the Villány, Kopár, Ördögárok, and Feketehegy terroirs. 41%Merlot, 59%Cabernet Sauvignon
We love the Sauska Rose as well, after tasting some of these wines last year at Bitch Moan and Wine.

Sidewayz Wine Marketing and Jackfall Pinceszet (Villany)
40-50000 bottles a year, run by the editor of Borigo Magazine.
•    Bakonyi Péter Zuhánya 2008, Siklós, Zuhánya-terroirs (Villany). Harslevelu and Olaszrizling
•    *Jackfall Bormanufaktura Grand 2006 (Villany) Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and a little Merlot. Very good, very blackberry
•    *Jackfall Pillangó 2006 100% cabernet sauvignon.ong 50 best wines in Hungary according to Borigo Magazine. Very good
•    Jackfall Rózsabimbó Rose 2009 . kekfrankos, merlot, cabernet sauvignon. great watermelon or cantaloupe fragrance, only 10000 bottles
•    *Bauer 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Very good. Dried plums.

St. Andrea (Eger)
•    Napbor 2008 – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Harslevelu, Reiner Rizling. Spicy, nice
•    St. Andrea Örökké 2007 – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Szurkebarat, Oolaszrizling. Ok

Taschner Pinceszet (Sopron)
•    Irsai Oliver 2009 – good for a spritzer
•    Chardonna – Chardonnay, Zöldveltelíni, Irsai Oliver, Rizling -  Watery, bubbly
•    Zweigelt - ?
•    Kekfrankos 2006
•    Kekfrankos 2007 Reserve

Terroir Club
•    *Léon Barral (France) Faugeres 2005 Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault – excellent http://www.domaineleonbarral.com/
•    Ráspi Kékfrankos 2007 (Sopron) http://www.raspi.hu/borkatalogus.php - blackberry, black cherry, great fragrance
•    Maurer Oszkár Kadarka2007 http://maurerboraszat.uw.hu/ (Hajdújárás) - slightly raspberry

Vida Peter Pinceszet (Szekszard)
•    Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – from the barrel, good

Weninger Pinceszet (Sopron and Burgenland)
First year of biodynamic and organic production. Is written on the label, but does not stand out because they think it will actually hurt their sales. I have never tasted a good organic wine – until now.
24 hectares of their own grapes, 80-100000 bottles a year.
•    Kekfrankos Balf 2007 – very dark earth aroma, slightly raw beefy – not good
•    Spern Steiner 2002 – private selection, 100% kekfrankos, very good, good tannins
•    Spern Steiner 2006 – 100% Kekfrankos, very good, a percentage better than 2002, slightly sweeter
•    Spern Steiner 2004 - 100% Kekfrankos, good bouquet, bad taste
•    *Merlot-Syrah 70/30 – very good
•    Merlot 2000 – great black cherry and blackberry, weaker body, but very nice

Borkollegium
•    K2 Szeleshat Pinceszet (Szekszard) 2007 100% Kekfrankos
Late harvest aged in small oak barrels for 15 months, then selected from the best barrels for bottling. Tried elsewhere at another time, their Merlot 2007 is very nice.
•    Merfelsz Pinceszet (Szekszard) Nectar Sexardique Nero Nektár 2009
•    Merfelsz Pinceszet (Szekszard) Nectar Sexardique Bikavér Selection 2007 50% Kékfrankos and Kadarka, the rest is secret.

Matias Pincezet (Villany)
•    Cabernet Franc – good, a bit sweet
•    Kadarka – too light, and lacking in fragrance
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