Nick Dobson Wines Hungary

Hungary

Hungary's climate is ideal for growing vines; it is esentially a continental climate, with hot summers, long mild autumns, and cold winters, with temperature extremes moderated by the influence of the Carpatheans. Annual rainfall is around 5-600mm depending on the region. Wine has been made in Hungary since antiquity, and the Romans made use of the excellent conditions and planted vines in what is today Transdanubia. After the adoption of Christianity, wine was made by many monasteries and Hungary became one of the most important wine producers in Central Europe in the Middle Ages. In modern times, Phylloxera devastated vineyards and after WW1 the economy was unable to support the industry very well. Collectivisation during communist times post-WW2 drove production quantities up, but very muchg at the expense of quality. It is only now, in the early years of the 21st century, that we are beginning to see the renaissance of Hungary as a wine producing country. Our initial range is small, but contains some crackiong good wines. Our selections are very much quality-oriented. Prices are slightly lower than, for example, neighbouring Austria.

Fehérburgundi 2008 Franz Weninger, Balf, Sopron
Ref: 3600002

* £

Fehérburgundi is the Hungarian name for Pinot Blanc. This wine is from a single vineyard called Frettner, in the town of Balf in the Sopron winegrowing region, with mineral-slate and brown forest soils. The vines are aged on average 10 years, and are grown at a density of 5400 vines/ha, giving 30 hl/ha. The harvest took place on September 12, 2008. The grapes were pressed immediately, and fermentation with natural yeasts took place in stainless tanks, followed by 6 months maturation also in stainless.

On the nose there are aromas of fresh apple and pear, with some almond notes. On the palate there is plenty of fresh fruit with a creamy texture and good structure. Good length, with fine fruit on the finish. 12.0% ABV. Bottled April 2009. Drink at 10-12°C with white meats and freshwater fish, or just on its own.

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Price: £13.20 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Fehérburgundi 2008 Franz Weninger, Balf, Sopron

Kékfrankos 2007 Franz Weninger, Balf, Sopron
Ref: 3600005

* £

Kékfrankos is the Hungarian name for Blaufränkisch. This classic wine from Weninger is made from grapes grown in the Spern Steiner vineyard. The vines are aged on average 44 years, with 3300 vines/ha, with a maximum yield of 1kg per vine. Alcoholic fermentation uses wild yeasts, and takes place in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged for 9 months - 2/3 in oak, and 1/3 in concrete tanks, before the final assemblage.

A fruity spicy nose, with sour cherry and plum jam flavours dominant on the palate. There's a creamy texture, and lots of fruit, with good spice. Good structure, ripe tannins, long plummy finish. Excellent match for red meat dishes. Serving temperature 16-17°C. Drink from now through to 2013. ABV 13.0%.

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Price: £14.70 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Kékfrankos 2007 Franz Weninger, Balf, Sopron

Kékfrankos Selection 2007 Spern Steiner Franz Weninger, Balf, Sopron
Ref: 3600004

Kékfrankos is the Hungarian name for Blaufränkisch. This premium wine from Weninger is made from grapes grown in the Spern Steiner vineyard. The vines are aged on average 46 years, with 3300 vines/ha, and low yields of 21 hectolitres/hectare. Alcoholic fermentation uses wild yeasts, with full malolactic fermentation, and the wine is aged for 16 months in small barriques.

An intensely fruity spicy nose, with chocolate and sour cherry flavours dominant on the palate. There's a creamy texture and meaty structure, with ripe tannins and good acid backbone. Masses of fruit, and good minerality. Huge length, with spicy finish. Excellent match for peppered steak. Ideal serving temperature 18-19°C. Drink from now through to 2018. ABV 12.5%.

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Price: £29.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Weninger-Gere and Attila Gere, Villany

Back in 1992, shortly after the fall of communism, Franz Weninger began collaborating with Attila Gere, a Hungarian wine producer in Villány in Southern Hungary. Franz brought technical know-how enabling Gere to obtain the best possible resullts from his land. The Weninger and Gere winery was born, and its wines were immediately a great success. Villány is the southernmost wine region in Hungary, situated near the Croatian border and it's climate is rather warmer than Burgenland's. The wines are deep, dark and powerful. They have become extremely sought after in Hungary, and only a small amount is exported. Lucky you - we have some!

Cuvée Phoenix 2006 Weninger-Gere, Villány
Ref: 3610000

* £

Cuvée Phoenix is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Kékfrankos, and Portugieser. The grapes are carefully selected, and hand-harvested into small bins. Quality control steps employed include cluster-selection, destemming, and and a strict yield limit of 1 kg/vine). Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless and mainly new Hungarian, French and American oak barrels, and lasts 2-3 weeks. Following pressing, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation, and individual wines mature for 14-18 months in oak before the assemblage is made. The wine is bottled without filtration and undergoes some further bottle ageing.

The wine is a deep red color, with aromas of blackberry and plums. The palate has a smoky character, with a smooth mouthfeel, elegant tannins, and just the slightest hint of sweetness. Very long finish. Very impressive wine.

ABV 13.2%. Serve around 16 deg C with red meats and savoury dishes.

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Price: £21.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Cuvée Phoenix 2006 Weninger-Gere, Villány

Cuvée Phoenix 2007 Weninger-Gere, Villány
Ref: 3610004

* £

Cuvée Phoenix is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Kékfrankos, and Portugieser. The grapes are carefully selected, and hand-harvested into small bins. Quality control steps employed include cluster-selection, destemming, and and a strict yield limit of 1 kg/vine). Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless and mainly new Hungarian, French and American oak barrels, and lasts 2-3 weeks. Following pressing, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation, and individual wines mature for 14-18 months in oak before the assemblage is made. The wine is bottled without filtration and undergoes some further bottle ageing.

The wine is a deep red color, with aromas of blackberry and plums. The palate has a smoky character, with a smooth mouthfeel, elegant tannins, and just the slightest hint of sweetness. Very long finish. Very impressive wine.

ABV 13.5%. Serve around 16 deg C with red meats and savoury dishes.

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Price: £21.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Cuvée Phoenix 2007 Weninger-Gere, Villány

Kopár 2007 Attila Gere, Villány
Ref: 3610003

* * (*)

This is the emblematic wine of the Gere winery. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, it is only made in the best years with selected grapes from the premium slopes of Villány (Kopár, Csillagvölgy, and Konkoly). It is aged for 16-20 months in new Hungarian oak barrels.

Gere's own description of the 2007 vintage:-

The wine: „ Great wine of a great vintage." It is a similar composition like the vintage of 2006, but a dash of more Cabernet Sauvignon makes the wine much characteristic. 50% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. As aging methode we have keeped the well-tried receipt: in 60% little oak barrels provide the elegant roasting aromas, in 40% we have tried to keep as much better it is possible the nice, intensive fruits with the help of 2500 - 5000 litres big barrels. Complex, full , well structured wine with exceptionally long after-taste.The wine is consumable affably yet, but it will be attain its top expecting around 2017-2019. It is specifically appropriate for aging.

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Price: £40.80 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Monastary of Pannonhalma

This property is located in the town of Pannonhalma, in Eastern Hungary, near to the town of Gyor just south of the Slovakian border, and about halfway between Bratislava and Budapest. The Benedictine monks at the monastary on the Sacred Hill of Pannonia have always been closely associated with viticulture and wine making. They have applied the highest standards of wine-growing. At the beginning of the 1900s the Archabbey had about 100 hectares of vineyards in the direct vicinity of Pannonhalma and it also had plantations on the Somló Hill and in Tokaj-Hegyalja. Its bottled wines both whites and reds were sold in Hungary as well as abroad far beyond the borders of what was then Greater Hungary. The political and social upheaval that followed World War II put an end to the centuries-old tradition when the single-party state confiscated the Abbey's vineyard holdings and winery. During the decades that followed, the monks never gave up hopes of reviving the legacy of excellence one day. Finally, it was in 2000 that the plans for rebirth took shape when the Abbey Winery Pannonhlama was re-established. Today the renaissance of the property is nearly complete, with a nice range of top quality wines being produced.

Pinot Noir 2009, Pannonhalmi Apátsági Pincészet (Monastary of Pannonhalma), Pannonhalma
Ref: 3620000

** £

This is a wine made from grapes from three of the Monastary's vineyards - Széldomb, Tavaszó and Babszöko, all of which have a high concentration of lime in their soils. However, owing to the differing microclimates in each location, the grapes in these vineyards are in different stages of ripeness at any given time. The grapes from the individual vineyards are therefore ripened, picked, and vinified seperately before final blending.

This wine is characterised by a deep "Burgundian red" colour with the ripe cherry and raspberry amomas. On the palate the wine is full-bodied yet mellow, with classic Pinot flavours and silky fine tannins, making a rich yet elegant wine, which has very good length. The Monastary's own website describes it as having a "fiery elegance". The structure of this wine enables long ageing. It is recommended to drink it around 17 to 19°C; open a good hour before drinking, and ideally decant, to give an even a wider fragrance and flavour spectrum. 14.0% ABV.

Food recommendation: dark meats, especially duck and lamb dishes.

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Price: £17.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

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Pinot Noir 2009, Pannonhalmi Apátsági Pincészet (Monastary of Pannonhalma), Pannonhalma