Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Intense, but also fine and layered with tons of complexity, showing dried dark apricot, tangerine, sweet papaya, dried persimmon and saffron. But on the palate this is waxy, yet so effortless, with such bright and tangy acidity that makes it taste a lot less sweet than it is. Sea-buckthorn and kumquat finish. Really effortless and long. Nectar that calls for a second glass.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of citrus blossom, dried apricot and fresh fig transfer to the palate, where notes of freshly brewed coffee and toffee round out the complex flavor. This wine has lovely mouthfeel, with roundness on the palatel and just the right amount of acidity to prevent this caramel-colored Eszencia from being too cloying.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Best known for lusciously sweet dessert wines but also home to distinctive dry whites and reds, Hungary is an exciting country at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. Mostly flat with a continental climate, Hungary is almost perfectly bisected by the Danube River (known here as the Duna), and contains central Europe’s largest lake, Balaton. Soil types vary throughout the country but some of the best vines, particularly in Tokaj, are planted on mineral-rich, volcanic soil.
Tokaj, Hungary’s most famous wine region, is home to the venerated botrytized sweet wine, Tokaji, produced from a blend of Furmint and Hárslevelű. Dry and semi-dry wines are also made in Tokaj, using the same varieties. Other native white varieties include the relatively aromatic and floral, Irsai Olivér, Cserszegi Fűszeres and Királyleányka, as well as the distinctively smoky and savory, Juhfark. Common red varieties include velvety, Pinot Noir-like Kadarka and juicy, easy-drinking Kékfrankos (known elsewhere as Blaufränkisch).