Winechat Transcript Discussing Eastern European Wines

For those who missed last night's #winechat or who had a difficult time following because of the server interruptions, here is a general outline of the conversation. Thanks again to Cliff Rames: Wines of Croatia - @WinesofCroatia and Erhard Heumann: Heumann Wines - @wine_h for participating.

• 997dave Tonight on #winechat /w @mariepayton & I...Wines of Eastern Europe /w guests @winecompass & @WinesofCroatia Gonna be fun!...
• wineTT Looking forward to opening some Georgian, Macedonian, Serbian and Bulgarian wine tonight for #winechat.
• winecompass Our #winechat wines @wine_h @WinesofBosnia @WinesofCroatia @WinesofBulgaria @WinesofHungary http://t.co/DnglSDs8
• hvwinegoddess My selection or #winechat. A Pinot Noir from Hungary. http://t.co/hcwh7C7I
• TylerOnWine Some good Croatian pre #winechat theory to get you started ~> http://t.co/MOZVxl7a . Join the discussion 2nite at 9pm
• 997dave tweetdeck has bee crapping out and performing poorly! Made the switch #winechat @StephenCaggiano @TylerOnWine
• WineHouseLA Here are our wines for tonight a red from Hungary and a white from Croatia #winechat http://t.co/3UrsEp6a
• vtwinemedia @trouty @DomaineSelect Quattro Mani Toh-Kai is one om my selections for #winechat tonight! And I know how good it is!
• WinesofCroatia Tonight's Twitter #winechat line-up. Starting in 5 minutes. Join us if you can! :) http://t.co/oXVXbzI8
• 997dave Welcome to #winechat /w @mariepayton & I... tonight...Wines of Eastern Europe /w guests @winecompass & @WinesofCroatia Please say hi
• WinesofCroatia @997dave @mariepayton @winecompass Cheers! or as they say in Croatia, "Zivjeli"! #winechat
• winecompass #winechat Grapes are grown in all areas of Hungary west of the Tiszla River, leaving only the dry Alfold plains in the east untouched
• winecompass Joining us tonight is Erhard Heumann (@wine_h) from Heumann Wines Hungary? Welcome Erhard - please tell us a...
• winecompass #winechat The Carpathian Mountains protect east Hungary from the cold winds which would otherwise blow in from Poland and western Ukraine.
• wineTT The Bull's Blood story is one of my favorite in all of winedom #winechat
• pja477 @WinesofCroatia it was really hard to find a bottle by me #winechat
• winecompass #winechat We are sipping the U & I Heumann Heimann Kekfrankos from Villany; a region known for Burgundy and Bordeaux styled wines
• winecompass #winechat The most famous Hungarian wines are the Tokaji Aszu made from furmint. “vinum regorum, rex vinorum” says King Louis XIV of France
• wine_h The U&I is a joint venture Kékfrankos from 2 wineries Heumann & Heimann. Won gold at the DWWA. #winechat
• WineHouseLA Oh, I just found a 1990 #Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos, The color is like maple syrup. #winechat
• myvinespot First wine up for #winechat ... Enjingi Welschriesling Croatia 2009 ($15) http://t.co/a1W6oHzM
• hungarian_girl #winechat here's a article I wrote for Reuters about Tokaji wine if anyone is interested http://t.co/QoGWP4Fh
• WinesofCroatia @demilove @997dave // There are several labels in Chicago! Matosevic Malvazija; Tomic Plavac; Saints Hills Dingac to start. #winechat
• winecompass #winechat Slovakia also has a Tokaj region since that area was once part of Hungary
• mariepayton During the Renaissance, wines such as the Hungarian Tokaji became popular with royalty #winechat
• winecompass #winechat the eastern area of Slovakia and Hungary near Sopron - closest to Austria - grows a lot of Gruner and BlauFrankish
• TLColson Egri Bikaver Bulls Blood 2006 - Hungarian #winechat #easterneurope
• WinesofCroatia @myvinespot // Enjingi is an organic and practicing biodynamic producer from the Kutjevo sub-region of Slavonia. #winechat
• wine_h For somebody that has not yet tasted Kékfrankos I compare it with Sangiovese or Barbera. Fruity style. #winechat
• myvinespot Enjingi Welschriesling Croatia 09 ($15): Lychee, (slightly bitter) floral, citrus, damp earth, round mouth-feel, decent acidity #winechat
• mariepayton @WinesofCroatia’s Cliff Rames is known as the “Champion of Croatian wines” #winechat
• WinesofCroatia Croatia borders the Adriatic Sea to the west, Slovenia to north, Hungary to the northeast, & Montenegro to the south #winechat
• winecompass Croatia has two main wine regions: Continental (Kontinetalna) and Coastal (Primorska), which includes the islands. #winechat
• myvinespot Second wine tonight: Nyakas Budai Müller 2008 Thurgau ($14) #winechat http://t.co/WasOvIhE
• WinesofCroatia @myvinespot // In Croatia Welschriesling is known as Grasevina ("Grah-sheh-vee-na") #winechat
• mariepayton Croatia's frankovka is Hunagary's Kékfrankos and Austria's Blaufränkisch, right? #winechat
• winecompass RT @wine_h: @winecompass The Kékfrankos made in Villany is more powerful but elegant due to its fine fruity acidity. #winechat
• 997dave RT @mariepayton: Croatia's frankovka is Hunagary's Kékfrankos and Austria's Blaufränkisch, right? #winechat
• WinesofCroatia @winecompass // Continental Croatia has seven sub-regions. Coastal Croatia has 5 sub-regions, including the islands. #winechat
• winecompass #winechat Crljenak Kštelanski is a Croatian grape variety that is genetically identical to Californian Zinfandel and Italian Primitivo.
• winecompass #winechat Who's drinking a Croatian wine tonight? We have the PZ Svirce Winery Ivan Dolac 2006 & Enjingi Winery Grasevina
• myvinespot @WinesofCroatia Curious, who are some of your main export markets? Thank You #winechat
• winecompass RT @BlueDanubeWine: @winecompass Tokaj is a god example of a border-crossing appellation. #winechat
• myvinespot Third wine up is the Brkic Citlucka 2009 Zilavka ($14) #winechat http://t.co/FRze1qJV
• winecompass #winechat The red Plavac Mali is king in Dalmatia. Anyone have this wine? At the #wbc11 in #room606 we had some nice samples
• WinesofCroatia #winechat @winecompass // Svirce is the producer. Ivan Dolac is the protected vineyard area on the island of Hvar. Plavac Mali is variety
• WinesofCroatia #winechat @winecompass // Plavac mali is the offspring of Crljenak Kštelanski
• BlueDanubeWine AKA Olaszrizling in Hungary RT @WinesofCroatia: @myvinespot // In Croatia Welschriesling is known as Grasevina #winechat
• WinesofCroatia @myvinespot // main export markets are US (NYC; Chicago; California) and the U.K. #winechat
• winecompass #winechat Continental Croatia also supplies the winemaking world with Slavonian oak for barrels.
• winecompass #winechat RT @hungarian_girl: Here's an interview by Gergely Somogyi from The Tokaji Journal, - http://t.co/lETLh9Ch
• myvinespot Brkic Citlucka 09 Zilavka ($14) Loads of earth/funk, citrus fruit, medicinal streaks & interestingly enough, a dusting of tannins. #winechat
• mariepayton Croatia exports about 5 percent of its production #winechat
• BlueDanubeWine @WinesofCroatia @mariepayton There are many border-crossing grape varieties in Eastern Europe #winechat
• winecompass @wine_h Where are your wines available in the United States? #winechat
• myvinespot Fourth wine up is the 2007 Corten Pinot Noir (Moldova) ($12) #winechat http://t.co/BJ5hmoQU
• mbadrov @winecompass @WinesofCroatia Some of the best Oak in the word #winechat
• P3vins @winecompass Kekfrankos is similar to Italian Barbera @wine_h (Heumann) produces food friendly Kek.. In general most HU vins r #winechat
• WineHouseLA #winechat. Ok because of all this talk on Palvac Mali, I will just have to go open the 2006 Milos "Plavac" Plavac Mali that we carry
• wine_h Our wines are available at JW Sieg, Charlotteville VA - http://t.co/Qb3T8zY5. U&I, Merlot, Cab Franc! #winechat
• hungarian_girl #winechat here's some photos from my last trip to Villány & Villánykövesd (southern Hungary). http://t.co/pDOI6Xzb
• demilove What non-Croatian wines do Croatians and your neighbors crave the most? #winechat
• winecompass Bulgaria is the second largest exporter of wine, second only to France and it has 4 times the Cab Sauv planted than California #winechat
• myvinespot @TLColson @WineCompass found all of these at small local wine shops in Virginia ... a nice one came from @UNWINEDyourself #winechat
• WinesofCroatia @WineHouseLA // Love Milos Plavac Mali from Peljesac peninsula on Croatia's sun-baked coast. Sunshine, white stones & herbs! #winechat
• wine_h @winecompass And great to hear. But also try the Cab Franc. This grape has perfectly addapted to the Villany terroir. #winechat
• BlueDanubeWine @mariepayton go native: Plavac & Posip, Malvasia & Teran, Kekfrankos & Portugieser, Refosk & Pinela ... #winechat
• hungarian_girl @BlueDanubeWine @winecompass #winechat Furmint is gaining ground in Hungary. But its pretty much not known outside the country.
• UCBeau RT @BlueDanubeWine: @mariepayton go native: Plavac & Posip, Malvasia & Teran, Kekfrankos & Portugieser, Refosk & Pinela -- Yes!! #winechat
• KenTruffen The medium price of Tokay is between 60 and 70 ducats. It is sometimes sold in the streets for more than 100. #winechat
• BlueDanubeWine @hungarian_girl @winecompass Dry Furmint is less than 10 years old since it was 1sr produced. Already a success story! #winechat
• winecompass #winechat Romania has the same latitude as France; with micro-climates created by the Black Sea and the Carpathian...
• mariepayton Bulgaria has a longer ripening period than Romania and Hungary #winechat
• WinesofCroatia @hvwinegoddess // Croatian wine distributors in NY are @BlueDanubeWine, Oneocentric, & @VinumUSA. @MurrayHillWines retails in NYC. #winechat
• winecompass #winechat Dealu Mare is considered to be the best area of Romania for red grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot
• myvinespot Total Wine carries this Tokaji furmint dry white #wine ... IMO, very good sip for the buck! http://t.co/bqo1JxqF #winechat
• P3vins At the moment Heumann wines are only available in the DC/VA/MD and soon to be Pennsylvania #winechat
• WinesofCroatia The 3 most widely planted grapes in Croatia are 1) Graševina, 2) Malvasija Istriana, 3) Plavac Mali #winechat
• wine_h Even Jancis Robinson MW regards Villany as the region with the best single varietal CF worldwide. #winechat
• myvinespot Edoardo Miroglio 07 Cabernet Franc ($15): Blackberry, cherry, forest floor, briar, spice, tar, coffee bean, ripe tannins. #winechat
• mariepayton @WinesofCroatia Can you tell us the relationship between Plavac Mali and Zinfandel? #winechat
• BlueDanubeWine RT @mariepayton: @winecompass @myvinespot Nice spread of Eastern European wines tonight! #winechat << Shows us how large this region is!!!
  
• winecompass #winechat Grape growing and winemaking in the territory of modern day Moldova began 4,000 to 5,000 years ago
  
• winecompass #winechat The southern region of Moldova shares the same latitude as Bordeaux & Burgundy, France, intersected by the 47° parallel.
  
• mariepayton I'm using my iphone #sad RT @997dave: Now I have no Hootsuite #winechat
  
• BlueDanubeWine RT @winecompass: #winechat Grape growing & winemaking in modern day Moldova began 4,000 to 5,000 years ago < EE is on the trail from Georgia
  
• WinesofCroatia @mariepayton // Crljenak Kaštelanski is the original Zin. It crossed w/ Dobricic (a local grape) & the offspring is Plavac Mali. #winechat
  
• WinesofCroatia @mariepayton // Plavac Mali ("Little Blue") is now the most planted red grape variety in Croatia. #winechat
  
• 997dave RT @WinesofCroatia: @mariepayton // Plavac Mali ("Little Blue") is now the most planted red grape variety in Croatia. #winechat
  
• WinesofCroatia @mariepayton // yes, but Croatia's 33K hectares under vine comprise less than 1% of total surface area. #winechat
  
• JulesVine @happyhourmary @winecompass Not sure about rom but Moldova has at least 200 yrs & every village family produces at home #winechat
  
• winecompass #winechat Heading into our last region - Bosnia-Herzegovina\Serbia\Macedonian\Kosovo\Montenegro. Anyone drinking these wines?
  
• myvinespot Next up ... a partnership ... Heumann / Heimann 2008 Kékfrankos ($35) #winechat http://t.co/X2ryJ0ar
  
• RoGo81 #winechat Rubin Rizling 2006 nice citrus flavors, slight vanilla age character
  
• mariepayton Legendary California winemaker Mike Grgich played a leading role in raising awareness of Croatian wines #winechat
  
• winecompass #winechat These last regions have over 2 thousand years of wine history: Illyrian period, and the Thracians
  
• wineTT Chateua Pomije 2005 Pinot Noir, Macedonia. Still bright fruit, peppery, tangy finish. Not bad. #winechat
  
• myvinespot @WinesofCroatia How much of the local juice is consumed locally? And ... who's [region] the biggest importer? Thanks #winechat
  
• winecompass #winechat The two most popular grape varieties in Bosnia are Zilavka (white) & Blatina (red)
  
• P3vins RT @myvinespot: Next up ... a partnership ... Heumann / Heimann 2008 Kékfrankos ($35) #winechat http://t.co/X2ryJ0ar
  
• JulesVine Moldova makes 1 of my favorites I call "welches wine" smells just like the juice tastes like chamborcin & turns ur teeth purple! #winechat
  
• myvinespot Heumann/Heimann 08 Kékfrankos ($35): Inviting aromas of anise, eucalyptus, warm black berry, cherry flavors, nice texture #winechat
  
• WinesofCroatia @myvinespot // Check out @BlueDanubeWine's portfolio - best selection of Croatian wines in US! http://t.co/dUT26ZgA #winechat
  
• BlueDanubeWine @winecompass That's what the Zilavka is made for: sausage & Cevapcici #winechat. The Brkic Greda is a more ambitious organic Zilavka.
  
• happyhourmary @JulesVine this makes me think I could make wine in Colorado, given 200 years! #winechat
  
• WineHouseLA @winecompass Its good. Very light and elegent, great acidity and complexity. A bit of cherry, mushroom, spice. #winechat
  
• winecompass #winechat The most important indigenous grape in @WinesofSerbia and surrounding regions is Vranac
  
• winecompass #winechat Vranac berries are large and deeply colored, with its dark berries growing on moderately vigorous and very productive vines.
  
• myvinespot Last but not least ... the 2006 PZ Svirce Ivan Dolac [Hvar] ($25) #winechat http://t.co/HPqB72HB
  
• WinesofCroatia @mariepayton @myvinespot Local consumption is great but declining due to increased imports. All importers r small but passionate! #winechat
  
• happyhourmary @winecompass @WinesofSerbia I love all these cool grape names I have never heard of. Are they related at all to something i know? #winechat
  
• winecompass #winechat Kosovo wines are now available in the U.S. by www.llyrianimport.com
  
• myvinespot 06 PZ Svirce Ivan Dolac [Hvar] ($25): Red fruit, pepper, a touch of mint, grippy tannins ..nice, but need to let this one breathe #winechat
  
• WinesofCroatia @winecompass @WinesofSerbia // watch out for Serbia's Prokupac grape. Showing good potential! #winechat
  
• winecompass Kratosija (Zinfandel) is also popular in the Tikveš wine-growing region of The Republic of Macedonia. #winechat
  
• BlueDanubeWine RT @winecompass: #winechat The most important indigenous grape in @WinesofSerbia & surrounding regions is Vranac < another Plavac relative
  
• vtwinemedia @mariepayton #winechat chaotic as an east european border map tonight!
  
• wineTT Four great imports from Bulgaria. Miroslav and wines from BMV Imports #winechat http://t.co/Z0kzYOP6
  
• BlueDanubeWine @myvinespot Mike Grgich even went back to Croatia to make Posip & Plavac, the most distinguished grapes in Dalmatia #winechat
  
• winecompass #winechat Your thoughts about the wines you tasted tonight? Will you revisit these wines again?
  
• cvn111 Romanian wine: 2200 yrs, easy. Beside the gold in Apuseni, another reason the Roman Legions crossed the Danube. Dacian red wine. #winechat
  
• vtwinemedia TOLD 2 get more dry furmint! RT @winecompass #winechat Your thoughts about the wines you tasted tonight? Will you revisit these wines again?
  
• ElinSilveous :) RT @cvn111: RT @vtwinemedia: @mariepayton #winechat chaotic as an east european border map tonight!
  
• WinesofCroatia @myvinespot @winecompass // Thanks to all for sharing the #winechat love and for your interest in Croatian wines!
  
• wineTT Targovishte Traminer Dry White from Bulgaria east side of Black Sea, candied citrus nose, lychee, light finsih and a bit flabby. #winechat
  
• cvn111 @ElinSilveous @vtwinemedia @mariepayton. What do you mean? Big blue water: Danube one side + Black Sea. It's easy. Good luck. #winechat
  
• P3vins Absolutely ! Hungarian wines are the next big thing to be discovered by Sommelier's...HU reds is all I drink !#winechat
  
• cvn111 @ElinSilveous @vtwinemedia @mariepayton. Alternatively: follow 45th and 47th parallel from France, go East. Good wine all across. #winechat
  
• vtwinemedia #winechat Furmint straight up snappy Tocai & Harslevalu both vino di meditazione. carob & mint tea nose fomer, lemon melon latter. minerals
  
• vtwinemedia #winechat in each case, a lot of wine for the $. Furmint 10, Tocai 12, Harslevalu, 18. Each has long evolution & shine @ room temp.
  
• winecompass @BlueDanubeWine Vranac < another Plavac relative -> I did not know that. Thanks #winechat
• TastyWineCo I have five wines from #Aleksandrovic wines of #Serbia open for tonight's #winechat Leftovers..
• mariepayton @winecompass Thanks for being such a great guest host! #winechat
• winecompass This PZ Svirce - Ivan Dolac - 2006 Plavac Mali is a fine wine. @WinesofCroatia @BlueDanubeWine #winechat
• TastyWineCo #Croatia wine experts, whats the consensus on aging of #Grasevina wines? I swear the Belje Grasevina 2009 is so much better now. #winechat
• winecompass RT @mariepayton: Definitely see a deeper dive into Central/Eastern Europe on future #winechat with functional technology!
• mariepayton It is, isn't it???? RT @winecompass: @mariepayton I'm exhausted. This is hard work. #winechat
• winecompass RT @vtwinemedia -> Where did you get a $10 Furmint ? #winechat
• WinesofCroatia @TastyWineCo // A few months ago a drank a 1963 Grasevina from Kutjevo Cellars. Utterly amazing! Definite aging potential! #winechat
• WinesofCroatia We still have copies available of the Croatian Wine Story DVD for folks who want to know more. http://t.co/L1tzBznK #winechat
• ElinSilveous Thanks everyone. Once again #WineChat was fun and informative.
• mariepayton Another exciting #winechat coming to a close!

Today is #winechat - Focusing on Eastern European Wines

Tonight at 9:00 PM, join us on #winechat as we discuss the wines of Eastern Europe with Cliff Rames: Wines of Croatia - @WinesofCroatia and Erhard Heumann: Heumann Wines - @wine_h. We will discuss indigenous wine grapes, regions, and history from Hungary, through Croatia, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia.For more information check out our previous post or Facebook event.

#WineChat Talking Eastern European Wines

On Wednesday January 4th at 9:00 PM ET, we will be hosting #winechat, a weekly twitter tasting among a growing community of wine geeks. The topic is very dear to our heart, wines and indigenous grapes from Eastern European. We will start by discussing Hungarian, Slovakia, Croatian, and Slovenian wines, then expand the conversation to wines and grapes from Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia. Remember to use the #winechat hash tag when tweeting.

We will be pouring and discussing the following wines:

• Pfneiszl Kekfrankos 2009 Sopron Hungary $15.95
• Nyakas Winery Budai Müller-Thurgau; Budajeno Hungary $14.00
• Heumann Winery & Heimann Winery U&I Kékfrankos 2008 Villany & Szekszard Hungary $34.99
• PZ Svirce Winery Ivan Dolac 2006, Island of Hvar Croatia $24.95
• Enjingi Winery Grasevina 2009, Kutjevo Croatia $14.95
• Corten Pinot Noir 2007; Acorex Winery, Cahul Moldova $11.99
• Edoardo Miroglio 2007 Cabernet Franc, Elenovo Bulgaria $15.00
• Brkic Zilavka 2009, Mostar Herzegovina $14.95
• Murfatlar Winery Doyna 2008 Merlot, Romania $10.49
  

Resources:
Hungary | Croatia | Slovenia |Slovakia | Romania | Moldova | Bulgaria | Wine Route of Herzegovina | Serbia | Montenegro

Special Guests:
Cliff Rames: Wines of Croatia - @WinesofCroatia
Erhard Heumann: Heumann Wines - @wine_h
WinesofSerbia - @WinesofSerbia

To find Eastern Europe wines to sample during the tasting, please check you local wine shop, WholeFoods, Blue Danube Wine, Fine Croatian Wines, JW Sieg Wines, Illyrian Import, Inc, Tasty Wine Company

Villány: Hungary's Bordeaux

A recent #winechat session on Cabernet Franc reminded me of several nice wines from this grape that I had tasted from a relatively unknown wine producing area in central Europe. I'm referring to the Villány region in southwestern Hungary, who's climate affords the luxury of growing several well known Bordeaux, Rhone, and Burgundy grape varieties. And why not; the region lies at the same degree of latitude as the northern part of the Bordeaux wine-region. Plus Northern mountains protect the area from cold northerly winds, while the southern ranges help establish a micro-climate where the number of sunny hours is the highest in the country.

Grape cultivation in Villány probably originated with the Celts, and continued with the Romans as an inscription on a Roman-era altar stone discovered in the hillside of Szársomlyó documents 50 hectares of vine stock plantings. The Magyars continued this practice and, in his deed of foundation of the Szársomlyó Castle, King Béla IV mentions vineyards on the outskirts of Harsány. However, during the Turkish wars, the vineyards suffered terribly; and were rehabilitated when Serb and German settlers moved into the area. At the same time these settlers introduced Hungarians to new grape varieties (Kadarka and Portugieser) as well as new winemaking and storage techniques. Villány wines soon were exported throughout Europe and the Americas and the region thrived until the phylloxera arrived in the late 1800s. Just like the rest of Europe, Hungary's vineyards suffered almost complete devastation. As over half the the vineyards perished; a local grower, Zsigmond Teleki, established an experimental stockyard in Villány to test varieties of rootstock - both American and domestic. He eventually created several rootstocks that were used to reconstruction vineyards, in Villány, Hungary, and throughout Europe. With this reconstruction, Bordeaux varieties, as well as Syrah and Pinot Noir, were planted in this temperate climate.

Over the past several years, we have had the opportunity to taste many of these Villány wines, and in particular wines from Zsigmond Teleki's Château Teleki Winery - now made by Csányi Winery. These were single varietal Bordeaux style wines - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot - seeming to match New World market for single varietals with Old World earthy styles. Besides Bordeaux styled wines, the Vylyan Winery produces an excellent Pinot Noir, which might be our favorite wine from the region. And finally, Heumann Winery, produces two Bordeaux style blends which are smooth classic Bordeaux cuvees, with light tannins and balanced acidity. The winery also produces a very impressive Kékfrankos as well as a Chardonnay (full bodied with apricot flavors and a slight nutty finish). Perhaps the only version of Hungarian Chardonnay available.

Wines from Villány are still scarce in the United States. But check with your local wine shop or Blue Danube Wine, they are worth the search. Photos courtesy of visitbudapest.com.

"Tokaj and Beyond" - The Best Wines of Hungary

On the heels of tasting some fabulous eastern European wines at the Washington D.C. Int'l Wine Festival, we were invited to attend a special trade tasting of just Hungarian wines held at that country's embassy. There was an expanded selection from those presented at the festival which gave a fuller picture of the styles of wines produced primarily from Tokaji and Villány. Tokaji is located in the northeastern section of the country and is known for making sweet dessert fines from Furmint, the Tokaji Aszú . And there were plenty of the highest quality - 5 and 6 puttonyos - available. These wines are sweet, with generally strong apricot flavors. But they are balanced - with no gritty or syrupy finish. Two we really enjoyed were from Alana-Tokaj and Béres Vineyard and Winery. Both these wineries also had examples of dry Furmint as well as semi-dry Hárslevelü - which along with orange muscat are the only grapes authorized to be grown in the region. And Béres also provided a bonus - two versions of Hungarian palinka - these made in a grappa style. Excellent.

Villány is located in the southern region of Hungary is is known as "Little Bordeaux" for its ability to grow Cabernet and Merlot grapes. And wines from these grapes are made in the old world earthy style as opposed to the new world fruit bombs. We started with the wines imported by the Blue Danube Wine Company which culminated into the Attila - a blend of grapes that would give many premier or second crus a battle. Blue Danube also presented wines from native grapes - Kékfrankos and Kardaka which we profiled in our previous post. We then tasted several dry reds produced by the Château Teleki. They were pouring several single varietal Bordeaux style wines which were all representative of the old world miner-ally wines and tasty. But we were more pleased with their Pinot Noir, which shows that Burgundy also has a presence in Villány. This wine is velvety smooth and full bodied - very nice. The final set of reds were offered by Heumann Winery, which is owned and operated by Evelyne & Erhard Heumann. The couple found a suitable Villányi vineyard over 15 years ago and have been producing wines from native and Bordeaux grapes since. And, Mr. Heumann was present to showcase the wines personally. He offers several single varietals - including a Kékfrankos - but its his two blends, Terra Tartaro and Heumann which will remain in our memory. These are smooth classic Bordeaux cuvees, with light tannins and balanced acidity. And priced to sell - we start searching this week. As a bonus, we tasted the Heumann Chardonnay - a very impressive wine - full bodied with apricot flavors and a slight nutty finish. Perhaps the only version of Hungarian Chardonnay available.

Eastern European Wines Shine at the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival

This weekend we attended the 12th Annual Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival and spent the majority of time tasting wine produced in Eastern Europe and the Finger Lakes. Yes, other wine regions were well represented, but on the heels of our article, Blue Frankish - A Great Wine By Any Name, we decided to taste the wines we described in the article. Our day started comparing Hungarian Kékfrankos and Finger Lakes Lemberger; although they weren't exact comparisons because the Finger Lakes versions were 50/50 blends with Cabernet Franc. On the Hungarian side we tasted the Heumann Villany Kékfrankos and the Pfneisxl Sopron Kékfrankos. The latter is lighter, made organically, but with the same smoothness and cherry flavors as the Heumann. On the Finger Lakes side, Fox Run Vineyards and Anthony Road Wine Company were both pouring Lemberger\Cabernet Franc blends. These wines reflect the natural balance that occurs with blending these two grapes - the fruit forwardness and spiciness of the Lemberger and the green fullness of the Cab Franc. We actually experimented, creating our own 50/50 blend of
Heumann Kékfrankos and Heumann Cabernet Franc - and this mixture was easily more enjoyable than each as a single varietal. Just remember, whether Hungarian Kékfrankos or Finger Lakes Lemberger, all are very good, affordable, every day drinking wines.

We also tried several other Hungarian wines, from dry reds and whites to the famous Tokaji Aszu. We tasted the Eszterbauer Szekszárd Kardaka Nagyapám, a dry, medium bodied wine with some similar characteristics as the Kékfrankos - without the complexity. Kardaka is a traditional Hungarian grape that was once the dominate grape in the famous Egri Bikaver - Bull's Blood. Its nice to see a single varietal Kardaka make the journey West. There was also plenty of dry Furmint available, another traditional Hungarian wine grape that is normally vinified into Aszu. Made dry, it is a refreshing wine, balanced between fruit and mineral characters. And we had to sample the sweet Furmint displayed in two wines: Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos and the 6 Puttonyos Aszu. Both had the powerful apricot flavors - definitely strong - but not gritty or syrupy. The "Dessert Wine of Kings". Check out the Blue Danube Wine Company more more information about these wines.

After tasting the various Hungarian wines, we moved to neighboring wines produced in Croatia and Slovenia. We are more familiar with Croatian wines, particularly those made from Crljenak Kastelanski - better known as Primitivo and Zinfandel. Another familiar grape is the indigenous Babić as well as its parent Placac Mali. Both of these were available today: Babić Piližota and the Lirica Plavac Mali Peljesac Dalmatia. Both these wines are produced in the warmer climates in the Dalmatia coast. The Babić was smooth and silky, balanced between fruit and earthiness. The Plavac Mali featured more red fruits and seemed more tannic and spicy. Both were very good and extremely affordable. Check out Fine Croatian Wines for more information.

Even with a visit to Slovenia, we are not very familiar with Slovenian wines, but after tasting the wines made by Ptujska Klet, that will change. This winery is the oldest in Slovenia with its cellars dating back to 1239. We started with the Pullus Pinot Grigio Ptuj. Normally not fans of wines made from this grape, this wine was more than drinkable - fuller than most of its kin with an actual tail. Not bad. But the second we tasted was the bomb; the
Pullus Sauvignon Blanc. This wine had everything you would expect from that variety - refreshing acidity, tropical flavors - this wine just exploded in the mouth. Will definitely give some New Zealanders a run. Wow. Once again, check out Fine Croatian Wines for more information.

We did try other wines, in particular several Pinotages from the large contingent of South African wines. The best trend was that most lacked the strong tobacco - smokey characteristic that repelled us from consuming more of wine varietal. In fact, most resembled its parent, Pinot Noir, with silky bodies and creamy texture. These were nicely done and very affordable. Time to re-evaluate these wines.

Then, of course, we had to sample the Finger Lakes dry Rieslings and the Rhatiselli from Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars. Combined with the reds we tasted earlier - we must include a trip north this summer. Too much good wine being made in that region to miss.

And finally, there were a few spirits. It was nice to see our friends from St Lucia Distillers Group, producers of Castries Crème, rolling out a new line of rum under the Chairman's Reserve brand - Chairman’s Reserve and Chairman’s Reserve Spiced. The spiced rum was very interesting - with the spices and botanicals contributing like a fine gin rather than a chemical additive as with many spiced rums. And Philadelphia Distilling returned, pouring their Vieux Carré Absinthe and Bluecoat American Gin. We didn't sample today, but expect a future episode featuring these spirits from MyJoogTV.com.

In sum, another enjoyable wine festival with enough diversity to keep us interested. Until next time....

12th Annual Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival

Its time once again for the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival from February 10th through the 13th. And as usual the grand tasting will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center during Saturday, February 12th and Sunday, February 13th from 2:00pm-6:00pm. There will be over 100 domestic and international wineries exhibiting, pouring more than 600 wines available for sample. Tickets vary and will increase by $10 after February 5th: Saturday only ($85), Sunday Only ($75), Two-Day Pass ($140). There will be plenty of events targeted towards foodies including Gourmet food booths sampling new products; a Food Pavilion at the GRAND TASTING showcases local restaurants; and The Washington Post's Chef Demo Stage features celebrity chefs. We are more interested in the wine selections which include some Virginia and Maryland wineries, as well as a contingent from the Finger Lakes, and several from the left coast. As for international wines, there will exhibits dedicated to New Zealand Winegrowers, Rhone Valley Wines, The Republic of Hungary, Wines of Don Quxiote's Spain, and Wines of South Africa. Let the sampling begin....

Update
Deals For Deeds are offering tickets to the Washington DC International Wine and Food Festival for 33% off. The direct link is: http://dealsfordeeds.com/deals/todays_deal/93

Zwack Maximilian

As a small country, Hungarian produces an abundant assortment of beer, wine, spirits, and liquors. One that I have always shied away from is the very popular Zwack Unicum - a licorice-flavored digestif liquor that was first produced in 1790 during the Habsburg dynasty. However, when Mrs. WineCompass returned with a bottle containing the Zwack label, I took a deeper interest in the distillery and found a very adventurous and enduring family history. The bottle in question was the recently released Zwack Maximilian, a brandy made in Kecskemet from late-harvest Furmint grapes grown in the Tokaj region. Great grape, great growing region - a nice start. Then the brandy is aged in oak barrels and bottled by hand, and the result is a fine, fine brandy. And it has an interesting story - made from a long-lost family recipe first concocted in 1912. From 1790 to the second world war, the Zwack distillery operated continually in Budapest under several forms of government - mostly unopposed. However, WWWII was different and the distillery was destroyed along with the rest of the city by American bombers and Soviet troops. The rest is from the company's history page:

• "After the war, during which the family lived in a cellar with two unexploded bombs, which they nicknamed Rózsa and Zsuzsa, over their heads, Mitzi's two brothers, János and Béla, completely rebuilt the factory using the most modern technology available at the time. When, in 1948, the firm was finally ready to resume production at pre-war levels, the newly instated Communist government confiscated everything the family possessed with no compensation and "the world as I knew it", to quote Péter Zwack the present heir to the Zwack Company, "came to an end". János fled to the West sitting on his shooting stick under an upturned barrel with the Unicum recipe in his breast pocket, having bribed the Russian drivers to take him across the border. Béla chose to remain in Hungary and was deported, together with thousands of other "class enemies", to eke out a miserable existence on the Great Hungarian Plain. Péter Zwack took a train to the Yugoslav border and then walked his way to Trieste where, with an overwhelming surge of joy and relief, he saw the British fleet at anchor in the bay.
• Péter Zwack returned to Europe in 1970. By then Unicum was already being successfully marketed and distributed in Italy, while Péter Zwack's role became that of opening up new markets and reviving old ones. As the winds of change swept over the whole Eastern bloc, Péter started to receive overtures from Hungary inviting him to return and take over the running of this old family factory.
• In 1987, while Hungary was still a Communist country, he took a gamble and returned home together with his family.
• Initially, he entered into a Joint Venture with the Hungarian State, and then in 1991, together with his partner, Emil Underberg, also a family company, he repurchased the entire State-owned conglomerate incorporating thirteen factories and thirteen hundred workers."

Today the distillery operates out of Kecskemet, a plant I must visit on our next trip overseas. And as for Unicum, maybe I was sampling the communist version and not the family version. The Zwack Maximilian - may last another week.

11th Annual International Wine & Food Festival

Saturday the 13th, we attended the 11th Annual International Wine & Food Festival held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and quite frankly it was a it disappointed. The primary deficiency was that there was not nearly as many participants as previous years; there was so much open space where wine vendors should have been. I guess the economy has taken its toll.

The main attraction were wines from the Kingdom of Navarre and while decent, they weren't anything to knock your socks off. Their best quality was their affordability - most brands were under $15. In contrast there was one Spanish collection that peaked our interest - the wines from Galicia. Both the red and white wines from this region had character - probably because winegrowers there were still using mostly indigenous grapes in which history has suggested flourish in that geography. In particular the Coto de Gomariz have been in the forefront using these indigenous grapes, most which we had never heard of. Yes, of course, Albarino; but not, Treixadura, Loureira, Godello and Sousón, Ferrol, Mencía, Brancellao and Caiño Longo. We were most intriqued with Treixadura - both in blends and as a 100% varietal. For reds, the Cuvée Primo - a blend of Sousón and Caiño Longo - was very nice. Wines from Galicia will be on our horizon for quite sometime.

As in years past, the festival included wines from Maryland, Virginia, and New York through the Monticello Wine Trail, DC Wine Country, Maryland Wine, and Finger Lakes Wine Country.We didn't spend to much time sampling their products since we regularly have chances. However, what is notable is that this year saw a larger contingent of Maryland wineries and the promotion of several new wine trails: Chesapeake Wine Trail , Patuxent Wine Trail, and Piedmont Wine Trail. The proprietors of Thanksgiving Farm were on hand pouring their excellent Meritage as well as wines from Bordeleau Winery. Bordeaux wine styles were also available through Black Ankle Vineyards and a couple from Elk Run Vineyards. The former is one of our favorite Maryland wineries - they provide great wine and music.

There were a few California wineries in attendance, but the main focus was on international producers. the Côtes-du-Rhône graced us with their presence once again and we sampled several affordable Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvedre blends. Love these grapes. France was also represented by Alsace Wines; although known for their Reisling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, our favorites were their Pinot Blanc - the Dopff & Irion and Jean Baptiste Adam. In years past, there would be several eastern Europe wineries, but this year the sole brand was Alana-Tokaj from Hungary. They of course were pouring some Tokaji Aszú and similar late harvest wine made from Furmint, but I've always liked the dry Furmint by itself. They also were pouring a dry Hárslevelü which was nice. We tried several New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir which were quite nice. Tarras Vineyard poured two Pinot Noirs which were completely different even though the vineyard was the same. They showed the difference that just one year can have on the grape's character. Oyster Bay also poured an excellent Pinot Noir as well as Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay. The Sauvignon Blanc was not your standard version - it had a mid palette not just the typical grapefruit acidic explosion at the first sip. Finally, we learned about the International Society of Africans in Wine which sells South African wine owned and operated by black South Africans. The organization will return to Washington D.C. on May 14th and 15th for their "Drink Well, Do Good" tour. Dates for other cities are available on their website. Looking forward to tasting wine made from the Bukettraube grape.

Usually this festival provides a few beers or spirits, but this year saw just one entry - Philadelphia Distilling. I'm glad they came - their appearance made our visit. Master Distiller Robert John Cassell crafts three spirits: Penn 1681 Rye Vodka, Bluecoat American Dry Gin, and Vieux Carre Absinthe. Now, we have never been fans of absinthe - although we love the paraphernalia associated with dispensing the beverage. However, their vodka and gin are outstanding. Funny how we can drink practically anything, but like absinthe, gin is usually not in that list. There are always a few that force us to adjust our preferences and the Bluecoat American Dry Gin is one of these. It's probably the citrus peels that are added to the juniper berries and the other organic botanicals. Or maybe that it is distilled five times in a custom-built, hand-hammered copper pot still. Whatever, this gin is excellent neat or with the grapefruit juice - as they were providing this day. Their vodka is even better. It may be the first we tasted using rye and distilled four times using a column still. But what makes it so smooth - absolutely zero burn must be the charcoal filtering. Penn 1681 Rye Vodka may have supplanted Maine's Cold River Vodka as our favorite American vodka.

Discovering the wines from Galicia and tasting the spirits from Philadelphia Distilling made it worth attending this event - even with the reduced number of wineries pouring. Let's hope next year is back to normal.

Wine 101 - Furmint

“vinum regorum, rex vinorum” – the wine of kings and the king of wines. This is how King Louis XIV of France described Tokaji Aszú, arguably Hungary’s most famous wine. Originating in the 15th century, Aszú predates the more famous Sauternes by about 200 years and was championed by kings and czars throughout Europe. This wine was so highly respected that the Hungarian archbishop Draskovich presented it as a gift to Pope Pius IV at the Council of Trent in 1562. "Writers looked to it for inspiration and its virtues are included in the Hungarian national anthem." Tokaji Aszú primary ingredient: the Furmint grape.

Tokaj is a region of land situated in eastern Hungary close to the Ukrainian border and Tokaji simply means “from Tokaj”. Tokaji Aszú is an ultra-sweet white wine and is characterized by an apricot and honey aroma and taste. In fact, it is one of a few wines where the aroma is exactly like the taste. The sweetness and quality of the wine is measured by puttonyos. The wine is made by selecting individual Furmint and Hárslevelu grapes affected by noble rot (Botrytis Cinerea). These grapes are collected in 2.5kg (55 lbs) tubs called “puttonyos”. The grapes in each tub are then mashed and dried into paste (Aszú). Then a certain amount of puttonyos (between 3 and 6) are added to 136 liters (36 gallons) of white grape must. The more puttonyos added to the base stock the sweeter and higher quality the wine. Finally, the wine is matured in small wooden barrels for seven years and later bottled in the classic white Tokaji bottles.

Furmint grapes are not only cultivated in Hungary, but also in Austria where it is known as Mosler, Slovenia where it is called Sipon, and in California, where Limerick Lane Cellars produces two styles: a dry and late harvest dessert. In fact, Limerick Lane Cellars is the only American winery to create wines from Furmint. And their NV Late Harvest Furmint follows as much as possible, the traditional Hungarian methods. Michael Collins, the owner and former winemaker, visited Tokaj and returned with Furmint and Hárslevelu cuttings. After harvesting, Collins and current winemaker Ross Battersby soaked the grapes in their own juice after de-stemming. This allowed the rich flavors from the raisins to be absorbed into the liquid. After pressing, the juice was fermented in old oak barrels and left "sur lie" for three months. The wine was then racked off the lees and barreled for a minimum of three years. The first wine, the 2001 Late Harvest Furmint, exceeded 5 puttonyos and displayed the classic honey and apricot characteristics of Tokaji Aszú. The winery states that this wine is drinking well now and with good cellaring should last long enough for your grand-children to appreciate (at least 50 years). Hungarian winemakers have visited to taste the wine and have been quite impressed. The 2001 Late Harvest Furmint is now sold out, but the current NV Late Harvest Furmint is a blend of three vintages: 2002, 2003 and 2004. This wine has 3 puttonyos of white grape must. Earlier attempts to market Furmint were difficult as "hardly a soul ever heard of it here" – even by California wine aficionados. However, the dry Furmint sold out relatively quickly - even though it was sold strictly from their tasting room as a house white wine. Wine aficionados must be waking up.

If you find yourself in Sonoma make sure you visit Limerick Lane Cellars. While tasting the Zinfandel and Syrah, ask about their Furmint and discuss the level of puttonyos and Aszú. The winery will be impressed with your wine knowledge.