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!