Sziegl Pince, “Herreberg” Kadarka
Other, Hungary 2018 (750mL)
Regular price$34.00
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Sziegl Pince, “Herreberg” Kadarka
When it comes to the esoteric, complex, and wildly unique wines of Hungary, Kadarka deserves our deepest respect and undivided attention—but the truth of the matter is it remains foreign to almost every wine drinker outside of eastern Europe. A trusted indigenous grape that once dominated Hungary’s landscape, Kadarka is once again having a renaissance (albeit micro) due to its ability to produce Pinot Noir-esque wines of superb energy, terroir, and perfume.
But today is much more than an introduction to Kadarka: Sziegl’s organically farmed, old-vine gem comes entirely from the “Herreberg” vineyard, an exalted site that has been historically labeled a “Grand Cru” by the region’s most prominent aristocrats. So, if you need one wine that properly introduces you to this significant grape and vineyard, Sziegl Pince is it. A newcomer on the scene, this tiny estate is already considered one of the finest sculptors of Kadarka and although you likely have no reference point, trust us when we say the quality speaks for itself. We recommend you not wait around for this one—it’s hard to find this anywhere right now, let alone in America!
But today is much more than an introduction to Kadarka: Sziegl’s organically farmed, old-vine gem comes entirely from the “Herreberg” vineyard, an exalted site that has been historically labeled a “Grand Cru” by the region’s most prominent aristocrats. So, if you need one wine that properly introduces you to this significant grape and vineyard, Sziegl Pince is it. A newcomer on the scene, this tiny estate is already considered one of the finest sculptors of Kadarka and although you likely have no reference point, trust us when we say the quality speaks for itself. We recommend you not wait around for this one—it’s hard to find this anywhere right now, let alone in America!
About two hours south of Budapest and just east of the Danube River is the village of Hajós, and a short trek from here lies Hajósi Pincefalu, the “cellar village” of Hajós. With deep Swabian roots dating back to the 1700s, winemaking was/is so central to life here that the entire village is basically a couple dozen streets and 1,200+ old, hand-dug cellars all surrounded by a network of family-owned vineyards. In fact, many of the cellars are carved directly beneath the sandy vineyards themselves—one can see the roots snaking their way down from the cellar “ceiling” and clinging to its subterranean walls. It looks and feels like a wine amusement park, but it’s far from trivial: vast swathes of Hungary were devastated by phylloxera, both World Wars, and the iron grip of Communism. That said, there were some pockets of Hungary that fared much better than others. Many of these older sandy vineyards (like today’s) were largely left untouched due to the risk of ponderous Soviet tractors collapsing the vast cellar system. Plus, these sandy soils granted rare immunity against Phylloxera!
One such grape to survive all of this is Kadarka. Though it once accounted for more than 60,000 hectares in Hungary and many of its neighbors, post-Communism nearly wiped the slate clean, leaving only a couple hundred hectares behind. Why? Mainly because it did not suit large-scale industrial production. A notoriously fickle grape to grow (thin-skinned; prone to botrytis), it produces something utterly unique and delicious when responsibly farmed. Enter the Szeigl family: Balázs Sziegl studied viticulture, wrote his thesis on Kadarka, and launched his small-scale winery in 2012. Now, he has organically grown it to around five hectares with the help of his wife, Petra, who studied winemaking and is principally in the cellar.
This 2018 Kadarka comes from their 3.5-hectare holding in the Herreberg vineyard. They “dry farm” (do not irrigate) using zero absorbable chemicals to create an unadulterated wine from nature. The clusters are handpicked and spontaneously fermented in open vats. After twice-daily punch-downs, the juice is transferred into neutral oak barrels of various sizes for eight months of aging. Bottling occurs without filtration and the smallest addition of SO2.
Translation: there is palpable energy and intensity despite the low alcohol and playful ruddy color. Kadarka tends to carry flavors like dried roses and cherries backed with tons of bright, spicy aromatics. That can definitely be found in today’s 2018 along with some other intriguing aromatics: crushed brambly fruit, citrus peel, red plums, and licorice meet damp moss, potting soil, flower stems, and myriad exotic spices. With soft tannins, fresh acids, and pleasing pungency that avoids being heavy, it’s a refreshing dynamo that performs at a top level either (1) slightly chilled on its own or (2) next to intense paprika flavors in the attached Palócleves dish. This latter is about as authentic as it gets without leaving the comfort of your home!
