“The soul of our ancestors in the bottle.” With each wine Eszterbauer crafts, they do so with that in mind. It’s a bold precept, but one they can certainly back up: They’ve been farming in the small wine town of Szekszárd for nearly 275 consecutive years and have subsequently mastered the subtleties of Hungary’s indigenous grape, Kadarka.
“Nagyapám” translates to “my grandfather,” and remembering their mantra, what better way to label a wine? Current proprietor János Eszterbauer did so in order to honor his family’s history in the region and devotion to the Kadarka variety. What you’re getting in this bottle of wine is not just an homage to some true-blue Hungarian farmers, but also a wildly aromatic expression of a grape most people have never experienced, let alone heard of before. Upon tasting, there are nods to polished Chinon, juicy Beaujolais, and the wild spunk of Jura—all while remaining wholly unique. If any of these wines are in your regular rotation, Kadarka will fit in seamlessly while adding a new dimension to your wine-drinking repertoire. As you may have noticed, we’re seeing more and more great wine coming out of Hungary and we’re excited to share it—especially when the price is right!
Last month, we offered a Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) from Eger, one of two Hungarian regions famously known for Bikavér, or “Bull’s Blood,” which is essentially a red blend consisting of three or more grapes. And the second region? That’s right—Szekszárd. While it was Bull’s Blood that made them famous, today, producers in both regions are focusing on the magic of single-variety wines. For János Eszterbauer, it’s all about Kadarka—a grape that was historically used as the base of Bull’s Blood before phylloxera nearly wiped it off the map. Eszterbauer’s collection of vines, however, remained miraculously unscathed. While everyone was replanting their Kadarka in the 1990s after decades of abandonment, Eszterbauer had never missed a beat. It is, as the wine’s importer put it, “what his grandfather grew, what he grows, and what his children will grow.” But their history goes back much farther than their grandfather: In 1746, the Eszterbauer family left Bavaria and settled in Szekszárd, located in the southern reaches of Hungary. Since then, without pause, each succeeding generation has tended to the vines.
Eszterbauer’s ancient Kadarka vines are farmed sustainably, when it cooperates. This grape is even more finicky than Pinot Noir. It is very thin-skinned, yet incredibly bulbous (check out the
size of these berries). They flat-out refuse to cooperate and only achieve full ripeness in the best sites (like those in Szekszárd). When they do obtain optimal ripeness, like in 2016, the grapes are hand-harvested, meticulously sorted, and fermented with indigenous yeasts in the winery. After macerating in a temperature-controlled environment, the juice is transferred into a combination of stainless steel and oak vessels before bottling.
The 2016 “Nagyapám” shows a brilliant ruby color with slight pink hues on the rim. Lip-smacking red fruits and a mix of freshly picked red flowers shoot out of the glass with a punch-like fragrance. Upon further study, you’ll pinpoint ripe raspberry, bing and black cherry, wild strawberry, huckleberry, red plum, rose petal, fresh herbs, crushed stone, tobacco leaves, hints of white pepper, and subtle baking spice. The mouthwatering palate is comfortably medium-bodied with candied red fruits and a smooth tannic backbone that pushes into a satisfyingly dry finish. It’s soft, spicy, and fruitful at once. “Nagyapám” will develop well over the next 3-5 years, but it’s already such a fun wine that can and should be consumed immediately. Pop and pour into Burgundy stems around cellar temperature and don’t scold yourself for opening a second bottle an hour later—it’s that addicting. For such an obscure grape, we may as well pair it with a local dish. Track down the proper ingredients for attached fish stew, known as Halászlé in Hungarian, and enjoy the marriage of flavors. Cheers!
