1/25 PETIT WEEK IN WINE - The Wines of Hungary!

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1/25 PETIT WEEK IN WINE - The Wines of Hungary!

PETIT WEEK IN WINE | January 25 - January 29 2023

This Week's Flight Showcase:

H U N G A R Y

Exploring Eastern Europe's Most Notable Wine Region

Throughout their long history, Hungarian wines have been perceived as elusive and mysterious, and nearly always lauded. Even the King of France, Louis XIV, is said to have had a weakness for Tokaj Aszú dessert wine, dubbing it, "Wine of Kings, King of Wines."

This week we invite you for a closer look into the wines of Hungary- in particular the local Furmint varietal as we will feature this noble grape in a sparkling, a dry still wine, and a truly killer dessert wine.

I think you will be surprised at how interesting and deliciously unique these wines are. Here is your chance to expand your palate and broaden your wine horizons with Hungarian juice that seldom is exported.

The tasting flight is $25 and starts tonight at our South End location. AND I tell you what. - for those of you that stop in for a flight on Wednesday night only - you can enjoy an extra gratis pour of your favorite on the house!! We'll be open till 9pm on Camden, in the Design Center. Bottle purchases also will get 10% off tonight.

Quick Summary of what we will be featuring all weekend:

  • A sparkling Furmint from the owners of Vouvray's Domaine Huet- iconic Loire Valley Chenin Blanc producer
  • A still white from Krisztina Csetvei that uses only Olaszrizling... a varietal typically only associated with spritzers now elevated with single-vineyard vinification
  • A Furmint at its most precise, with clear Burgundian character... Vega Sicilia's only holding out of Spain
  • A Royal Tokaj dessert wine made with botrytised Furmint grapes- the original wine style that put Hungary on the map centuries ago

Read on for this week's fabulous line-up, along with a quick primer on Hungary, plus, back by popular demand, some easy pairings to consider for you foodies out there.

And last but not least, I invite you to check-out our "The Day After: 2/1 Above the Uptown Skyline" event that is selling fast. It's one week from today, and it's guaranteed to be a great evening with both Jason & Sam visiting. See below for details!

See you soon in the tasting room and drink more Furmint!

Cheers-

Mark

For More Information &

to Claim your Ticket Click HERE

Join us for a PETIT PHILIPPE exclusive winter wine event with winemakers Jason Moore of MODUS OPERANDI CELLARS and Sam Lando of LANDO WINES. Usher in February with a brilliant lineup of boutique wines from Napa & Sonoma. Sip and swirl with the winemakers and enjoy tasting NINE wines in the Sky Lounge penthouse on the 50th Floor of The Vue in Uptown Charlotte.

Click Here to Browse & Purchase Wine Directly Online. We will have your order ready for pickup at either of our two local stores OR ship nationwide!(some states restricted)
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Hungary Primer

History

Hundreds of years ago, Hungary was one of the most important wine producers in Europe. Every royal court in Europe clinked glasses filled with precious gold Tokaji sweet wine, while other lush Hungarian whites and reds were lauded and enjoyed throughout Europe.

However with the aggressive assault of phylloxera in the 1880’s, two world wars, and forty years of communist collectivization and we begin to get understand why we do not see more Hungarian wine today. Fortunately, Hungary is bouncing back. Countless small estates, replanted and cultivated across the country are turning out beautiful wines–a result of traditional winemaking culture mixed with a modern sensibility. With 22 wine regions growing hundreds of varietals, the country offers a multitude of great wines to explore.

Regions

The country is located between the 46th and 49th parallel which is actually the same latitude range as many of France’s top wine regions from Northern Rhône to Champagne. Hungary’s rolling hills are rich in volcanic soils and limestone–idyllic soil types for fine winemaking.

The top four wine regions are:

  • Eger: Located in the north, about 86 miles northeast of Budapest. Grapes grow natively on Eger’s rolling terrain; in fact, scientists actually identified a 30 million-year-old wine grape fossil in Eger, among the modern-day vineyards. Eger is best known for two of its native blends: the Bikaver, or “Bull’s Blood” (a red blend), and the Egri Csillag, or “Star of Eger” (a white blend).
  • Tokaj: The gold standard of the Hungarian wine regions. It is Hungary’s most famous wine region, the oldest classified wine region in the world, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and home to the world’s first noble rot wine–the sweet golden Tokaji Aszú (“toe-kye as-zoo”).
  • Villány: A warm region in the southernmost tip of Hungary, famous for its opulent red wines. It is 140 miles south of Budapest, near Hungary’s border with Croatia, and only about 340 miles from the Adriatic Sea. The sub-Mediterranean climate is particularly ideal for making wine, with long hot summers and mild winters. The wines here are world-class, structured and elegant, with good tannins and a balance of fruit and earth. Native grapes are grown volcanic soils, include Portugesier and Kékfrankos, but many producers focus on red Bordeaux varieties, like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
  • Nagy Somló: Hungary’s tiniest wine region, but its wines are possibly the most fascinating in Hungary. Somló is only 300 hectares (741 acres), located on an extinct volcanic butte about 90 miles west of Budapest. The bedrock is black basalt, the remnant of ancient lava flows, and above it lies a topsoil with loess, clay and sand. The unique terroir makes some of the smokiest, most fiery white wines in the world.

Main White Varietals

After hand-harvesting, Chardonnay is lightly crushed by foot before pressing. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in barrels using indigenous yeasts. During barrel aging, the wines

  • Furmint: Hungary’s flagship grape. It is scattered around the country in several regions, but nowhere is it more important than in Tokaj, where it has been planted since the 17th century. Can produce incredibly complex wines, and is the main ingredient in Tokaj Aszú. Furmint is highly susceptible to botrytis. Furmint is highly reflective of its terroir, and winemakers in Tokaj love showcasing the different vineyards through single vineyard 
  • Hárslevelű: a white Hungarian grape that is the 10th most planted variety in Hungary. It’s planted in many regions, but produces the best results in Tokaj. makes a wonderful wine, with a good backbone, and flavors of linden honey, fresh blossoms, chestnut, cloves, pear, quince, and elderflower.
  • Olaszrizling: Hungary’s most widely planted white grape variety. It’s a Central European variety which is found in many other countries under different names. Though the direct English translation is “Italian Riesling,” it is neither Italian, nor Riesling. Easy-drinking Olaszrizling can be enjoyable (and found especially around Lake Balaton)

Join us this week as we feature three whites showcasing the versatility of the Furmint varietal and one Olaszrizling to round up your Hungarian tasting flight.

Kiralyudvar Tokaj Pezsgo Henye Sparkling 2017 - $37 btl/retail

Tokaj, Hungary

Csetvei Pinceszet Ko-Papir-Ollo Olaszrizling 2019 - $29 btl/retail

Mór, Hungary

Oremus Mandolas Tokaji Dry 2018 - $38 btl/retail

Tokaj, Hungary

Royal Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2017 - $71 btl/retail

Tokaj, Hungary

Full Tasting Flight of 4 Wines - $25 (2.5oz pours)

MYERS PARK:

5:00 - 8:00pm Thurs & Friday

1:00 - 7:30pm Saturday 

SOUTH END: 

7:00 - 9:00pm Wed!

5:00 - 9:00pm Thurs, Friday

1:00 - 9:00pm Saturday

1:00 - 5:30pm Sunday

>> TASTING FLIGHT OFFERINGS:

Kiralyudvar Tokaj Pezsgo Henye Sparkling 2017

Tokaj, Hungary

$37 btl/retail

Inspired by Domaine Huet’s revered Pétillant from Vouvray, owner Tony Hwang introduced this fascinating sparkling wine from the Tokaj region in 2007.

Varietal: From Kiralyudvar’s biodynamically farmed Henye vineyard (a favorite of the Hungarian crown) comes this sparkling blend of native varieties Furmint and Hárslevelü. This vintage sparkling wine is made by following the methode traditionelle.

Taste: Ripe notes of yellow apples, mandarin orange and quince give way to a palate of exotic spices and Meyer lemon. Complex, deep and layered.

Pairing Suggestion: Can be enjoyed as an aperitif, or with a variety of sushi rolls. The fine effervescence does well to stand up to most salad vinaigrettes.

Csetvei Pinceszet Ko-Papir-Ollo Olaszrizling 2019

Mór, Hungary

$29 btl/retail

Part of winemaker's Krisztina Csetvei Rock-Paper-Scissors series of bottlings named after her children's playful nature & spirit.

Varietal: 100% Olaszrizling (indigenous varietal not related to German Riesling) from volcanic soils in the vineyards surrounding the village of Mór. Fermented and aged in both neutral Hungarian oak and stainless steel tanks to reserve freshness. The wine is aged on the fine lees and bottled unfined/unfiltered.

Taste: Light yellow color in the glass. Its aroma is a mixture of white flowers, apples and almonds. Ripe, creamy and full in character with a taste that shows the barrel-age. On the palate there is white-fleshed apple, grapefruit, and lemon, which is accompanied by good acidity in the background. Its finish is long, clean and energetic with some mineral notes.

102 cases produced.

Pairing Suggestion: A great partner to a whole range of dishes.... from grilled vegetable gratins to rotisserie chicken. Also does well with Indian cuisine- in particular Biryani & Samosas.

Oremus Mandolas Tokaji Dry 2018

Tokaj, Hungary

$45 btl/retail

In 1993 Bodegas Vega Sicilia acquired one of Tokaj’s most highly-regarded properties in the top-rated village of Tolcsva. Renamed, Bodegas Oremus, the winery boasts 115 hectares of “first growth” vineyard plus five levels of underground cellars hand hewn into volcanic rock.

Varietal: 100% Furmint from clones sourced from the +50 year old Petrács vineyard. The manually harvested bunches are gently pressed and fermentation takes place 50 % in new Hungarian oak barrels and 50 % in stainless steel tanks. 70 % of the wine is aged in oak barrels for 3 months stirring up the lees every week (batonnage) and for another 3 months in complete peace.

Taste: Platinum-green color in the glass. The aromas include citrus blossom and beeswax, along with a hint of savory herbs. On the palate, the wine showcases depth and focus, with balanced acidity, lemon zest, and crushed-limestone minerals that resolve on the long finish. A precise wine with high stature and complexity.

Pairing Suggestions: Does well with shellfish & vegetarian based Asian dishes with med-to-low spice levels. Can also be enjoyed with traditional Hungarian dishes such as Chicken Paprikash.

Royal Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2017

Tokaj, Hungary

$71 btl/retail

Only 15 vintages of the Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos have been produced since its premier release of the 1990 vintage.

Varietal: 65% Furmint, 30% Harslevelu, plus small amounts of other varieties. Excellent quality aszú berries with good structure and perfect botrytis were macerated in fermenting must for two days. After pressing and fermentation, the wines were then transferred into 300L and 500L Hungarian Zemplen oak barrels for over two years maturation in Royal Tokaji’s 13th century cellars. The final blends were crafted in the spring of 2020.

Taste: Fantastic nose of ginseng, dried apricots, yellow plums, brown sugar, honey, lemons and tangerine peel. Honeyed and smooth with layers of dried fruit and subtle earthy elements. Fine and creamy on the palate, with a long, lightly mouthwatering finish. Excellent balance and freshness.

Pairing Suggestion: Classic pairings are a cheese course (with Blues like Stilton & Roquefort), and foie gras. Can also stand alone as a dessert for those less inclined to a post-dinner night-cap.

>> Did you Know?

Nearly every single language’s word for wine derives from the latin word "vinum". There are only three languages whose word for wine does not: Greek (oinos), Turkish (sarap), and Hungarian (bor). Some historians believe this might indicate an early Hungarian connection to winemaking unrelated to the Romans, feeding the strong suspicion that Hungarian wine culture predates most of the other wine cultures of Europe.