Olaszrizling Szerintünk (Welschriesling, according to us) is now a traditional event held at the end of January or at the beginning of February. At this event they present the best Welschrieslings of the area. Many winemakers gather at Márga Bistro and Jásdi Wine Terrace to present their wines personally. We were there to taste the wines from all over the region, and all of them brought us a step closer to the glorious season of spring.
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Dobosi Winery – “Hordós” Welschriesling 2015
Who are they?
We already wrote about Dobosi Winery three years ago, and they keep pouring great wines into their glasses. The winery prefers economic crop protection and they make organic wines. The foundation of the winery was laid down by the ancestors only five kilometers away from Lake Balaton, at Szentantalfa, a village located between Zánka and Nagyvázsony, at the beginning of the 1700s. The family currently tends to 24 hectares of land around the wine region, mainly in Nivegy Valley, and they have another 1.5 hectares in Balatonfüred. Their barrel-aged Welschriesling is a certified Hegybor in the Vinea Balaton system.
What’s their wine like?
It has pear, butter, and citrus aromas, which means it's great by itself, but it also goes well with simply spiced grilled chicken, or with less strongly flavored cheese.
Price: 2,200 HUF
Order here: DobosiBor.hu
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Káli Kövek – Köveskál Welschriesling 2015
Who are they?
Their ingredient comes from the 40 year old vines of the vineyard at Töltés-dűlő on Fekete Hill. Vintner Gyula Szabó fermented it in the traditional way, spontaneously, to use the winemaker jargon, and then he aged it in a barrel for five months.
What’s their wine like?
The wine has a vivid acidity and its flavor reminds of stone-fruits. It’s fantastically vibrant, and it’s a joy to drink it, even though we can “only” call this item the Welschriesling of everyday life…
Price: 3,490 HUF
Order here: Bortársaság
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Villa Tolnay – Welschriesling 2015
Who are they?
Villa Tolnay is a recurring guest on our wine-related lists, and it’s hard to find new and even newer words to describe their wines, but maybe we don’t even need to do so.
What’s their wine like?
Their 2015 Welschriesling has a roaring fruitiness; its taste is concentrated and awakes salty-rocky associations – this wine was undoubtedly one of the best wines of the Olaszrizling Szerintünk event.
Price: 1,790 HUF
Order here: Bortársaság
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Laposa Winery – Selection Welschriesling 2015
Who are they?
There’s no need to introduce Laposa Winery – we already did that on multiple occasions, and their Laposa Friss Welschriesling earned the first spot at our editorial wine testing.
What’s their wine like?
This selection includes a more serious item than their light summertime Friss – their 2015 Selection Welschriesling. We can recognize peach, apple, and mint in its flavor. It’s a medium-bodied wine which is high above the average due to the quality, the feeling, and the ethereal nature of its acids. It’s an outstanding wine even by international standards and it almost reminds of the style of Austrian wines.
Price: 6,000 HUF
Order here: Bazaltbor.hu
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Ambrus Bakó – “Villa mellett” Welschriesling 2015
Who is he?
The winemaker graduated as a biologist, and is devoted to natural wine-making and Welschriesling. Since this time we preferred lighter Welschrieslings, we couldn’t leave Ambrus Bakó’s “Villa mellett” wine out.
What’s his wine like?
It’s not a bomb of aromas, but of course, a Welschriesling doesn’t need to be one. It hides concentrated flavors. This is what connoisseurs call a focused wine – whatever may that mean.
Price: 3,950 HUF
Order here: Borbolt.hu
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Szent Donát Manor – Welschriesling Kishegy Champagne 2009
Who are they?
The solar eclipse of 1999 meant a lot for Tamás Kovács and his family: maybe their wine-making wouldn’t have the quality and quantity it has now if people hadn’t had flooded their vineyard in Csopak. Their champagne, a rarity, got itself a place in this selection. We can find it at Márga Bistro of Csopak, located on the grounds of the estate. They have such a small stock that it’s only available locally.
What’s their wine like?
“Zero dosage” – a term we should remember if we are ever to go to a champagne tasting. It means bone dry, so there’s no added sugar at all. Liqueur d'expédition is a solution that they traditionally use to flavor the champagnes that are made according to the Champagne method – including this one. The mentality of the school of zero dosage aligns with Szent Donát, since the champagne has a much more natural taste this way, thus there’s only a small audience for such a drink, at least here in Hungary. Anyways, believe us: once we are ready to get rid of boxed cookie mixes, somewhere, deep down, we are ready for the zero dosage as well.
Price: 8,500 HUF
Get it at: Márga Bistro
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Bujdosó Winery – Cirkáló 2015
Who are they?
The Bujdosó family has a reputation for being big sailors; they are the permanent participants of sailing competitions on Lake Balaton and the Adriatic Sea. Their passion shows on the labels of their wines, in the visuals and the names alike.
What’s their wine like?
If we’re looking for a great wine to accompany everyday life, which we won’t pair up with anything more serious than a grilled sandwich, a risotto, or a creamy pasta bake, let’s not forget about Cirkáló, the champion of quality/price ratio, which is made from a blend of Welschriesling and Rieling. There’s a bit of natural residual sugar in it, which makes it even more rounded, disarming, and much more gastro.
Price: 1,950 HUF
Order here: Selection
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Csetvei Winery – “Kő-Papír-Olló” Welschriesling 2015 (Somló)
Who are they?
Krisztina Csetvei started making wine in Mór a few years ago. Their cellar and most of their vineyards are there.
What’s their wine like?
This wine is the “Paper” element in their “Rock-Paper-Scissors” series, which basically means that it has an ethereal lightness. It has a low level of alcohol, with citrus and stone-fruit flavors alternating in it. We can also taste a little bit of the classic character of Somló (salty-rocky) in a sip, but the leading role belongs to the fruits.
Price: 2,590 HUF
Order here: Holnap ott a bor
