ESP_GG_N46-WEB

HUNGARY
– RENAISSANCE –
Scenic vistas from the Király dűlő vineyard
13.5 hectares in the Király and Kővágó dűlős. The Király
dűlő, or growth of kings, is without doubt the region’s
most iconic. The upper part has been entirely restored
and replanted with high-density staked vines since 2003.
On this steep slope, Furmint delivers intense expression,
offering up generous palate weight that is rare for this
grape variety. Vivien Ujvári, the young winemaker who
joined the estate in 2016, has successfully established her
style – her wines yield convincing purity and elegance.
She uses modern technology such as pneumatic pressing
and temperature control for the various casks and tanks.
Mindful to allow the region to fully express its potential,
she delivers a superb iteration of Tokaj’s second major
grape variety, Hárslevelü, which accounts for about
20% of plantings in the region. Highly aromatic, with
a less radical structure than Furmint, it is traditionally
used in blends of Aszú wines to bolster their perfume
and floral characters. It is now frequently fermented as
single-varietal dry white or blended with Furmint. The
2019 Hárslevelü label by Domaine Barta offers up a very
aromatic nose suffused with notes of white flowers, white
peach and fresh quince. The attack is fresh and opens up
intensively to aromas of orange blossom, lemon peel,
yellow peach and ginger. The fruity finish is precise and
carried over substantial length by gentle sourness.
ERZSÉBET PINCE, FAMILY SPIRIT
At the foot of Mount Tokaj, in the small village of Tarcal,
the Prácser family strives to craft fine terroir-driven wines.
Established in 1990 but with roots in the village that predate
the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the company boasts
one of the oldest underground galleries that dates back
to the 1600s. At that time, it was used by the Russian
Court to store the finest bottles of Tokaji Aszú destined
for the Emperor. Since 2009, the estate has been assisted
by Hajni Prácser’s husband, Ronn Wiegand MW MS*, the
first person ever to combine these two prestigious titles.
The wines are all gifted with substantial aromatic and
structural freshness.
The Prácser family owns 1 hectare of Furmint planted
on the Király dűlő, a prime site for the grape. The
2017 single-vineyard Király dűlő offers magnificent siteexpressiveness.
The wine is fermented in Bordeaux oak
Erzsébet Pince, a family affair
*Master of Wine, Master Sommelier
70 WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE