SZEKSZARD WINEREGION – PRESS KIT

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With the collapse of communism winemakers found themselves in a new situa- tion: they were no longer told from above what to do and how to do it; they had to make their own decisions and take responsibilty for their actions. Cooperation among Szekszárd winemakers started quite early and it included tasting sessions to establish a more consistent style for the region.

The completion of the designation regulations for the Szekszárd wine region was a landmark achievement, it paved the way for the establishment of an AOC ba- sed system. The regulations are continuously monitored and fine-tuned in order to achieve a designation that can improve the image of the wine region and thus increase the value of its .

It was this spirit of cooperation that brought about the development of the Szek- szárd bottle. This bottle is exclusively reserved for the leading wine categories of the region: Szekszárd Bikavér, kékfrankos and kadarka. The wines are selected by a committee in blind tasting sessions thereby guaranteeing that the wines marketed in these bottles are faultless expressions of the variety and the wine style and reflect the local .

It is also important to increase the involvement of younger people, the next ge- neration in all matters concerning the wine region. It is their responsibility to continue the work started by the present generation and to elevate the wine region to the level of the best in Europe and to show what makes Szekszárd a special wine growing region.

Szekszárd Terroir

Anyone striving to produce top quality wines will attest to the claim that great wines are born in the and the highest aim of the vinification and ageing process is to preserve the original qualities of the . Therefore the key to understanding Szekszárd wine is to explore its terroir. The thickness of this layer varies between 100-200 meters and it emerges to the surface only in narrow ravines and deep loess roads. In this loess layer one can often come across the shells of ancient sea creatures or less frequently the remains of larger mammals that lived here before the glacial period and then there are the curious limestone formations commonly called „löszbaba”.

The amount of limestone which varies from one plot to the next lends wines more intense and complex aromas. The amount of limestone which varies from one plot to the next lends wines more intense and complex aromas. The diffe- rencies in soil are important factors in deciding which varieties to plant, i.e. in plots with higher limestone content one should expect to find white mainly. In the best of the region it is common to find red clay which imparts excellent heat and water retention capacity to the soil as exemplified by the numerous great wines made from grapes grown in the Görögszó, Strázsa- hegy or Gurovica vineyards.

Sitting at the intersection of two larger regions the climate of Szekszárd is spe- cial and is influenced by both the Great Plains and the Szekszárd Hills. Thanks to hot summers even some Mediterranean plants like fig, olive trees and oleander shrubs can be seen thriving on the town’s main square. Szekszárd has a modera- tely warm and dry climate. With 2040-2050 annual hours of sunshine conditions are excellent for and the extended periods of sunshine in early autumn are especially beneficial for ripening the grapes. Spring frost in Szekszárd sel- dom causes problems thanks to the closed valleys. Temperatures show a strong continental influence with some traces of Mediterranean climate. Mean annual temperature is above 10 °C and in the growing season average temperatures are around 17 °C. For almost 200 days a year daily average temperatures rise above 10 °C. Annual rainfall is 630-650 mm with 350-380 mm in the growing season. The wettest months are May and June. There is a danger of hail storms in June, July and August but records show that hail damage is relatively rare as the near- by River Danube has a tendency to „draw” hail away from the vineyards.

Szekszárd Bikavér

One of the best known Hungarian wines Bikavér is a blend of at least four diffe- rent red varieties which together create a wine of complexity and great character. The legend of Bikavér is enhanced by the fact that its place of birth and time and also its technology are all shrouded in mystery. and Szekszárd have long been competing for the honour of being recognized as the birthplace of Bikavér.

From the 19th century on many literary works mention the Szekszárd region and its reputed wine. It was János Garay who first referred to aged Szekszárd as Bikavér in his poem Szegszárdi bordal in 1846. Many great artists were inspired by this wine including Franz Schubert who was allegedly enjoyed Bi- kavér while composing his famous Forellen Quintet. Franz Liszt composed his Hungarian Rhapsody No.8 in Szekszárd. As an „ambassador” of the wine region he sent some bottles of Szekszárd Bikavér to Pope Pius IX. eliciting the following words of praise: „This is what keeps my mind and body sound”.

Szekszárd Bikavér should contain at least four different varieties. The back- bone is provided by at least 45% of kékfrankos and 5% of kadarka. International varieties such as , and are also allowed however their share cannot exceed 40%. Further varieties are also approved with a maximum share of 10%; for classic Bikavér these varieties include alibernet, bíborkadarka, blauburger, , menoire, mészikadar, , portugieser, sagrantino, , tannat, turán, virághegyi and zweigelt, in the premium seg- ment syrah is also allowed.

At all quality levels Szekszárd Bikavér spend at least 12 months in barrels and it is an important stipulation that regardless of the type of barrels chosen by the wine- maker strong toasty and oaky notes are undesirable. In terms of ageing the diffe- rence between classic Bikavér and premium Bikavér lies in that the latter cannot be launched earlier than on the 31 December of the second year following the harvest.

By crafting Szekszárd Bikavér a deeply traditional wine local winemakers not only express their affection towards the region’s past and acknowledge their roots but also demonstrate how precious kadarka and kékfrankos can be not only as varie- tal wines but also as blending partners. What is the right food match for Bikavér? The first thing that comes to mind is game especially roe deer, then stews and all kinds of paprikash, the real classic of the region being kakaspaprikás.

Szekszárd Kékfrankos

Kékfrankos is the most widely planted red grape variety in as well as in Szekszárd where one out of three vines is kékfrankos. There is a good reason for that: this is a variety that does not let you down even in difficult . It is also a variety that lends itself to many different interpretations and provides excellent results as rose, siller or red on its own or in blends. DNA analyses have shown that kékfrankos is identical with the Austrian blaufran- kisch and also the variety known as borgonja in Croatia. One parent is gouais blanc (also a parent of noir), so one can make the connection with Burgundian style. However its place of origin is not France but the region somewhere between Dalmatia, Hungary and Austria, the exact location has not yet been identified.

This is a variety that is good at transmitting the characteristics of individual vi- neyards, of soil and geography. The character of the grapes varies according to the soil types so the clay, loess or limestone content of a vineyard is a major influ- ence on the personality of the wines. In Szekszárd the rate of limey soils varies between 5-30% therefore the vines must be able to withstand lime. It is by no accident that whereas previously premium quality kékfrankos came from selec- ted barrels today the number of single vineyard bottlings is on the rise.

Kékfrankos is a trustworthy, reliable variety that provides year in, year out the right volume and quality to produce wine. It shows medium resistance to mildew and due to its thick skin it can withstand autumn maladies like rain, humidity and bot- rytis. In hot years it loses some of its unique character, it achieves the highest qu- ality in moderate vintages this is when it can show its true colours. Kékfrankos is good at retaining acidity a welcome feature in vineyards with hotter microclimate. You will find kékfrankos in almost all the various wine categories produced in the region: rose, siller, everyday reds, top reds and of course it is the cornerstone of Szekszárd Bikavér. Because it works so well with international varieties there is a growing tendency to use it as a blending partner for heavier, more substantial blends based on cabernet sauvignon or merlot: the juicy acidity and low alcohol typical of kékfrankos lightens and freshens up these wines and helps to bring the drinking window closer. In terms of oaking it prefers shorter time in wood and larger preferably used casks. In really outstanding vintages it might benefit from ageing in small barrel as well.

Premium quality kékfrankos has a steeper ageing curve than wines made of in- ternational varieties: it may reach its peak in 3-5 years and thanks to its acidity will remain there for a long time. Growing international recognition and excellent results at wine competitions are fortunately turning into expanding sales for kék- frankos. The popularity of kékfrankos as an easy drinking everyday wine is also on the rise.

The flavour profile of kékfrankos is dominated by dark and red cherries, sour cher- ries, violets and black pepper. It can cut through fatty dishes so it is a great match for ducks and it also goes well with dishes containing cabbages and beetroot.

Szekszárd Kadarka

We Hungarians consider kadarka as an indigenous variety but in reality it was brought to Hungary from the Balkans. Following the Battle of Várna (1444) lar- ge numbers of Serbians were forced to flee the rule of the Ottoman Empire and sought refuge in Hungary. The settlers then not only planted kadarka but also passed on their viticultural and winemaking expertise. Before the phylloxera epi- demic almost 70% of grapes cultivated in Hungary were kadarka. After the wine blight kadarka gradually lost its popularity and eventually it almost completely disappeared. From the 1990s growers have shown a renewed interest in the va- riety and today kadarka is grown on 400 hectares nationwide a quater of which is in Szekszárd.

The flowers of kadarka are hermaphroditic that is bunches of flowers feature fe- male, male and hermaphroditic flowers at the same time. Kadarka is a capricious variety with a long vegetative period, its buds and shoots are sensitive to frost, the berries and arms ripen late (by the end of October), therefore it needs a lot of heat and light. Kadarka grapes have thin skins so they are susceptible to disease and the wine it produces is light coloured with low tannins.

Because of its sensitivity to unfavourable weather conditions kadarka cannot be produced in every year. However kadarka harvested at the right moment in a sunny, not too wet can age well up to a decade. When vinifying kadarka Szekszárd winemakers pay special attention not to suppress the varietal cha- racter with too much , for the same reason some opt for aging in stainless steel tanks. Old vine kadarka is better suited to oak ageing however most wi- nemakers still prefer using only used large casks. As a blending component i.e. in Szekszárd Bikavér kadarka brings perfume and vibrancy to lift the wines. Nevertheless the share of kadarka in blends rarely exceeds 5-6% as its charac- ter might easily overwhelm that of other varieties.

However winemakers cannot rely solely on tradition. Several winemakers in the region are experimenting with new clones and are carefully studying the plan- tings and the wines. The goal is to find clones and farming practices which result in more reliable quality and consistent harvests.

The most often used descriptors for Szekszárd kadarkas are red currants, cher- ries, rose hips, spices and also playfulness, lightness and elegance. With that in mind it’s easy to see how wide the range of suitable dishes might be. Some of the best matches are classical Hungarian dishes seasoned with paprika and/or containing tomatoes. However if there is one dish worth highlighting, a dish that is hard even to think of without mentioning kadarka then it’s Hungarian fish soup, its seasoning and ingredients make it the ideal pairing.

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