Glimmerglass Chapter American Wine Society Cooperstown, NY Wine Tasting Notes National Tasting Project: Wines of Hungry & Austria Sunday, September 13, 2015 Name Price Score 1. Hugl Grüner Veltliner 2013 (Austria) $10.99 (1L) 15.80 Appearance: (2.83 of 3) Attractive, Brilliant, Light Straw, Clear Aroma/Bouquet: (3.17 of 4) Fruity, Green Apple, Subtle, Floral, Faint Honey, Citrus Body/Texture: (3.33 of 4) Medium, Thin, Smooth Taste/Flavor: (2.92 of 4) Grapefruit, Sour, Slight Herbal Aftertaste: (2.10 of 3) Short, Hot, Citrus Overall Impression: 1.45 of 2 Overall Score: 15.80 (High: 19.25, Low: 11.0) Standard Deviation: 2.22 2. Neumeister Grauburgunder 2013 (Austria) $20.99 16.07 Appearance: (2.79 of 3) Slight Yellow, Light Straw Aroma/Bouquet: (3.25 of 4) Complex, Sour Fruit, Peach, Lemon-Lime, Apricot Body/Texture: (3.33 of 4) Smooth, Medium Taste/Flavor: (3.01 of 4) Grapefruit, Mineral, Citrus, Spritzy, Smoke Aftertaste: (2.16 of 3) Short, Gentle, Lingers, Rapid Overall Impression: 1.53 of 2 Overall Score: 16.07 (High: 20.0, Low: 13.0) Standard Deviation: 1.97 3. Royal Tokaji Furmint 2011 (Hungary) $15.99 14.80 Appearance: (2.72 of 3) Straw, Slight Yellow Aroma/Bouquet: (3.06 of 4) Floral, Lychee Fruit, Gooseberry, Complex, Citrus Body/Texture: (3.13 of 4) Medium, Smooth Taste/Flavor: (2.72 of 4) Mineral, Acidic, Petroleum, Grapefruit, Melon, Pineapple, Oak Aftertaste: (1.99 of 3) Lingers, Dull, Mild, Bitter, Oak Overall Impression: 1.19 of 2 Overall Score: 14.8 (High: 19.0, Low: 8.0) Standard Deviation: 2.39 4. Eszterbauer Kadarka Nagayapam 2013 (Hungary) $15.99 14.50 Appearance: (2.69 of 3) Light Red, Light Ruby Aroma/Bouquet: (2.96 of 4) Plum, Earthy, Dark Spice, Allspice, Sour Cherry, Licorice Body/Texture: (3.0 of 4) Medium, Firm Taste/Flavor: (2.89 of 4) Spice, Cassis, Simple, Pepper, Oak Aftertaste: (1.71 of 3) Short, Nippy, Fades, Harsh, Mild Cocoa, Stone Fruit Overall Impression: 1.25 of 2 Overall Score: 14.50 (High: 18.0, Low: 5.0) Standard Deviation: 3.06 Name Price Score 5. Gobelsburger Niederost Zweigelt 2011 (Austria) $14.99 13.25 Appearance: (2.70 of 3) Clear Edge, Garnet Aroma/Bouquet: (2.56 of 4) Cherry, Earthy, Not Pronounced, Barnyard, Elusive Body/Texture: (2.74 of 4) Medium, Thin, Light Taste/Flavor: (2.51 of 4) Tart Cherry, Licorice, Spice, Pepper, Straw Aftertaste: (1.67 of 3) Light, Short, Dwindles, Cocoa, Spice Overall Impression: 1.08 of 2 Overall Score: 13.25 (High: 18.0, Low: 5.5) Standard Deviation: 2.63 6. Iby Blaufränkisch 2013 (Austria) $12.99 15.54 Appearance: (2.72 of 3) Ruby, Medium Red Aroma/Bouquet: (3.21 of 4) Earthy, Leather, Dark Cherry, Black Pepper, Dried Fruit Body/Texture: (3.10 of 4) Medium, Smooth Taste/Flavor: (2.94 of 4) Dark Fruit, Chocolate, Black Pepper, Cloves, Sour Cherry Aftertaste: (2.13 of 3) Lingers, Long, Spice Overall Impression: 1.44 of 2 Overall Score: 15.54 (High: 18.0, Low: 7.0) Standard Deviation: 2.51 7. Egervin Egri Bikaver Bull’s Blood 2012 (Hungary) $ 7.99 13.30 Appearance: (2.72 of 3) Garnet, Ruby Aroma/Bouquet: (2.59 of 4) Spice, Pepper, Petroleum, Simple, Acetone, Plastic Body/Texture: (2.61 of 4) Medium, Thin Taste/Flavor: (2.41 of 4) Cherry, Coffee, Acidic, Lacking, Dark Spice Aftertaste: (1.64 of 3) Slight Tannins, Not Pleasant, Short Overall Impression: 1.07 of 2 Overall Score: 13.30 (High: 16.75, Low: 5.0) Standard Deviation: 3.71 GLIMMERGLASS CHAPTER 2015 AWS NATIONAL TASTING PROJECT SEPTEMBER 13, 2015 Hugl Grüner Veltliner 2013 Austria $10.99 (1L) GV can range from a light, fruity style, through the classical spicy-peppery medium bodied wine to a full bodied, intensely fruity style.This wine has pleasant citrus and grapefruit aromas, exotic tropical fruits with a hint of freshly ground white pepper. Full-bodied dry wine with a firm mineral backbone. 100% Grüner Veltliner. ABV 13.5 % Neumeister Grauburgunder 2013 Austria $20.99 Pinot Gris, barrel fermented, aged on lees Nutty and herbal aroma of pomme fruits and melons with earthy overtones and bread-yeast notes. In the mouth again yeasty-covered, spicy flavors, straight yellow fruit, nutty, caramel and vegetal notes, lively acidity, earthy and mineral notes in the background, sustainable and creamy, attractive to good, just a little rougher finish. ABV 13% Royal Tokaji Furmint 2011 Hungary $15.99 This wine is a pure expression of Furmint’s unique character. The final blend consists of half barrel- fermented and half tank-fermented wine. On the nose it has charming grape flowers and fruit (gooseberry/lime) with a hint of nuts. On the palate the wine is dry and sleek. The barrel components gently round out the wine which remains fresh and has a long finish. 100% Furmint. ABV 14%. Sugar 1.5 g/l. Total Acidity 7 g/l Eszterbauer Kadarka Nagayapam 2013 Hungary $15.99 The first moment is intensely fruity and spicy smells, complex and deep, long szippantható. The body is big, strong alcohol, but balanced. Very focused, intensely fruity, long and quite exciting. Sourced from their oldest plots of vineyards it captures the elegance, minerality and refreshment so rare to red wine. Fresh, fruity, spicy and dry, it is totally its own, although one could compare it to some of the more exotic Cabernet Franc-based reds from France’s Loire Valley. 100% Kadarka. ABV 13% Gobelsburger Niederost Zweigelt 2011 Austria $14.99 This wine exudes a shiny ruby red colour with a light violet tone. On the nose is fruitiness with hints of cherries along with spicy nuances. The full body with delicate notes make this wine an all-around food companion. ABV 12.5% Iby Blaufränkisch 2013 Austria $12.99 Dark ruby garnet with a violet rim, mostly young, the streaks that form on the glass show clearly the high extract content from ripe grapes. Clear, pronounced cherry and blackberry fruit. Dry, with a mild acidity, juicy tannin and tempting to drink. Blaufränkisch that is typical of the region. ABV 13 % Egervin Egri Bikaver Bull’s Blood 2012 Hungary $ 7.99 When the Turks attacked Hungary, the inhabitants showed no fear, and the Turks eventually gave up. Rumors spread the reason for the Hungarian strength was that they mixed the blood of bulls into their red wine. It can be a blend of numerous grapes, predominantly Kadarka and/or Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch), along with Blauer Portugieser, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Menoire, Pinot Noir, Blauburger and/or Zweigelt. The color is a medium ruby, with aromas of black pepper, fallen leaves, dark fruits, and ripe plum. The acid is high. ABV National Tasting Project 2015 Wines of Austria and Hungary A Well Kept Secret National Tasting Committee Rege Duralia Chairperson North Carolina Contact for questions and other inquiries: [email protected] 828-396-1601 Aaron Mandel Missouri Barry St. Pierre Connecticut Bert Webb California Dave Szydlik Texas Kristin Kraft Pennsylvania Maria Romano Nevada Page 2 of 12 National Tasting Project 2015 Wines of Austria and Hungary ~ A Well Kept Secret Special Note: In an effort to combat the fragmented and often confusing wine distribution system in the US, this year the NTP committee has made arrangements with Market View Liquors to source the wines for the Tasting Project. Because wine moves through their warehouses quickly, the wines may not be available beyond June 1st… Even if you plan to hold the tasting later on this year, order wines NOW. Earlier this year, the state of Pennsylvania stopped all shipment of wine to residents of the state. See the note on page 16. History, Regions, Wine Making and other Tidbits about the Wines Austria ~ The wines of Austria, a country about the size of Maine, are the most exciting of those produced in central-eastern Europe. Most of them are dry whites along with some stellar reds, all with an uncanny synergy between power and elegance. Wine growing has been traced back to the Celts in the fourth century B.C. followed by the Romans as they expanded their Empire. Although this area of Europe was subject to the shifting of control among many peoples, the production of wine eventually fell to the monks and their monasteries as happened in many parts of Europe. We are fortunate that the spread of Christianity continued the winegrowing industry. In the Middle Ages the total area under vine was close to 10 times what it is today and Austrian wines were widely exported. After World War I, Austria was economically unstable and cheap wine became the order of the day. Handcrafted, quality wines gave way to volume production that served to placate the local population and could be exported to Germany which also suffered economic hardships. The bottom was hit in 1985 when Austrian wines were discovered to contain diethylene glycol, a harmless but illegal additive, contained in antifreeze. It gave cheap plonk more body and a slight sweetness which characterized Austrian wines around the world as shoddy. Eventually the few quality producers rebuilt the wine industry from the ground up and today top-quality wine is a virtual religion with winemakers and viticulturists. Compared to Europe and the rest of the world the wine laws are the strictest and compare closely to German wine law nomenclature. The hierarchy of wine designations is based on the weight of the sugar of the must at the beginning of fermentation. Although the designations are often referred to as levels of “quality”, they actually represent the minimum must weight or ripeness of the grapes at time of harvest.