Hidden in Hungary, Treasures on the Vine

It caught my attention as soon as I read the heading in NYTimes this mornig: "Hidden in Hungary, Treasures on the Vine". So I kept reading..."THE mold covered every surface of the cellar, coating the walls and ceilings in layers of loose black gauze. On one shelf, sheets of mold had grown so thick that it was nearly impossible to tell what was underneath, making the ancient wine bottles seem like ash-colored homunculi, an army of toy soldiers made from fungus.

Walking farther into the cellar, I ducked under a low ceiling and felt dangling fingers of mold touch my head.

“The mold is fed by the wine that evaporates,” said my guide, Zsuzsanna Szobonya, leading me into a hexagonal tasting room where even the arabesque chandelier overhead was adorned with more black fluff. “Try this,” she said.

Standing in the dim light, I sniffed, then tasted. Though the cellar air was damp and musty, the scent from the glass was richly aromatic and floral. The wine, a Tokaji aszu, was full of citrus blossoms and fruit in the nose. In the mouth, crisp flavors of apricot and orange burst forth, followed by an invigoratingly sharp finish that begged for another quick sip.

Lucky mold, I thought."

I kept reading and it was like I was there. Smelling, tasting, taking it all in. I heard about Hungarian wines from our Canadian friends Steve and Elsa a couple of years ago when I told them about my wine cellar in Greece, "You have to go to Hungary and taste the wine there" said Steve. His nephew--his sister's son who is also an architect--has the vineyard-itis affliction and has really got involved in wine growing and wine cellars. We might add Hungary in our wine destinations after reading this article. By the way, go to the above link NYTimes to read the article in its entirety. It is worth it. Enjoy...

Don't miss the slide show...

1998 Ερμίνος--Messinian Local Red Wine

Most people are familiar with one of the the products of the Messinian region--the famous kalamata olives. This area of the Peloponnesian peninsula, however, is rich in history and culture. In addition to its famous olives, it produces excellent olive oil and is one of the best producers of red, white and rose wines.

I had the opportunity to taste one of its local red wines back in 2002. It was a 1998 Ερμίνος (Herminos) red. It was a limited family production and not certain if they are still producing under the same label. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Rouge, and Merlot--one of my favorite blends. Deep ruby color, it was still rich in tannins but flavorful. Eight years later, it has a brilliant ruby color, rich body, well balanced, a very pleasant lingering taste, with no signs of decline. Should be good for another 2-5 years.

The Wine Cellar gives it a deserving rating of 91 points.