Dec 16 2008
Szekszárd, in the search of Kadarka
Szekszárd, in the search of Kadarka
Szekszárd (Szekszard) has a special place in my hearth. Underrated by many people and not really discovered, but there is light and potential for greatness in sight.
Thought on orientation…
After arriving to the region or lets say to the actual town it´s going to be simple as the vineyards (and most of the wineries too) are on the west side of the town, on the hill which is between 150-250 m high (the highest point is only 285 m). Everything fairly close but the coin has two sides without maps and proper direction you will be in an urban jungle with very little signs showing you’re the right direction.
The urbanisation of the town or rather the expansion is doubtless a good example how some vineyards can be damaged in a wine region. Another is the lake Balaton where tourism took over from the nature, here in Szekszárd tourism is less as an issue this is might be one of the reason that it has not gained over the recent years in popularity over Villány for instance. But the blocks and mass housing pulled out a lot of precious vines.
The wine region is around 6000 ha yet only a little about 2200 ha is planted with vines, it use to be much more in the past. Loess and sand is the main soil formation in the region yet limestone and clay can also be found. Low cordon is the primary training method, for it´s low training method is the Kadarka grape variety also famous (hard work) which the Rác community bought to the region while they were on the run from the Turks (or to be precise from the Ottomans).
It´s kind of funny the Kadarka grape use to be against all the odds a very popular variety and was almost in every wine region home, also around the lake Balaton. But because it can not be successful under the mass production regime it became quickly disregarded during the communist period. Its very vintage depending, low training, but also low yields are needed to make a fairly good wine. It can be very mean, green and nasty when not made correctly and can have a lovely spicy, peppery red fruit, more acidity less tannins when made in the proper way. The grape is also known as Üszküdar in Turkish, or in Slavish Skaderi yet Bulgaria also has some plantings and they call it Gamza. In Hungary the most popular selection is the Blue Kadarka (Kék Kadarka), yet a little bit of the nemes (noble) can also be found.
My mission this time was to find some good Kadarka during the wine festival where literally all the wine makers come out of their cellars and present the wines. But before I headed out to the centre of the town for the tasting I had two appointments, one with my host (Prantner Winery) and another with their neighbours, the Sárosdi Winery.
Not every one is taking the Kadarka as serious as I would think in the home town of the grape, one who doesn’t even have Kadarka plantings is Ferenc Sárosdi (or as his friends call him Lobo). According to law your bulls blood (Szekszárdi Bikavér in this case) have to have a certain amount of Kadarka in the blend, if not, you can not call it Bikavér. Hence Sárosdi doesn’t have any Bikavér in his line up, he rather believes in the Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch, Lemberger) which is also the most planted red grape variety in the region You see, in Szekszárd most of the wine makers try to pursue you to drink only red or rosé (or some call it a bit different but it´s still rosé, pink) wine. And how are they doing it? Well, by making little and not very interesting whites which you don’t want to taste after you tried some.
The Sárosdi Winery is a family winery, which owns 17 ha and as above mentioned the most planted variety is Kékfrankos followed by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The inner of the winery is very impressive and it makes the tasting more attractive to the visitor. The Sárosdi family was able to build over the years a regular customer base which is very important in this business, specially when you sell most of your wine from the house. On the other side they regard wine competitions as very vital and I can not remember to have heard the importance of wine competitions so frequently or at least so often repeated in such a short time.
Ferenc Sárosdi, the head of the family has a certain temper. I was standing at the pneumatic press where they just finished the pressing and they cleaned the press, got the marc out of the way. And he was yelling at his workers that they did not bring him schnapps, it was hilarious and I could not (and I reckon nobody could) take his anger seriously. Beside his funny anger out break he is a serious and hard working man, who wants to perform well and deliver quality and his wines are very reliable. I hope he will consider Kadarka despite its not easy attitude in the future, then Syrah plantings on a spot just because he is afraid that someone is nicking the grapes is just hilarious again.What an effort?
Address: Szekszárd, Présház u. 48. Tel: 74/419-879, sarosdi@enternet.hu
My host for this tour was Tibor Juhász who is involved in the Prantner Winery, just right next to the Sárosdi Winery. So if you´re in one or the other winery, pop into the other too. You will taste quite different wines (at the Prantner Winery they have Kadarka) and not be disappointed.
Tibor´s stepfather is the head wine maker, Ferenc Prantner is in charge yet all family members are involved. Ferenc used to sell grapes to Sárosdi but one year Ferenc Sárosdi said: “I don’t need more grapes, I make enough wine.” So Ferenc had to decide and I believe he made the right choice to start to make his own wine, bottled under his own label and so on. The winery still has a long way to go to get to the top of Szekszárd, but already today there is a lot of commitment towards quality and if they keep up the good work and make further progress it will not go unnoticed. I tasted with Ferenc the wines in the cellar in accompany of a customer. I wish I would have such a nice cellar, its really a great atmosphere-great work of Ferenc & Co.
He proved my theory with the first wine (Chardonnay 2007), the white, which means the wine makers try to convince you white is no good for you, at least not here. There is also a kind of proverb going around which says in Szekszárd you either ask for wine or the other one which they mean white wine then. He must have used a kind of yeast which turned the Chardonnay into a floral beast and became rather a Sylvaner. Finally, some Kadarka, light yet good red fruit combination on the palate. Ferenc asked me about the so called animality or farmyard note in the wines. As some guys mentioned this yesterday they felt some barnyard notes in one of his wines. Well everybody tastes differently, but animality in young wines in high threshold is a fault, low sulphur, unhygienic cellar conditions etc…Yet the responsible components: IVA, 4EP, 4EG have to be present, I explained him that I smelled and tasted quite a few wines with this “fault/style” during competitions as wine judge or other occasions (fault seminars, etc.) he should not be worried about this. It´s great to talk about wine and I do encourage people to get into wine, not to be afraid of the beautiful subject yet there should be care taken in some instances as well. Just to dash out words which have little or no meaning for them might scare others and look unprofessional.
Most of his wines had a lovely pure fruit, sometimes a bit light yet in balance and very pleasant to drink. The Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, which is actually Tibor´s new planting was a bit of a miss. High alcohol around 15% and 4,5 g/l residual sugar and low acidity made it very unbalanced and rather sweet on the palate. One of his fellow wine maker friends said, “Ferenc you´re better not entering this wine as it will not bring home any medals”. Well, I agree very much but Ferenc says this wine is actually a success amongst the customers on this years wine festival. The Hungarians love a drop of sweet red wine, old (and bad) habit dies hard. Ferenc will consider to make some Bikavér in the future as he has Kadarka, Kékfrankos but also Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot too. We did a test blend, looked not bad.
I firmly believe if the winery continues the good work from the vineyard to the cellar ending with label and distribution Szekszárd can have another very good winery. The mission is given, I hope Tibor will also focus on the exciting subject wine and continue to help the winery, I have to give him credit as he makes progress by taking an effort to study the world of fine wine, having own plantings and by inviting me of course. 
Address: Szekszárd, Présház u. 50 Tel.: Ferenc Prantner: +36 70/3360-158, Juhász Tibi: +36 30 7472477
My tour did not stop here as we headed downtown with Tibi to taste some wine. I can say, mission accomplished as I found the best Kadarka from the Remete Winery (Kadarka 2006) and many other good wines too. Such as the La Vida Merlot from the Vida Winery (La Vida Merlot 2003) which has an amazing price (unfortunately upwards) but it´s an awesome Merlot, pure fruit with highly complex attitude and well balanced long finish. Interested? Read my tasting notes…(comes soon)