I asked my friend Tibor (Tibor Juhász) to set up an appointment with Péter Vida, from the Vida Winery as I tasted some of his wines but never had met or visited the winery. I had a kind of feeling it its going to be exciting and beside gathering knowledge a definitive experience as well. And I was right…

My love and passion towards the wines of Szekszárd is known, I personally hold the red wines (only the reds) in high regard and appreciate them very much. Only the reds, let me explain this with an old pro verb which actually comes from the region: “my friend do you want to drink wine or are you going to drink white?”

Referring to it that Szekszárd is more worth for red if you have to choose and it is anyway rather a red wine producing region and out of the 2000 ha less then 500 ha is planted with white varieties. Well, I´m not saying the region can not produce white wine, but the reds are far more interesting and exciting. There is the famous Bikavér blend which was first mentioned by János Garay (before the legends of Eger, probably) in his poem, referring to the colour of the wine, dark as the bulls blood. Back in those days it must been a blended wine as well.

Then the most planted variety the Kékfrankos which is doing pretty good here too. Compared to Sopron you could say the acidity is softer and lower here (Szekszárd on average 5-6 g/l acidity while in Sopron it´s usually more might even up to 9g/l), certainly balance matters the most and how does it actually taste, mouth feel, etc.
And last but not least there the Kadarka variety, in which I personally find a great joy. In search of Kadarka, defining its style and advocate the beauty of it.

Kadarka probably from Turkey (Üsküdar), unique grape to Hungary then beside Bulgaria (they call it Gamza) hard to find elsewhere in the world. Peter was telling me, it is originally an Albanian variety, Skutarito and must been brought in during the Rigómezei battle in 1444 to Hungary by the Rác community who was fleeing from the Ottomans. Once it was very popular in Hungary, it was literally all over the place, virtually in all the wine regions (except the few which were only white wine producing). The most planted red grape variety (today its Kékfrankos, back in the days called Nagy-Burgundi) and from the Balaton highlands to East Hungary it was everywhere. Today, nothing like that. At it´s best a few hundred hectare (ha), maybe. In Szekszárd “the home land” there is less Kadarka then Chardonnay planted. According to some numbers the Chardonnay plantings are around 125 ha while Kadarka is less then 60 ha. Ditch the Chardonnay and replant Kadarka. Life ain´t that simple, but there are good news, there is a lot going on in terms of Kadarka and the Vida Winery is a part of it.

Generally speaking Kadarka is a very difficult grape variety, very much depending on vintage and hard to take care of and to work with. Out of 10 years there are maybe 4 good vintages, not really worth for wine maker to bother with it, say many.
But there is hope and as it’s looking, plenty of it. There are around 10 producers in Szekszárd who take the issue very seriously, Péter Vida is one of them.

He was talking about some research done on Kadarka, trying to identify the best clones. It’s important for him. Since 9 years the Research Center and several wine makers of the region work closely together, having some vineyards which are 90 years old, made in the so called “bak” training (traditional, pruned to canes). The selection is very careful, looking for small clusters with small berries, the opposite would be wrong. They are further looking at leaf structure in ratio to the cluster and grape size. The smaller clusters and berries provide not only more sugar levels but also a thicker skin which then helps to prevent the Kadarka from rot and other disease. The major problem for quite some time, was really the vintage variation and that it was susceptible to rot. There are around 8 Kadarka clones at the moment and the research is ongoing to find also by micro vinifaction later the best techniques to make Kadarka wine. The possibilities are given and they are using them, very good news indeed. By the way there are quite a few Kadarka varieties (e.g. Biborkadarka).

Peter was saying that the best places to find ancient grapes/clones are the forests. There are the ancient parents and you might have to look really carefully as with little sun light you will be able to find probably small examples only, but forest as a reason he says, because there wouldn’t be any human influence like settlement or destroying it with buildings.

One major problem what the wine region Szekszárd won’t repair anytime soon is the fact that some of the best vineyards sites were destroyed by simply building houses, premises and flats, etc. on them. Once you enter the town you acknowledge the disharmony of the town, vineyards and then suddenly rising block of flats. One of the many very good sites which was build in is the Bakta in the Southern part of the town rising up to 195m they used to say you can´t buy plots in the Bakta you can only inherit them, it’s a Grand Cru site as many say. The Vida family estate has its winery here and some very good sites planted with grapes belong to the family estate.
Peter was telling another major problem regarding the planting density. While during the socialism reign most of the vineyards were worked intensively with machines, like tractors, you had to have the right space between the rows to let pass such a machine. This would mean that only 2000 vines / ha were planted, 5 m space between each row not uncommon. Now, to have 2000 vines on 1 ha you had to force yields high-high-high to get something out of the business and simply the vines also got lazy by not developing deep enough root system. It was clearly a non sense approach by the communist dictatorship. Unfortunately there are still quite a few vineyards which have problems like this. Peter was pointing out his Cabernet Franc site which has quite a low density, around 3000 vines/ha, while the others can reach 5000. When I asked him if he could replant the vineyard by leaving the old varieties in, just adding vines to the rows, like between them in the line. It replacement wouldn’t quite work, as the leaf area of the old vines could overshadow the young vines which therefore could not develop fully and simply the work would be hard too.

The main soil in the wine region of Szekszárd is loess, Péter was pointing out that some parts also have the famous terra rossa soil. Due to the oxidation of the iron comes the red colour it has a red clay amount with deposited flint after carbonate has been leach out of limestone. The loess soil usually contains also a part of active lime, the loess layer reaches 4-5m. The red soil retains water well.

The wine region is part of the historic wine region society used to be much bigger 4-5000 ha in the past. Grapes were transported to different regions to make wine out of them, as the town could not use all the grapes for their own wine production, therefore was sold off.

Back in 1845 they discovered a sarcophagus which must be over 2000 years old, the “sarcop” wording is referring to flesh eater was Peter telling me, meaning it preserves very well the flesh of a human. The interesting thing was, there were motives of grapes and an imprint referring to wine on the sarcophagus. Szekszárd indeed was known by not only the Romans (the old town name Alisca probably originates from the time) but by the Celts as well.
The wine region today has however lost at least half his size, compared to it was it was in the old days. There are many factors determine vineyard quality says Peter Vida, many of them are hard to explain, “we have to feel it and the wine will guide us”. He was pointing out that the inner valley is without protection yet it’s closed towards North and South is the sun, while generally speaking on the North side there is still snow after winter this is gone on the South side. Heat is one determine factor when it comes to quality, as it plays a major role when it comes to ripening. Microclimate, sun exposure but you have to watch all the tiny details, some of them are impossible to explain said Peter to me when I tried to find an answer why for instance is the Bakta regarded as a Grand Cru site.

Peter looks at many things when it comes to the harvest, the physical and biology ripeness of the grape. Looking (and tasting) at the seeds, should become brown and when water evaporates. Sign for harvest. The grapes are like good parents, they look at the children, hence look at the seeds. “Wine is a living being, it lives its breathes just like us”, you could sense the deep spiritual way as Peter was talking about the wine. Commitment and passion translated by his words showed, pure love and enthusiasm for wine. Wine like a human being I understand and agree with this wisdom.
He was saying that wine is always a step in front of us and we do have to catch up with it, he is serious about wine.

While he tries to achieve low yields around 1 kg/vine fermentation happens with selected yeast culture according to the type of wine. Like he said Kadarka is for instance in many ways similar to Pinot Noir, he selected a different yeast culture for Kadarka (“harmony”) then he does for a lets say a Cabernet. While today fermentation can easily be temperature controlled back in the old days this was more difficult. They had to transport the wine outside to chill it down in a different piece of vessel, cooling with cold water when fermentation run to crazy high temperatures in the cellar. Today much easier, in stainless steel tanks, sometimes 7-8 months of tank, 1 year of big barrel (1000 litre so, called ászok with no significant oak influence) and of course the small oak barrels medium or medium + toasted. Fermentation for the reds run usually around 28-30°C and before bottling it goes back into the stainless steel tank for settling down, for 2 weeks. All grapes get destammed.

Barrel use is quite something important. Peter Vida was saying, the barrel is like a piece of music, you listen at a concert to it while your eyes are closed and you know exactly where the violin plays, its art and balance. The big, ászok barrels are used for up to 20 years and cleaned only with sulphur and cold water (warm water wouldn’t be good for the pours).

The Winery has a high quality line made from the best grapes and wine blended (barrels chosen separately for this and not all make it at the very end, as wine matures independently), usually single varietal and come under the name La Vida out of the winery. Outstanding and prestigious wines make it only with this label to the market. The story is quite something interesting and funny as well. Peter visited many years ago the Rioja region in Spain and he was asked by an elderly man what’s his name is as he was giving him some bottles of wine. Vida he says, the old man thought that’s funny, “vida” in Spanish means sort of: glorious life. He wasn’t entirely sure in the beginning whether a joke is played on him, but the guide ensured him that’s the wine makers, real name, senior Peter Vida. What a marketing catch he said, and ever since, La Vida on the label means the very best wine from the Vida Estate. As I was pointing out stricter yield control for the very best wines (La Vida) and only the best wine from the individual barrels (might not all of them as they age differently-tasting!) can make it into the bottle, three weeks stainless steel before bottling happens just before the very end.

The wines showed seriousness and authority, passion and joy at the same time, same as their maker. I feel it he says, I cannot explain everything… “You have to really believe in it, and that’s possible. You have to have a certain attachment, spiritual connection, the spirit is very important!” He added further on: “Szekszárd, will be great if there are 500 good wine makers, we shouldn’t be afraid of the other one, if he is good, but there should be not a single one who is bad.” Knowledge and spirit this combination was in Peter with the drive of making excellent wines in Szekszárd. I told him at the very end, he is probably “the István Szepsy of Szekszárd, he talks with the same passion and spirit about wine, as you do”. He smiled and said, “I like István very much”. Péter Vida a great wine maker with passion and spirit yet the joy is always there in his wines and in the wine maker, it was a fantastic experience hope to return soon, to taste another line of great wines (see the development of Kadarka, might be one day a La Vida -100% Kadarka, too) and to have such a excellent conversation, in regard and respect of the spirit of the place.
Address:

http://www.vidaborok.hu/english/

Tasted wines

17/07/09

Vida Winery

Vida Kadarka 2006
Medium ruby colour, pretty spice on the nose with a hint of farmyard character. Brett as some would call it, in a tiny amount but looks good on it, adds to the complexity.
Ripe fruit, bramble with a capsicum, pine, I call rather medium acidity on it with even lighter tannins of course, yet balanced, barnyard is fading on the palate and cherry takes over touch of mint, complex and medium finish with good vibration. Péter says it would rather match well with traditional fish soup and mallard. I certainly agree with him. Fantastic match.

Kékfrankos 2006
Ruby colour, peppery cherry notes with a hint of chocolate, like a cherry bon-bon. Good acidity plum, blueberry and cherry on the palate very soft touch of oak, just to back up the picture, soft tannins, ripe, very approachable with a vibrant finish.

Cabernet Franc 2007
Deep ruby colour an idea of black fruit on the nose but rather lean when it comes to showing it. Juicy on the palate, ripe fruit, balanced hint of chocolate, good medium tannins, fine acidity, soft on the palate, simple fruit on the palate but it does have a lightly bitter, greenish edge on the finish line. (see my notes on the La Vida Franc, regarding Cabernet Franc in general)

Vida Cuvée 2003
Blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Kékfrankos and Kadarka
Medium ruby colour, peppery soft, bacon/meat, berry fruit with spice attached. But there are notes of floralness as well, attractive layers, charming with its effortless complexity. Good combination of everything, delightful wine with good fruit and spice composition, lovely acidity to it.

La Vida Kékfrankos 2006
Rich and full on the nose, cherry juicy, fabulous complexity blackberry, black cherry hint of mint and eucalyptus with a soft surface. The extract numbers around: 30-40 g/l. One part in new oak aged, soft yet ripe tannins, great acidity, juicy black and cherry fruit with eucalyptus notes, complex. Good density and very charming wine with good finesse.

Barrel samples

La Vida Kékfrankos 2007
Deep colour, youngish nose with black and red fruit alike. Cherry, raspberry with a floral perfume on the nose. On the palate showing strength and density, cherry, floral side of geranium, supple, tempting wine- Fabulous acidity, with great fruit combination, gorgeous concentration, great stuff-very promising.

La Vida Cabernet Franc 2007
Some vegetal and herbal nose, hint of black olive and liquorice notes and cassis combination. Tannin side popping out, vanilla and spicy notes of the medium+ toasted oak barrel, nevertheless the base fruit is good, ripe but again ending with a slight bitter finish. Peter sees a real advantage on Franc (prefers it over Cabernet Sauvignon) while I do not disagree but I found Merlot and Kékfrankos much better in all instances. I do miss the precision and layers of the Franc.

La Vida Merlot 2007
Coming from the Bakta „Szekeshát“ Deep colour, rich notes of floral, violets and fruit, perfume, cherry, black olive with a precision of ripeness and full style, deep senses. Complex, well done!

“Special barrel” 9 part Merlot 1 part Zweigelt, 2007
Rich and dense from the beginning, floral red fruit whiff of spice. Fruitcake, plum with the floral notes and chocolate. Dense on the palate, good deep fruit, very tempting berry fruit underlined with a slight herbal touch (Zweigelt?!).

Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Lofty, juicy red/black fruit combination, pure. Chunky, crisp, superb fruit base. Peter says MLF has not gone to complete yet and he would detect a note of animality, I agree rather with the pure concentration of fruit which is defined, a clean cut. Work in progress here, very promising.

Tags: vida

Trackback URI | Comments RSS