I’m no longer in the habit of trying to make bold hypotheses about the potential quality of a given vintage by carefully monitoring the developments of the vegetation in our garden but the Hungarian reds I have tasted so far clearly suggest that 2017 is a year when premium reds might once again merit attention. This may also be the year when the run of mediocre vintages in Szekszárd had finally come to an end.
The 2017 Heimann Kadarka was definitely a case in point and the Kékfrankos is another reason to be cheerful. One just gets the impression that this is a wine made from grapes harvested at optimal ripeness and vinified without overthinking. It’s moreish, satisfying and effortless. Perhaps we are witnessing a new dawn for kékfrankos (blaufränkisch) in Hungary.
The 2017 Heimann Kékfrankos is a veritable fruit bomb. The intense and fresh nose suggests cherries, plums and a spicy element reminiscent of cumins. A balanced, midweight effort with clean, ripe and succulent red fruit, good attack and no hints of sweetness. On the finish there is some pithy bitterness coupled with supple tannins which add some gravitas to this delightful, sun-kissed wine.
5 points and at less than 7 euros it easily merits the best buy tag. It has nothing to fear when compared to the best of its foreign rivals in this overcrowded market segment.
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