SOMLÓ HILL-CELLAR DOOR: GYÖRGYKOVÃ
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 5:37 pm
THE PRINCE OF SOMLÓ
Welcome to Part 2 of my Somló Hill adventure. Please read Part 1 here if you need to familiarise yourself with this Hungarian wine region:
http://www.auswine.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2078
Today we’ll visit the cellar door of one of Hungary’s most famous winemakers: Imre Györgykovács (Imre George-Smith in English).
His supremely powerful Hárslevelű and Furmint are the pride of the Hill and country. His Tramini (Gewürtztraminer) and rare Juhfark (SheepÂ’s tail) are also exemplary. Even the Olaszrizling (Italian Riesling) needs years to show its best. IÂ’ve had the good fortune to drink his rare and excellent 1992 Hárslevelű ($140) and the absolutely superb 1996. The 1997 is a mighty great wine that will age for at least 2 decades. These unoaked dry whites are individual and special. For the first (and last?) time, Imre put part of the 2001 Furmint into new French oak for fermentation and maturation. The result was a stunning wine with awesome power and concentration. It tasted beautiful from barrel, but appeared closed and oaky at the club dinner earlier this year. In the end, Imre did not release this wine commercially, concerned by the influence of oak on the wine. Only his fan club, the “inner circleÂâ€Â, had the chance to buy or taste it. Visiting French winemakers from Burgundy persuaded him into the oak experiment. The non-reserve unoaked version however is available in the fine wine stores of Hungary.
[u][b]GYÖRGYKOVÃ
Welcome to Part 2 of my Somló Hill adventure. Please read Part 1 here if you need to familiarise yourself with this Hungarian wine region:
http://www.auswine.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2078
Today we’ll visit the cellar door of one of Hungary’s most famous winemakers: Imre Györgykovács (Imre George-Smith in English).
His supremely powerful Hárslevelű and Furmint are the pride of the Hill and country. His Tramini (Gewürtztraminer) and rare Juhfark (SheepÂ’s tail) are also exemplary. Even the Olaszrizling (Italian Riesling) needs years to show its best. IÂ’ve had the good fortune to drink his rare and excellent 1992 Hárslevelű ($140) and the absolutely superb 1996. The 1997 is a mighty great wine that will age for at least 2 decades. These unoaked dry whites are individual and special. For the first (and last?) time, Imre put part of the 2001 Furmint into new French oak for fermentation and maturation. The result was a stunning wine with awesome power and concentration. It tasted beautiful from barrel, but appeared closed and oaky at the club dinner earlier this year. In the end, Imre did not release this wine commercially, concerned by the influence of oak on the wine. Only his fan club, the “inner circleÂâ€Â, had the chance to buy or taste it. Visiting French winemakers from Burgundy persuaded him into the oak experiment. The non-reserve unoaked version however is available in the fine wine stores of Hungary.
[u][b]GYÖRGYKOVÃ