The Tasting Panel magazine

November 2017

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/898117

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 79 of 116

november 2017  /  the tasting panel  /  79 After picking Hungary for his annual trip this year, Tom started in Eger and hiked for six days through the Bükk National Park. He tra- versed from town to town until he arrived in the village of Mád, where he met with István Szepsy Jr., the Winemaker for Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine. Szepsy then took him to see the Grand Cru vineyards of Szent Tamás, which grow in the volcanic hills that surround the town and define the very special and unique mineral character of the wines. Szepsy is an 18th-generation winemaker whose father was the first to begin experimenting with a dry-style Furmint. While Furmint is well-known for producing Aszú-style wines, Tokaj's celebrated bottling made from grapes affected by botrytis (or noble rot), it was never used for making dry wine until the early 2000s. "It was a long process," remarks Szepsy. "By now, we firmly believe that dry Furmint represents the take-off point for the Hungarian wines. There is great potential in today's global wine market for this style of wine." Szepsy's wines, especially the dry Furmint considered by profes- sionals to be the new taste of the world, captured Tom's interest. Three weeks after he returned from Hungary, the 2015 MÁD Furmint—the first village-blend dry Furmint chosen as the flagship of "The Year of Furmint in North America" campaign launched by Vinum Tokaj International—had already found its way onto Toma's wine list, where it was featured as October's "Wine of the Month" and paired with many dishes on the menu. "When you first taste Furmint, it has similarities to Pinot Blanc or even Sauvignon Blanc, but it's completely different and unique," Tom explains. The restaurant menu highlights the abundance of local seafood, cheeses, and vegetables cultivated in Santa Barbara County, and they all pair deliciously with dry white wines like Furmint. Károly Kovács, entrepreneur and Co-Owner of Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine, as well as Attila Balla, President of Vinum Tokaj International, flew halfway around the world to meet Tom in person after his trip abroad. "We're very happy and thankful for your visit to see us in Tokaj," Balla said, translating for Kovács. "You are our new ambassador of Furmint and Hungarian wine." Both Kovács' and the Dolans' restaurants have earned top honors in their respected regions. In 2009, Kovács took a chance and began invest- ing not just in his new venture, the Szent Tamás and Mad Wine Winery, but also in the village of Mád itself. The following year, he founded the Gusteau Culinary Experience Workshop, which houses an award- winning fine dining experience centered around the wines of Mád. Education is key in the collective effort to introduce the U.S. market to dry Furmint. "We need to go step by step, restaurant by restaurant, to educate them and let them taste the wines," adds Balla. The Fall of Communism Leads to Innovation in Hungary During Tom's visit to Hungary, he understood that Tokaj's wines were among the world's most expensive and sought-after in history. But with the spread of communism in Eastern Europe following World War II, generations' worth of the country's winemaking tradition was left vulnerable as the Soviets converted many vineyards to favor lesser-quality mass production—setting Hungary back behind France, Spain, Germany, and Italy during the mid-late 20th century. "Hungarians were still growing grapes and making wine, but they were growing for quantity, primarily for the politburo [a wing of the Communist Party] and the 'amicable' countries at that time," Balla explains. "There's just no way to be proud of your product when you cannot produce it in the quality desired, as only the quantity counts." Fortunately, the years leading up to the new millennia ushered in a new phase for Hungarian winemaking. "Now, 25 years later, things have started happening again. You forget that this was a period in world history that just decimated a lot of industry," Tom says, shaking his head. "That was one of my biggest eye-openers." Considering that dry Furmint is a very recent product for winemakers in Tokaj, we can only imagine what we'll taste in the future as experimentation leads to new investment and ideas combined with the centuries-long winemaking knowledge and viticultural tradition of the region. Since "The Year of Furmint" campaign launched, the Mád village has been inundated by wine lovers visiting from the U.S. "It is very good feedback that what Vinum Tokaj started as promotion and market building with MÁD Furmint in the United States is going in the right direction with direct positive effects on the region and the international reputation of our wines," says Kovács.

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Tasting Panel magazine - November 2017