Sébastien Görögszo bikaver 2019

Görögszó Bikavér comes from the hillsides of Szekszárd, in southern Hungary, a historic wine region along the Danube Valley. The Sebestyén estate's vineyards stretch across the clay-limestone and loess slopes of the Görögszó cru, renowned for its well-drained soils and sunny exposure. This hilly terroir, with its continental climate tempered by the river's influence, promotes even ripening of the local grape varieties and gives the wines a balanced structure, marked by the freshness and elegance typical of Szekszárd.

The grapes for this cuvée are hand-harvested, carefully sorted, and then destemmed before fermentation in temperature-controlled tanks to preserve the purity of the fruit and the finesse of the tannins. Maceration is carried out in a way that gradually extracts color and structure without harshness. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in oak barrels for several months, which refines the texture, adds spicy notes and further complexity, while preserving the authentic expression of the Szekszárd terroir.

This wine reveals notes of ripe red fruit , black cherry , and plum , enhanced by spicy touches of pepper and sweet paprika , as well as delicate floral accents reminiscent of violet. Woody and lightly toasted nuances complete the bouquet. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, supported by supple tannins , fresh acidity , and a flavorful, lingering finish that highlights the harmonious character of this Bikavér from Szekszárd.

It was the Romans who planted the first vines at a time when the Country was part of a region called Pannonia. It was at the dawn of the 18th century that Hungary, united with Austria, ensured the export of its most famous wine throughout Europe: Tokaj (from the Furmint grape variety). As throughout Europe, in the 19th century, viticulture was destroyed by phylloxera. During the communist period, vineyards were managed in cooperatives which guaranteed a stable income for wine producers. Quite a few small winegrowers were unable to keep up with this growing economy, so the Hungarian vineyard was restructured, losing 30% of its surface area in the process. Nowadays, many family estates have emerged, some of which produce wines of incredible quality. As everywhere in Europe, viticulture is in decline as part of the European restructuring plan for the wine industry. Hungary, which is at the same latitude as Burgundy, has a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The rainfall is sufficient for non-irrigated viticulture and the soils are heterogeneous and of high quality depending on the region. With around a hundred indigenous and international grape varieties, the country has good varietal diversity. The fürmint and the hárslevelű from the Tokaj region, vinified dry and at the origin of the great sweet wines of Tokaj, are undoubtedly the best-known varieties today. The most widely planted grape variety is Olaszrizling for whites and Kékfrankos for reds. International grape varieties, mainly Bordeaux grape varieties, flourish in particular in the south of the country where they produce high-class wines.