Zoltan Demeter Kakas Furmint 2023

Kakas is a one-hectare cru in the commune of Bodrogkeresztúr, in the heart of the Tokaj region, in north-eastern Hungary. Classified as first class, this south- and south-east-facing hillside rests on volcanic rhyolite soils. The vines, planted in 1975, enjoy a continental climate with long, mild autumns, tempered by the Bodrog and Tisza rivers, which gives Furmint slow ripening and vibrant acidity.

The grapes are harvested by hand at the end of September to preserve the freshness of the fruit. Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks, and ageing continues entirely in stainless-steel tanks, to let the purity of the grape variety and the volcanic terroir shine through. The wine is then fined and filtered before bottling.

This wine reveals notes of apple, quince, quince jam, fresh butter, white flowers, linden, lemon zest and wet stone. The delicate fruit is nuanced with floral and buttery touches. The palate, silky and elegant, is well balanced, mineral and delicate, with lively acidity and a long, saline finish.

It was the Romans who planted the first vines, at a time when the country was part of a region called Pannonia. At the dawn of the 18th century, Hungary, united with Austria, exported its most famous wine throughout Europe: Tokaj (made from the Furmint grape variety). As everywhere in Europe, winegrowing was destroyed by phylloxera in the 19th century. During the communist period, vineyards were run as cooperatives, which guaranteed winemakers a stable income. Quite a few small growers could not keep up with this expanding economy, so Hungary's vineyards were restructured, losing 30% of their area in the process. Today many family estates have made their mark, some of them producing wines of incredible quality. As elsewhere in Europe, winegrowing is declining under the European restructuring plan for the wine industry. Hungary, which lies at the same latitude as Burgundy, has a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Rainfall is sufficient for non-irrigated viticulture, and the soils are varied and of high quality depending on the region. With around a hundred native and international grape varieties, the country enjoys good varietal diversity. The Furmint and Hárslevelű of the Tokaj region, made as dry wines and the source of Tokaj's great sweet wines, 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 varieties, flourish particularly in the south of the country, where they produce wines of great class.