This year proved to be unusual, at least in that we had the honor of welcoming an illustrious guest in the person of the Pannonhalmi Főapátság. The cellar was represented by Zsolt Liptai, the head winemaker, who was a classmate of Sándor Mérész at university and they have maintained a good friendship ever since. The wines arrived in threes in the glasses, and we tasted them blind just to make the game more interesting. After each set, there was a vote on which wine was the favorite, followed by the reveal of what we had tasted.
Pannonhalmi Főapátság "Széldombi" pinot noir 2021 (barrel sample)
Light ruby color with crimson reflections. Fresh, lively cherry aroma. Medium body, round but excitingly vibrant acidity, strawberry and cherry, firm tannins, with tannins taking over in the finish. Accordingly, the end is slightly bitter. 86-87/100 points
Pannonhalmi Főapátság "Ravazdi" pinot noir 2021 (barrel sample)
Deeper than medium ruby color. Reserved aroma with sour cherry and cherry. Vibrantly lively acidity, flavors of strawberry, sour cherry, and cherry. Very fresh, very firm, incredibly beautiful! 90-91/100 points
Pannonhalmi Főapátság "Écsi" pinot noir 2021 (barrel sample)
Lighter than medium ruby color. Intense aroma of raspberry, strawberry, and a touch of bourbon vanilla. Explosive fruitiness on the palate, good acidity. A cheerful, youthful wine, easy to drink with a long finish. 88-89/100 points
After the previous trio, where the only difference was the terroir, the next wines differed solely due to the barrels used.
Etyeki Kúria pinot noir 2020 (barrel sample - Kádár)
A sweet raspberry candy and a hint of leaf litter in the aroma. On the palate, round with beautiful fruitiness and barely noticeable tannins. Easy to drink, superb! 89-90/100 points
Etyeki Kúria pinot noir 2020 (barrel sample - Stockinger)
The aroma is already vibrant, with sour cherry, marzipan, and a touch of smoke. Fuller body, round acidity, with distinctly sweet fruitiness and sweet spices in the flavor. The otherwise fuller sip ends with a bit of bitterness. 87-88/100 points
Etyeki Kúria pinot noir 2020 (barrel sample - Trust “5”)
Reserved aroma with a little blackberry, raspberry, and leaf litter. On the palate, round acidity, medium body, flavors of raspberry and a bit of toast with raspberry jam. Already very peppery, offering a “ready” experience. The finish is longer than medium. 90-91/100 points
Etyeki Kúria pinot noir 2020 (barrel sample - Seguin-Moreau)
An exciting spicy vibrancy in the aroma, juniper, star anise, and vanilla. On the palate, the many new oak notes and sticky tannins stand out, as if tasting liquid oak with hazelnut in the background. I can imagine it as a blending base, but not on its own. 84-85/100 points
After the tasting, we learned that although Sándor Mérész acknowledges the saying that if you’re bored, buy a raccoon, he believes it’s enough if one plants pinot noir instead…
