Zoltán Balogh makes the wines at Apátsági, a seven-acre estate in Somló, in Hungary’s far northwestern corner. He produces a particularly rich hárslevelü from the appelation’s cool, basalt-strewn soils, fermenting the golden, superripe grapes with ambient yeasts in large oak barrels. Kept for a year in the same vessels, then bottled unfiltered, with a minimum of sulfur, the 2017 opens into a creamy mouthful of flavor, from white-cherry and pear fruit to sandalwood and jasmine tea. Firm, with a hint of tannins, this can take on white meat, such as a pork terrine with pickled cherries, or braised pork cheeks.
Imported by Danch & Granger, Los Altos Hills, CA
93
Apátsági Pince 2017 Nagy-Somlói Hárslevelü
$27
Every week, our editors highlight a wine that intrigued them in our blind panel tastings, expanding on their tasting note in this space. These are entirely editorial choices; there are no paid placements. Subscribers can also access the original tasting note by searching here.
is W&S’s editor at large and covers the wines of the Mediterranean and Central and Eastern Europe for the magazine.
This story appears in the print issue of December 2021.
Like what you read? Subscribe today.