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István Szepsy Jr., 18th-generation winemaker for Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine. Over 70 percent of the world’s zeolite is in Mád, and Szepsy Jr. describes it as “a mineral sponge.”
DECLARING 2017 THE YEAR OF
Furmint! PHOTO: ALEXANDER RUBIN
Touring Historic Tokaj A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE IN HUNGARY WITH SZENT TAMÁS WINERY AND MAD WINE
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Declaring 2017
Furmint! After an immersion into historic Tokaj, this esteemed group declares 2017 The Year of Furmint. Front row, left to right: Alex Basich, Owner/Sommelier, Noble Grape, Chicago, IL; Barbara Hermann, Wine Buyer, Binny’s Beverage Depot, Skokie, IL; U.S. importer of Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine, Attila Balla, President and CEO of Vinum Tokaj International LLC; Allyson Gorsuch, Deputy Editor, The Somm Journal; Tamás Nagy, educator for Szent Tamás and Mad Wine. Middle row: Eniko˝ Magyar, Project Director, Wines of Excellence, Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine; Maria Garcia, Wine Director, République, Los Angeles, CA; Fahara Zamora, Head Sommelier, Gwen, Hollywood, CA. Back row: Matt Montrose, Wine Director, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco, CA; Shaundon Castonguay, Sommelier, The Perennial, San Francisco, CA; Troy Grenstiner, Lead Sommelier, Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak, Las Vegas, NV; István Szepsy Jr., Winemaker, Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine; Daniel Bailey, Sommelier, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Beverly Hills, CA; Keith Mabry, Wine Buyer, K&L Wine Merchants, Los Angeles, CA; Jack Mason, Master Sommelier, Pappas Bros Steakhouse, Houston, TX.
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Touring Historic
Tokaj
A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE WITH MÁD AND SZENT TAMÁS VINEYARDS AND WINERY by Allyson Gorsuch / principal photography by Ferenc Dancsecs
U
ndoubtedly, visiting a wine region always results in a better comprehension of the wines. Speaking to local winemakers and viticulturists, seeing and walking through the vineyards, ards, smelling the flora and tasting the local cuisine all allow a deeper understanding of a region. It was such a treat to spend three days immersed in historic Tokaj*, learning from industry leaders, along with ten diverse wine professionals from across the U.S. The Szent Tamás Winery invited us for an in-depth study of the Mád village and surrounding vineyards and to introduce us to the fact that the dry wines produced from native varieties can compete with the best dry whites in the world if given the opportunity. The long history of the Tokaj wine region places it being mentioned as early as the 13th century. Esteemed for its sweet wines, the Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine aim to showcase Tokaj’s potential for quality dry white wines as well.The most notable native varieties of Tokaj are Furmint and Hárslevelu˝ while Sárgamuskotály (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), Kabar, T Kövérszo˝lo˝ and Zéta may be included. István Szepsy Sr. began making dry Furmint in the early 2000s, but István Szepsy Jr., now 18th-generation winemaker, has taken the idea to a new level. Experimenting with single-vineyard expressions, individual yeast strains, different clones and trellising techniques, Szepsy Jr. reveals, “With the minerals and the acidity, these wines age beautifully and can stand up to the best Rieslings, as far as I’m concerned. I believe dry Furmint can be a world-class wine and the new taste of the world.”
The bedrock of the vast majority of Tokaj is rhyolite. The clay minerals include, most importantly, zeolite as well as bentonite and kaolinite.
Geological Breakdown
The region of Tokaj encompasses 5,500 hectares (13,600 acres) of vineyards within 27
*Tokaj is the region; Tokaji is the adjectival form of Tokaj.
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{ cover story } “The Somm Journal is officially declaring 2017
The Year of Furmint— a quality-driven, unique, site-specific and gastronomic beauty of a white wine.”
Grand Tokaj is still the largest producer in the region; here we are underground in their five-kilometer-long Szegi cellar.
with a pH below five. In this case, the soil is all clay minerals; as the roots dig in the clay for water, they cannot absorb it without also absorbing the mineral components. “Furmint is not an aromatic grape,” explains Szepsy Jr. “It’s the minerals and the differ different composition in each cru that make the wines so expressive.” The bedrock of the vast majority of Tokaj is rhyolite. The clay minerals include, most importantly, zeolite as well as bentonite and kaolinite. Over 70 percent of the world’s zeolite is in Mád, and Szepsy Jr. describes it as “a mineral sponge.” Zeolite is absorbent, which keeps the vines from soaking up too much water, and fine, gathering in the nooks and crannies of other rocks. The soil composition naturally controls yields, making large production difficult as the roots constantly search deeper, taking the energy from the grapes. Elevation plays a major role, most vineyards lying between 150 and 400 meters; above 400 meters the zeolite content diminishes.
Innovation and the Circle of Mád
As Szepsy Jr. forges the path for dry Furmint, he fully exercises innovation. He has planted a nursery and is experimenting with more than 128 Furmint clones, looking to isolate those resistant to Botrytis cinerea. He also plays with different yeast strains each year and has recently found a strain that can result in higher alcohol if not closely monitored but elevates the aromatics. He has implemented low head training in some vineyards and applies a proprietor’s biologic spray in order to prevent Botrytis cinerea as well. As he learns, he shares with other producers in the area. Szepsy Jr. works with 84 growers for the Mád label. “We try to show that agriculture can be respected. We try to encourage the growers to take pride in their farming,” he
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shares. In fact, he rewarded seven growers last year by creating a special bottling, Mád 1, from only their vineyards. Concentrated in Mád, the wine also includes vineyards in the neighboring villages of Tállya, Rátka and Tarcal. The Mád label produces Mád Furmint, its flagship, as well as Hárslevelu˝ and Mád Late Harvest, which is a blend of Furmint, Hárslevelu˝ and Sárgamuskotály.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL BINGHAM
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL BINGHAM COURTESY OF: TKTK
Károly Kovács, entrepreneur and co-owner of Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine.
István Szepsy Jr., Winemaker, Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine, is an 18th-generation winemaker.
The Szent Tamás Vineyards and Winery label focuses on single-vineyard expressions. Szepsy Jr. smiles, “It’s not a way of making money; we want to really show the characteristics of that particular vineyard.” The winery produces the single vineyards of Szent Tamás Nyulászó, Szent Tamás Percze and its namesake Szent Tamás Szent Tamás from the village of Mád and Szent Tamás Dongó from the village of Tállya. They also feature Szent Tamás Szent Tamás 86, from the best block of the vineyard, as well as Szent Tamás Szamorodni and Szent Tamás Aszú. The government, under the label Grand Tokaj, is still the largest producer in the region, but they too are transitioning toward
a commitment to quality rather than large production. We embraced the opportunity to visit their five-kilometer long Szegi cellar to taste their wines. We also visited a smaller producer, the Götz family, in their unique cellar in Hercegkút, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in order to get an idea of the full spectrum of production in the Tokaj region. With Tokaj’s history of mass production and little attention given to concentration or quality, Szepsy Sr. and Szepsy Jr. were integral in forming the Circle of Mád, a group of likeminded producers voluntarily subscribing to regulations to ensure higher-quality wines, and the wines from the region continue to improve annually.
The Bigger Picture
Károly Kovács, entrepreneur and co-owner of Szent Tamás Winery and Mad Wine, clearly believes in the future of dry white wine from Tokaj and in the diligence and determination of Szepsy Jr. He has invested not only in Szent Tamás and Mad Wine wineries but also in the village of Mád itself. When asked why he got into the business, Kovács replied, “Everyone has bad ideas in life,” with a candid roll of his eyes and a wide grin. “I like risk, and I wanted to prove that the wine business could be profitable,” he immediately confesses. In addition to the wineries, Kovács has developed the Gusteau Culinary
Father and Son: Forging Dry Furmint When I asked István Szepsy Sr. when he decided to produce a dry Furmint, he responded earnestly, “April 16th, 2003, around 11:00 a.m.” I was expecting a far less specific answer but was blown away that he could pinpoint it. “It was one moment when I decided to follow my own imagination.” He worked for the government earlier helping to found both The Royal Tokaji Wine Company and Királyudvar before starting his own label, aptly named Szepsy. A clear leader in the Tokaji wine industry, he started really studying the geology of the region 17 years ago, and he has clearly passed that passion on to his son. The father and son duo have been working together closely now for two decades. “I spend more time with my father than I do with my wife,” laughs Szepsy Jr. István Szepsy Sr. proclaims the potential for dry Furmint in these unique soils. { SOMMjournal.com } 63
{ cover story } THE NEW TASTE OF THE WORLD
Tasting NOTES
Mád 2015 Furmint: A nose of guava and kiwi with lime zest, acacia type of wineapple, was defined and wet gravel yields a more savory palate withTOKAJI tartasyellow back around 1570 as “vinum daisies, lentils and celery salt; this is a crisp, leanprimaenotae wine, interesting generosum” – “the supreme listed noble wine.” and food-friendly yet quaffable. TOKAJI ASZÚ was the only wine to enjoy tax-free status beginning in Szent Tamás 2013 Dongó Furmint: The reverse of the previous 1655, which resulted in a sharp increase in itstransitionproduction. wine with yellow apples, lemon pith, green tea and chalk ing into a more tropical expression of papaya and mandarins with from MÁD’s village name originates an old prayer – written as “Maád” lemon curd and a broad mid-palate. meaning “Today give” (us God…).
Szent Tamás 2012 Szent Tamás Furmint: Apricot, nectarine, jasmine, chamomile and toast on the nose become pineapple, peach, cinnamon with a kiss of wood on the palate—the intense acidity braces the slight sweetness, translating to a rich mouthfeel.
Mád Furmint is imported by Vinum Tokaj International LLC and distributed exclusively in North America by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.
For more information and facts about Mad Furmint please visit: winesofexcellence.com
Szent Tamás 2012 Percze Furmint: A mineral-laden wine with apricot skin, yellow pear, kefir lime, acacia, lentils, mustard seed and sea spray—a dramatically long finish with bright, cutting acidity. Szent Tamás 2013 Dongó Szamorodni: Luscious poached peaches, dried apricots, marmalade and honeysuckle morphs into blueberries, white chocolate and crème caramel; a sweet nose but balancing acidity.
Sweet Is Still
Experience Workshop, which was just awarded “Hungary’s Best Restaurant 2016.” Between the talented chef, Gábor Horváth, and the concerted effort to gather ingredients locally—including goat, a regional pleasure that is divine with the Szent Tamás Szent Tamás 86—the restaurant’s success brings even more attention to the gastronomic propensities of the regional dry white varieties. The facility houses the fine-dining restaurant but also possesses an interactive learning experience—the Aszú House, a more casual bar and patio space, and the neighboring Gusteau Grillhouse, featuring griddles at the center of circular tables where the meat and produce are grilled by guests over hazelnut shells, which burn at a high heat without smoking, perfect for indoors. With the gourmet wine and food scene growing, the village of Mád grew as a destination as well. Kovács constructed the artfully designed Botrytis Hotel to accommodate visitors. He has even built a playground for the local kindergarten.
LUSCIOUS
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“We try to blend the best of the overripe and the botrytis grapes,” explains Szepsy Jr., leading to an in-depth discussion of Botrytis cinerea, as we taste the Szent Tamás 2013 Dongó Szamorodni.
Vintage Summation 2015: With high temperatures and a lack of rain, very little Botrytis cinerea development made an ideal harvest for dry wines.
It is customary in Hungary to start with soup daily for lunch.
2014: A challenging, rainy harvest caused a focus on berry selection within the bunches in the vineyards, therefore lower yields but high quality. The wines of 2014 show fine acidity, structure and minerality. 2013: One of the best vintages recently with very good weather throughout the ripening season. The harvest was ideal for both dry and sweet wines.
It seems his “bad idea” is quite a success already, with more to come. With the passion and dedication of Szepsy Jr. and Kovács—who work closely with Eniko˝ Magyar, Project Director of Wines of Excellence, and Tamás Nagy, educator for Szent Tamás and Mad Wine
Anecdotes and the enjoyment of wine go hand in hand; it’s always fun to feel like you are sharing a piece of history and culture while simply sipping something delicious. The tale of the origin of the discovery of Tokaji sweet wines dates to the 13th century. The Mongol Empire invaded Hungary in 1241 and 1242; they went home for the winter, however, so when the Hungarians emerged in the stretch of silence, they found fully botrytized berries and harvested the first sweet wines that would later become internationally acclaimed. While learning about the capability of the dry wines from Tokaj, the immersion into the region was immensely helpful to better understand the sweet wines as well. The Mád Late Harvest is a “bribe” wine—encouragement to growers to provide grapes designated unaffected by Botrytis cinerea for dry Furmint—and a delicious bribe wine at
wineries, as well as U.S. importer and market builder Attila Balla, President of Vinum Tokaj International, to produce these rising wines—The Somm Journal is officially declaring 2017 The Year of Furmint—a quality-driven, unique, site-specific and gastronomic beauty of a white wine.
that. The Szamorodni wines by design should be sweet but not too sweet. “We try to blend the best of the overripe and the botrytis grapes,” explains Szepsy Jr., leading to an in-depth discussion of Botrytis cinerea. “Botrytis lives in the berry. It’s the spores that you see outside on the grape,” Szepsy Jr. demonstrates while holding a cluster. As the grapes shrivel and the water content in the grape diminishes, the sugar is concentrated and the grape hardens. Still to this day only females pick the botrytis-affected grapes as they have the “magic touch” to know when they are perfectly ready to be picked. The grapes picked for the Aszú wines are completely hardened and dehydrated and are made into a paste. The Aszú recipe for Szent Tamás is one half Aszú and one half dry base wine; the base wine essentially rehydrates the
2012: A dry, warm year resulted in ripe fruit characteristics on the nose and on the palate. The wines from this vintage generally have great aging potential. 2011: An almost perfectly balanced vintage, the harvest started early and resulted in little Botrytis cinerea development; the year was ideal for dry selections.
berries-now-paste so the blend may ferment and be pressed, maintaining the distinctively high sugar content.The wine then spends five and a half years in old barrels. Gönc barrels, which hold 136 liters, are still traditionally used. They were originally used for practicality—to pass through the Carpathian Mountains on mules, as under Turkish rule with a majority Muslim population, the export market became principal. The sweet wines of Tokaj will always hold a special place in the market. It is the same characteristics that make the sweet wines remarkable, though, that make the dry wines remarkable too. “Some say acidity or tannin [keeps the sweet wines from being cloying], but it’s the minerals; they clean the palate,” clarifies Szepsy Jr. The minerals of the Tokaj region, and the unique, native varieties, simply establish a base for distinctive wines, sweet or dry.
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