István’s affection for Chenin stems deep from the love for the wines of the Loire Valley. Which, I guess justifies, that he couldn’t imagine his vineyard without planting some. Even more so, when he makes such a brilliant wine from it. Multilayered citrus, white peach paired with almonds and lanolin. Creamy, round with a chalky minerality and electric acidity on the finish. A must try for the Chenin lovers.

Winemaker | István Bencze

Region | Badacsony, Hungary

Variety | Chenin Blanc

Viticulture | Biodynamic (officially certified from 2018)

Soil | Volcanic basalt, sandstone and clay

Altitude | 180 m

Age of the vines | 10 years

Bottles made | 1300 bottles

Vinification

The grapes were direct pressed and filled into Burgundy barrels to ferment and age. In the first year roughly half of the barrels were not topped up and so the wine aged under flor. This gives the wine a vey unique mineral saline edge. After the first year the barrels were blended into a larger 1500 L oak to age for another 1,5 years. It was bottled unfined, unfiltered and without the addition of So2.