Bott-Frigyes 2020 Kadarka (red)

Bott-Frigyes 2020

Kadarka

Južnoslovenská, Slovakia

“After WWI, Hungary lost around 71% of its territory to Romania, Ukraine, Czechoslovakia (Slovakia), Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia) and Austria. Over 3 million ethnic Hungarians found themselves outside of Hungary with significant outcome on the grapes and traditions that never stopped or are now coming back to life beyond the present day borders of Hungary. On the southern slopes of the Mužsla Hills in Slovakia surrounded by the river Garam, Danube and the Ipoly rivers, is one such example: Bott Frigyes. Even the neighboring village of Béla is where Judit and József Bodó of Bott Pince began their winemaking career (ethnically Hungarian but born in Slovakia) before moving to Tokaj. Long story short, a whole bunch of things all came together with Bott Frigyes coupled with great farming, honest winemaking, and delicious wines.

This is the most dark fruited and botrytis free Kadarka in the portfolio. Still late ripening and thin skinned, but half was left whole cluster on the skins for nearly a month. There’s no dominant or immediate enzymatic/carbonic quality despite the weight and color leading you to think so. The skin contact leeches out the spice and tea. It’s easy to see how a Kadarka like this would be a required blending component in Bikavér (Bull’s Blood). One half was fermented as whole bunches on the skins but the other half was destemmed. Both fermented separately for 3-4 weeks in open vats. Both lots were then combined in 500L oak barrels and aged 9 months on the lees. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. If there were a scented candle for Central European reds, Kadarka like this would be the North Star.” -Danch and Granger