Bence Csizmadia

Written by Franz Weninger on the 8th of June 2021

A few years ago, Bence and his colleagues visited me in Balf at the winery. Back then he was already working for the wine trade Bortársaság, our long-term Hungarian partner. First as an employee in sales, now as a buyer. I noticed him because he was very interested in biodynamics and in wine itself. Years later, for the 2018 harvest, he did an internship with us. With his fine manner and curiosity, he made an impression. So he even stood with us on the slope of the Saybritz vineyard in Southern Burgenland and lend a hand, or rather shouldered the bucket ;-)
As a wine buyer, he is always on the lookout for interesting producers. I would often like to join when he talks about his trips to France or Slovenia. You can tell that the lockdown also arouses my wanderlust ...

Franz Weninger

Tasting Notes by Bence Csizmadia

I remember clearly to the day of harvest. I’ve spent the second week of September 2018 with the Weningers. It was the peak hour of harvesting Blaufränkisch and we headed south to the Eisenberg on Saturday’s early morning. There was thick fog covering this legendary slope, the vineyard with a view, also known as Saybritz. I came in a Blundstone boot which I thought was bulletproof. Of course it was soaking wet inside from the first minute I walked through the slippery, thick and dew grass between the rows of half century old vines. Green schist and deep going roots underground. It’s an exceptional piece of land what can only be treated with classicly made manual work. This is why we did it the old way: buckets full of grapes and „puttony” on the back, climbing up the hill all the way.
Tasting it more than two years after, it seems that every part fell into it’s very place. Hard work pays off, this Blaufränkisch has all those small details and layers what only the big wines of the world can give you. Strong variety character, vibrant and uplifting acidity until the last sip. Take time and use a bigger glass!

Franz once said that Furmint will perfectly fit the way he works with Blaufränkisch. A linear growing and acid driven variety, deeply rooted in the region and easily showing the character of each and every place. It seems so true while having Furmint vom Kalk in the glass. It’s like tasting newborn wine from the barrel. Some remaining musty notes, acidity between a verjus and a mature wine, still mouthful and rich in details. By looking at it, you see it’s unkempt and has a color that shows good amount of oxigen contact. This stubborn variety likes to be treated the Weninger way. A hiding stream under the Furmint world.

Nearly a hectare of this antique variety planted on a humid, forest surrounded slope called Frettner. Like always, it’s greenish and tight, yet a smooth flow in the mouth, only with a touch of grip at the end of it that keeps you awaken. It has all that fresh forest air and it’s scents while tasting it. Destemmed berries, wooden fermenter, gentle punchdown and two years of ageing in barrels. It was made just like in the old days. Slow passage of time what gives that unparalleled balance. Something very rare to find these days.

The Message in a Bottle is our wine subscription. Our aim here is to present to you an assortment of wines to enjoy, including interesting tasting notes from our guest authors. Our Spring 2021 Message in a Bottle is presented by Bence Csizmadia. He is wine buyer at Bortársaság in Budapest.

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