I got mail. Not real but virtual mail brought to life by Google years ago. OK, well, I got an email. I am only writing this longer than strictly necessary introduction because sometimes I become a bit of a technophobe and I would really love to see a letter on paper. Especially a handwritten one. However, it has been over a decade since I last received conventional mail, so there I was left with the email containing an invitation from the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Hungary for a wine tasting event. How could I have refused such a kind invitation? Obviously, I could not.
And I did not regret it. Not at all. Ambassador Rastislav Káčer is a true winelover, having grown up in a wine region himself. What is more, his family still has a vineyard so we had a really enjoyable conversation which went way beyond the topic of tasty and not tasty wines; we were deeply engaged with alcohol content and tannin, late harvests and grape varieties.
The event itself was informal in nature with the invited ambassadors walking among the tables tasting items selected from among those Slovak wines which had been awarded gold medals at the Vinalies Internationales wine competition in Paris. There was even a surprise guest: Miroslav Petrech, Cellar Master of Château Belá. Mr. Petrech brought two extraordinary wines with himself and I hope nobody will mind the spoiler: one of his wines was my winner.
Yes, the winner, as His Excellency, the Ambassador invited the guests to play: the wines had to be ranked according to one’s taste, and the result put in a box. One lucky winner, whose name was drawn, could take a bottle of Château Belá home.
I happened to taste the wines together with His Excellency, as well as with the German and American Ambassadors, the Czech and Slovak Consuls and a former university student of mine in the following order:
Janoušek Rizling rýnsky (Rhine Riesling) 2015 I 86 points
Restrained nose. Light, good acidity, semi-dry. The sugar rounds the wine out nicely. Fresh and simple.
Juraj Zápražný Aurelius 2015 I 85 points
A little apple, butteriness, citrus fruit and sugar on the nose. Light, with good acidity and flavours of apple, pear and citrus fruit.
Šimonovič Tramín červený (Gewürztraminer) 2015 I 81 points
Almost no varietal character, at least not on the nose. Flavours of apple and white pepper. Oily structure and high alcohol.
Mrva&Stanko Veltínske Zelené (Grüner Veltliner) 2015 I 82 points
Restrained on the nose. Light structure, lively acidity with spice and citrus fruit. Simple wine.
Mrva&Stanko Muškát žltý (Yellow Muscat) 2015 I 85 points
Light wine with vibrant acidity, white blossom, pear and citrus fruit. The residual sugar rounds the wine off nicely, also needed because of the acidity. No Tokaj character.
Mrva&Stanko Cabernet Sauvignon rosé 2015 I 79 points
Aromas of bell pepper and cranberries. I found it a little flabby as if it were already a little tired. Moreover, the sugar upsets the balance.
Editio Vinifera Cuvée Pinot 2014 I 82 points
Restrained nose with some white blossom. On the palate, lively acidity with citrus fruits and a petrol tone.
Vinum Nobile Rulandské biele (Pinot Blanc) 2014 I 68 points
Nose of cocoa and liquid medicine. Smelly. Faulty. The second bottle too.
Matysák Cabernet Sauvignon rosé 2015 I 86 points
Aromas of red berries. Rounded and full-bodied, poles apart from northern-style rosé. Lovely acidity with flavours of ripe fruit. Perhaps lacking a little varietal character.
Martin Pomfy Pinot Noir Special Selection 2012 I 87 points
Light, earthy and strawberry nose. A real Pannonian Pinot! Loose texture, perhaps slightly flabby acidity, but also one of the most exciting Pinot Noirs I’ve tasted from the region in the last few years.
Martin Pomfy CS2 Selection 2011 I 84 points
The nose already characterised by a lot of oak and barrel spice. On the palate, good acidity, medium body, no sign of immaturity, but the oak suppresses the fruitiness.
And now, beyond the competition:
Château Belá Riesling 2015 I 90 points
Classic Riesling nose of white flowers, citrus fruit and a little pear. Elegant acidity, medium body and a firm structure. Flavours of citrus fruit, white-fleshed fruit, a little mint and wet stone. In a different league to the others.
Château Belá Alibernet 2011 I 86 points
Barrel spice on the nose, with red and black berry fruit. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, firm tannins and good acidity with lovely fruitiness. Medium finish.
I would like to thank His Excellency for the invitation and hope that he will remain a reader of WineSofa in the future, as well.
