Description
Stephanie and Zsolt Berecz, the French/Hungarian couple behind the Kikelet Winery, plant both Furmint and Hárslevelű, but they have gained a reputation for being especially skilled with the Hárslevelű grape. They produce a range of elegant, beautifully balanced wines from this signature Tokaj grape. Behind its light lemon color, this is a seriously delicious white wine. Starting off with a very dry mouth feel (from the tannins), there’s a twist when a sensation of slight sweetness comes through (though, to be sure, this is a dry wine). This is where the Tokaj terroir and the Hárslevelű variety are evident. Hárslevelű’s usual honeysuckle sweetness doesn’t come through, but this wine has lots of complexity and plenty of other flavors. There’s a lovely flintiness (probably from the volcanic soil), and a refreshing grapefruit and apricot fruitiness. Stephanie Berecz prefers to ferment and age the wines in small, used oak barrels (never new ones), and the light oakiness manifests in a bit of spiciness and cinnamon. That the winemaker was born and raised in the Loire Valley, sipping cool climate white wines, comes through in this wine. This is a full wine with a refreshing acidity. It’s very food-friendly, but we can’t help but dream of all of the seafood we would enjoy with it. Try it with oysters, smoked fish, or anything from the sea. It’s also great with dishes with cream sauce. The acidity and tannins mean that it will keep for awhile in your cellar (if you can hold onto it).
