Description
Szekszárd, located in southern Hungary, is the other Bikavér stronghold. The region has a loess-based soil and is heavily planted with Bordeaux varietals. But there are also plenty of local grapes, like Kékfrankos and Kadarka. The main difference between Bikavér from Eger and Szekszárd is that in Szekszárd Kadarka is mandatory in the blend, and in Eger Kékfrankos is mandatory. This makes Szekszárd’s Bikavér lighter in color and much spicier than Eger’s. Iván-Völgyi is the first single-vineyard Bikavér from the Szekszárd region. In order to be a single-vineyard Bikavér, all four of the varieties that need to be added to the blend must be planted in the same vineyard. This is a blend of Kékfrankos (46 percent), Kadarka (14 percent), Merlot (16 percent), Cabernet Franc (12 percent), and Cabernet Sauvignon (12 percent), aged for 22 months in French and Hungarian 500-liter oak barrels. It’s elegant, red-fruit driven, earthy, and spicy. It’s closer to a Burgundian-style than an Bordeaux style wine, and is an elegant and excellent pairing for roasted poultry, roasted vegetables, and pork.
