Kékfrankos – Riczu Tamás Borászata
Kékfrankos is Hungary’s most planted grape (the same variety as Austria’s Blaufränkisch, grown primarily in the Burgenland region). The grape takes on riper and rounder characteristics in southwestern Hungary, in the warm climate region of Villány (just next to the Croatian border), where this wine comes from. Villány is widely regarded as Hungary’s premier red wine region. Down there, more notes of black currant, blackberry, and black cherry appear, complementing the grape’s more typical notes of fruits like raspberries and currants. This wine was made from a very low yield of perfectly ripe grapes, which were manually harvested on October 5 and then hand sorted. The wine was aged in second-use 225-liter Hungarian oak barrels for 12 months. It has a deep ruby-purple color, with intense aromas and flavors of sour cherry, black cherry, blueberries, dark chocolate, potpourri, and a touch of oak. It is juicy, fresh, and full on the palate. The limestone soil brings an enjoyably zesty acidity to balance the wine’s intensity, with smooth tannins and a very long finish. This wine was the winner of the Kékfrankos category in the 2019 edition of the “100 best Hungarian Wines,”’ and it took first place in Hungary’s National Kékfrankos Competition. It’s delicious when paired with stews, game dishes, and lamb.
7,079 Ft
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In stock
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*Prices shown include Hungarian VAT (27%). Final prices are calculated based on the VAT of your shipping country.
The Villány-Siklós region lies near the Croatian border and because it’s the warmest of Hungary’s wine regions, it’s often called the “Mediterranean of Hungary.” Known as one of Hungary’s prime red wine region, it specializes in Bordeaux varieties and some local varieties, such as Portugieser and Kékfrankos. There are 11 villages in the region, with the village of Villány itself being the focal point. It’s a quaint village, and its strong Swabian influence is evident in its neat main drag lined with traditional whitewashed wine cellars where the wine always flows. Villány steals the spotlight from Siklós, which is to the west, the part of the region specializing in whites such as Olaszrizling, Hárslevelű, and Chardonnay.
Villány was one of the wine regions which re-started the earliest after Communism fell. In the mid-1990s a slew of modern wineries were built, vineyards were re-planted, and families which had been making wine for generations could once again share their wines with the world.
The region’s success was an essential part in the re-building of the Hungarian wine industry as a whole. Hungarian tourists flocked here to spend wine-fueled weekends at the charming winery-owned pensions, and soon the word spread internationally. For wine tourists, it’s a great place to visit, and many of the wineries run their own inns, hotels, and restaurants.
Villány’s signature grape is Portugieser (formerly called Kékoportó), and Kékfrankos is also widely planted. Kadarka—a native variety that was the most widely planted red grape in 19th-century Hungary, but wasn’t suitable to mass production during the Communist era —has also been re-planted in areas.
Much of Villány’s wine is made with internationally known grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. It has become clear over the past two decades of experimentation that Cabernet Franc is the super-star of the region. Tasting premier single varietal Cabernet Francs here (which winemakers have dubbed “Villányi Franc” to help with the branding) is pure pleasure. Cab Francs from Villány have received rave reviews from wine critics, and have won prestigious international awards.
Tamás Riczu is a big advocate for organic farming and vegan wine—“it just tastes better,” he told us. He has been making wine in the region for 17 years now, first working with other wineries, but now on his own seven hectare estate, located on his Akasztófa vineyards in Siklós. Siklós (which was known as Serena in the Roman era) dates back to prehistoric times, with a 13th-century castle looming over the town. Riczu grows Blaufrankish, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Olaszrizling, all of which is organically farmed. His wines are amazingly smooth, deep, and elegant.
| Country | 1-3 bottles |
4-6 bottles |
7-12 bottles |
13-15 bottles |
16-18 bottles |
19-24 bottles |
25-27 bottles |
28-30 bottles |
31-36 bottles |
37 or more bottles |
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| Austria | 7,800 Ft | 8,300 Ft | 9,500 Ft | 17,300 Ft | 17,800 Ft | 19,000 Ft | 26,800 Ft | 27,300 Ft | 35,600 Ft | 28,500 Ft |
| Belgium | 10,200 Ft | 10,500 Ft | 12,200 Ft | 22,400 Ft | 22,700 Ft | 24,400 Ft | 34,600 Ft | 34,900 Ft | 45,400 Ft | 36,600 Ft |
| Bulgaria | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Croatia | 10,200 Ft | 10,500 Ft | 12,200 Ft | 22,400 Ft | 22,700 Ft | 24,400 Ft | 34,600 Ft | 34,900 Ft | 45,400 Ft | 36,600 Ft |
| Czech Republic | 7,800 Ft | 8,300 Ft | 9,500 Ft | 17,300 Ft | 17,800 Ft | 19,000 Ft | 26,800 Ft | 27,300 Ft | 35,600 Ft | 28,500 Ft |
| Denmark | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Estonia | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Finland | 19,900 Ft | 21,200 Ft | 23,800 Ft | 43,700 Ft | 45,000 Ft | 47,600 Ft | 67,500 Ft | 68,800 Ft | 90,000 Ft | 71,400 Ft |
| France | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Germany | 7,800 Ft | 8,300 Ft | 9,500 Ft | 17,300 Ft | 17,800 Ft | 19,000 Ft | 26,800 Ft | 27,300 Ft | 35,600 Ft | 28,500 Ft |
| Greece (mainland) |
19,900 Ft | 21,200 Ft | 23,800 Ft | 43,700 Ft | 45,000 Ft | 47,600 Ft | 67,500 Ft | 68,800 Ft | 90,000 Ft | 71,400 Ft |
| Hungary (outside of Budapest) |
4,000 Ft | 4,000 Ft | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Hungary (Budapest) |
4,000 Ft (free for orders over 20,000 Ft) |
4,000 Ft (free for orders over 20,000 Ft) |
4,000 Ft (free for orders over 20,000 Ft) |
Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Ireland | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Italy | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Latvia | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Lithuania | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Luxembourg | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| Netherlands | 10,200 Ft | 10,500 Ft | 12,200 Ft | 22,400 Ft | 22,700 Ft | 24,400 Ft | 34,600 Ft | 34,900 Ft | 45,400 Ft | 36,600 Ft |
| Poland | 7,800 Ft | 8,300 Ft | 9,500 Ft | 17,300 Ft | 17,800 Ft | 19,000 Ft | 26,800 Ft | 27,300 Ft | 35,600 Ft | 28,500 Ft |
| Portugal | 19,900 Ft | 21,200 Ft | 23,800 Ft | 43,700 Ft | 45,000 Ft | 47,600 Ft | 67,500 Ft | 68,800 Ft | 90,000 Ft | 71,400 Ft |
| Romania | 10,200 Ft | 10,500 Ft | 12,200 Ft | 22,400 Ft | 22,700 Ft | 24,400 Ft | 34,600 Ft | 34,900 Ft | 45,400 Ft | 36,600 Ft |
| Slovakia | 7,800 Ft | 8,300 Ft | 9,500 Ft | 17,300 Ft | 17,800 Ft | 19,000 Ft | 26,800 Ft | 27,300 Ft | 35,600 Ft | 28,500 Ft |
| Slovenia | 10,200 Ft | 10,500 Ft | 12,200 Ft | 22,400 Ft | 22,700 Ft | 24,400 Ft | 34,600 Ft | 34,900 Ft | 45,400 Ft | 36,600 Ft |
| Spain | 19,900 Ft | 21,200 Ft | 23,800 Ft | 43,700 Ft | 45,000 Ft | 47,600 Ft | 67,500 Ft | 68,800 Ft | 90,000 Ft | 71,400 Ft |
| Sweden | 13,800 Ft | 14,500 Ft | 15,900 Ft | 29,700 Ft | 30,400 Ft | 31,800 Ft | 45,600 Ft | 46,300 Ft | 60,800 Ft | 47,700 Ft |
| UK | See instructions |
