Description
Kopar is arguably Hungary’s most iconic red wine. The first vintage of Kopar was released in 1997, and since then it has become one of Hungary’s most sought after wines. It was one of the first rich, full-bodied, age-worthy wines to get local and international recognition. Kopar is not Gere’s most expensive wine, but it is, by far, his most famous. The grapes for this wine come from four different low-yielding vineyards (only harvesting 25 hectoliters/hectare!): Konkoly, Csillagvölgy, Ördögárok, and the namesake Kopár vineyard. Kopar (without an accent mark) is a trademark brand of the Gere Winery. This exceptional wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc (50 percent) and Merlot (40 percent), spiced up with some Cabernet Sauvignon (10 percent). The fermentation occurred partially in stainless steel and partially in big wooden vats with selected local yeast strains. After fermentation, the wine spent 16 months aging in small barrique barrels of which 80 percent were new and 20 percent were second-use. In the glass, this wine has a deep ruby color with intense and concentrated aromas of black and blue fruit, sweet tobacco, leather, and sandalwood. It has 14.5 percent alcohol; rich and concentrated flavors of blackberry, graphite, and dark chocolate; and a firm tannin and acid structure. This is the perfect wine to lay down and age for several years. If you like bold flavors, you will also love this wine young. Decanting is encouraged. As with every rich red wine, a high-quality steak and good friends are an extraordinary pairing.
