Heard a lot of buzz about Szent Tamas while there…and still hearing buzz.
Classic Tokaj vintages: 1999, 2008, 2013, 2017 (for dry at least)
la dolce far niente . . .
Drank two glasses of 2013 Szent Tamás Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet Nyulászó 1-es hordó Tokaji Édes Szamorodni with foie gras
That was exactly what you were supposed to do! Excellent match.
Szent Tamás is obviously Saint Thomas in English. It’s one of the most revered vineyards in the Tokaj region. If you think of a top vineyard in Burgundy, it’s along those lines. If you walk the vineyard and look at the others nearby, it’s pretty interesting because you can see different rock types as part of the mountain. Remember that these vineyards were classified long before anyone in France thought about doing so, so the vineyard has been respected at least since the 1500s, but actually was in use long before that. The earliest classifications in Hungary that I’ve seen date back to the 900s.
Anyway, directly adjacent to that is Nyulászó, which is another named place or cru vineyard named for the rabbits since nyúl means rabbit. “Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet” essentially means vineyard and winery. Recently Szepsy and his son, who are now the largest landowners in Mad, created the winery of Szt Tamás, which makes wine from its own estate, but also from other vineyards like Nyulászó.
Szamorodni is basically similar to Sauternes, where you pick the bunches and squeeze them all together. If there’s a lot of botrytis, you can get a good sweet wine, which is Szamorodni Édes. So it’s like having Sauternes and foie gras, except that it’s not as thick and cloying as most Sauternes. It’s a traditional style and can be very good, but it’s not quite at the level of the Aszú wines. If you ferment it completely dry, it is Szamarodni Száraz, which is pretty much unlike anything you’ve had before. Some producers make that under flor, and even when they don’t it has some similarities with sherry because the botrytis gives it a bit of a flor note, although the complexity is far beyond even sherry. It is a lesser-known wine, but one of the world’s most interesting in some respects.
Where?
The best to me. When I was in Hungary, this is was most delicious choice at every level. His dry furmints are stunning. The best goose fois gras you will ever eat is in Hungary.
My personal favorite place in Budapest. Enjoy. The BEST foie gras you will ever eat.
I ate there twice it was so good.
Agreed on both…found this Fekete Juhfark from Somlo to be one of the more complex and interesting whites I’ve had.
I’ll also strongly suggest looking for wines from Istvan Szepsy. I had the opportunity to visit his winery and meet him for a tasting back in 2005. Here is some info and my TN’s from that visit:
https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=730
Another strongly recommended producer to seek out is Uri Borok. His wines are not imported into the US but absolutely awesome quality. Again I met the owner/winemaker, Vince Gergely, back in 2005 and here is more info and my notes:
https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=679
VM
I have a bottle of that aging in my cellar.
Also two bottles of Fekete Juhfark 2009. Ridiculously mineral stuff.
Thanks Greg and all others who contributed to this thread. We are off to Budapest tonight for the long weekend and I will enjoy surprising my husband with a few choice tidbits from you when we peruse wine lists.
A winebar staff recommended a furmint by Szent Tamas and, so, ordered a coravined glass this afternoon in Prague.
Never had it, but am absolutely wowed!
Will peruse this thread to use other recommendations of wines from region(s) here.
I am gg to Budapest too. What are the must try’s?
Yes! Again, I think these are good recommendations.
Szent Tamas is a vineyard, not producer. A very good one.
Great little wine bar with tons by the glass. Make sure to try the local sparklers.
Drop Shop Wine Bar
Budapest, Balassi Bálint 27., 1055 Hungary
+36 30 345 3739
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AdeiS7JQZ4ParKnUA
It is great, we were there today. Beware, though - they say they open at 11, but that is only the shop part, and even that they are trying not to be open. Wine service sort of starts of starts around 12:30 or 1 and food not until 2 or so. One guy seemed really irritated we wanted to try some wines at noon, the other was friendly and knowledgeable and happy to pour for us. All that said, would highly recommend.
LOL nothing like “on the scene reporting”
Not a producer? Local winebar staff swears it is when he poured and described wine to me:
Where you at in Prague? Wine O’clock?
There’s a good wine bar scene in Prague.