Technology
Abaújszántó, upper Bea Dűlő
Field: 0,8 ha
approx. 220 m above sea level
Varietal composition:
Furmint 80%, Harslevelu 20%
The vines are 40-60 years old
3x1 meter
Row and capital distance
Medium-height cordon
the cultivation system we use
Three natural features influence the quality of our grapes which allow us to achievefresh, crisp, exceptionally mineral, high-quality, dry wines:
1. The volcanic composition of the soil
Our soil is characterized by rhyolite tuff rich rock which imparts an outstanding minerality and igneous character.
2. The continuous wind
Our slope lies on one of the windiest areas of the entire Tokaj wine region. Locals call the continuous northeast breeze the “Kasi wind”, as it comes from the town of Kassa/Kosice to the northeast. The constant breeze quickly dries the plants requiring less intervention from us, less than half the spraying of other even nearby areas.
3. Lower heat total
Also as a result of the cooling winds, the acids in our grapes do not burn out, and the grapes almost never suffer from heat stroke. The process of ripening is thus more more balanced and free from extremes.
We support these natural features with the following work processes:
Pruning the vines:
We use short spike cultivation, with just 2 or 3 shoots per grape vine, i.e. approx. 6 shoots remain on a stem. This pruning method allows a well controlled yield average. Mid-year work, such as shoot sorting and threading, is done by hand. We mow only between the rows, so the soil is not exposed to erosion and produces a rich self-sustaining organic life. We don’t use any types of herbicide.
Plant protection:
Plant protection is carried out based on the recommendations of the Hungarian AKG (Agricultural Environment Management), a system somewhere halfway between conventional and BIO cultivation. When necessary, we only use products designated yellow and green, but due to the constant wind, even in difficult years, 3-5 sprayings per year are sufficient. When we do spray, it is to protect our plants only against powdery mildew, downy mildew and gray mold.
We do not use insecticides. Control is carried out by analyzing insect traps and leaves.
Harvest
When harvest times approaches, we monitor acids, Ph and sugar content. We harvest only by hand using small harvesting crates, and then immediately deliver to the destemmer. We then gently press the grapes in phases to a maximum pressure of 1.2 bar. We then cool the must using clarifying agents to aid sedimentation (pectin breaking-down enzyme, bentonite, PVPP, high purity cellulose, gelatin) and small amounts of sulfur.
Then must then settles on the lees for 48 hours. To induce fermentation we use an Active Hefe yeast, adding nutritients to support the yeasts. We ferment at 16 C throughout in steel tanks, and the process usually takes about two weeks. We ferment until the sugar drops below at least 6-7 g/l, and then turn down the temperature to approx. 8 C.
After the wine has settled, we rack it off and let it develop in the steel tank all the way to bottling, usually in March. During those months, it’s time to caress, stroke, and taste the wine to make sure everything’s going according to plan. Just before bottling, we carry out a trial clarification in the laboratory (to ensure cold-hot stability), and if necessary we extract any floating proteins with a bentonite clarification to prevent subsequent precipitation.
Finally, we filter twice with a high-density filter and once with a sterile filter, and carry out one more lab test to see whether we need to add any more sulphur. The goal of course is to achieve the lowest possible sulfur level.
For the 2023 vintage, we bought a new 300 liter Barrique wooden barrel made of local (but world famous!) Zemplén oak. We’re experimenting with a small lot fermenteted and maturing in this barrel, and around February we’ll taste both steel tank and oak barrel lots to decide whether to mary them or not.