Fekete

Driving up to Somló from Lake Balaton, it’s like seeing an island rise up from the ocean’s horizon — nothing else around survived the retreating ocean. The oldest writings mentioning the wine of Somló date back to 1093 and viticulture all the way back to the Romans. Hungarian Kings bought vineyards here, Maria Theresa and Queen Victoria both praised the wines, and insurgent Hungarian troops fighting against the Hapsburgs would solute the vineyards as they marched past at the end of the 17th century. In 1752, local laws stated that if you were found adding water to wine, expect 25 lashings as the minimum punishment. If you were found to be labeling wine as Somló but using other fruit sources, you would be banned from making wine permanently and might even have your property confiscated. Perhaps most well known is that belief that drinking the wines of Somló before copulation would guarantee a boy. “Nászéjszakák bora” or “wedding wine” was soon the favored wine of the Hapsburgs to keep the Monarchy in full swing.

With no immediate family to take things over, it fell to György “Gyuri” Emmert to convince long time friends Ákos Dölle and Gábor Riesz to buy the winery under the conviction to continue the legacy. After the sudden death of Gyuri in 2017 things changed for all parties, and as of March this year, Gábor, in full agreement with the others, is now the sole owner. Gábor, along with help from his wife Zsofia are still in contact with Béla and from what we can taste, staying true to his life's work. Changes they are making are using better cork, actively in conversion to organic certification, and of course working on new experimentations.

With 4 hectares dry farmed on the southern slopes, the basalt soil retains heat and a mixture of alluvial and loam soils give just enough nutrients. The vineyards have a secret garden appeal that’s far from a monoculture. Organic certification is underway and more an issue of paperwork than changes to the farming. Equally important, and also according to Béla, the vineyard access to the mineral spring water of Somló is the magic, not simply rocks touching vines. In tandem with botrytis and 3 years minimum of élevage, there’s a perfect storm for making something truly unique and delicious.