Hungarian Tokajis were historically among the most highly prized wines in the world. Long before Sauternes, they graced the tables of European elites and connoisseurs.
The least known variety in the mix, Zengő, stands out in the nose. Zengő is a Hungarian crossing—a cross of Ezerjó and Bouvier—which produces aromatic wines with good acidity. Grapes come from the Nadap vineyard, on the northern side of Lake Velence. Planted in 1987, it has high limestone content, with some loess, volcanic magma, and andesite. 2020 was a great vintage in the area, and harvest happened on September 9th, 15th, and 29th. The Érintes wine blends are the creation of Szentesi’s daughter, Katalin, who first started making the red blend in 2014 and added the white Érintes blend in 2019. The name refers to the silky texture of the wine. Even though the blend is different from year to year, the texture is always what they aim for. Serve this wine well-chilled, and enjoy with smoked fish, pad Thai, steamed mussels, or potato latkes.
