Riesling 2022

Wine description for Riesling 2022 by Bencze Birtók

Colour & appearance

Distinctly hazy yellow with creamy hues – a natural wine that reveals its origins without artifice.

Nose

An exciting aromatic profile full of umami and depth: seaweed, wine lees, dry biscuits and sea salt, alongside the juicy fruit of vineyard peach. Fresh, complex and unusually precise for an unfiltered wine.

Palate

The freshness found on the nose carries through to the palate – instantly mouth-watering. Citrus and apple notes dance around grippy tannins that lend structure to the wine. The yeasty creaminess provides texture and whets the appetite for savoury dishes. Dry, with only 11% alcohol – a wine that enlivens rather than weighs down.

Finish

Long-lasting with salty minerality that recalls its volcanic origins. The acidity remains present without being sharp.

Terroir & origin

On the south-facing slopes of Szent György-hegy, a volcanic hill on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, the vines are rooted in basalt soils. István Bencze has been farming three individual vineyard sites here since 2011, at altitudes between 118 and 180 metres. The lake’s microclimate tempers continental extremes, whilst the volcanic soils impart their mineral signature to the wines. The hot, dry 2022 vintage yielded concentrated, ripe grapes.

Grape variety & vinification

Riesling – one of the international varieties that Bencze cultivates alongside Hungarian autochthons such as Furmint and Kéknyelű. Vinification follows the estate’s uncompromising natural wine philosophy: spontaneous fermentation, maturation in amphorae, no filtration, no fining. The result is a wine of impressive authenticity.

Food recommendations

The salty freshness and grippy tannins make this wine an ideal partner for Asian cuisine – such as Thai curry or sushi. It is also an exciting choice with smoked fish, roasted vegetables or pungent cheese.

Special characteristics

A Riesling that demonstrates what is possible at Lake Balaton: unfiltered, natural, with an aromatic profile reminiscent of the sea, even though the vineyard stands on volcanic rock. The combination of yeasty creaminess, grippy tannins and salty freshness is rare – making this one of the most exciting Hungarian natural wines.