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Tasting note
- Colour & Appearance
- Distinctly cloudy golden yellow – a clear commitment to natural winemaking that piques curiosity about what follows.
- Nose
- The nose unfolds most beautifully after brief decanting and slightly elevated temperature. Then reveals an invigorating bouquet of quince, firm pear wood and candied ginger, accompanied by fine notes of anise and dry biscuit. Beneath this runs a fresh thread of citrus and sea breeze – lively, precise and remarkably inviting.
- Palate
- On the palate, a gripping, nervy-lively acidity takes command, immediately stimulating salivation. A pronounced salinity lends the wine an almost meditative-mineral character, reminiscent of the finest dry Chenins from the Loire. With just 11% alcohol, everything remains featherlight and precise – not a gram of excess opulence.
- Finish
- Long, saline and refreshing. The acidity carries the wine cleanly through the finish, never veering towards sharp edges – a finale that makes you want the next sip.
- Terroir & Origin
- Lake Balaton, Central Europe’s largest lake, functions as a natural climate buffer and provides a temperate, continental microclimate with cool nights. The volcanic soils surrounding Lake Balaton are key to this wine’s characteristic minerality – an origin that evokes the Touraine or Savennières rather than southern warmth.
- Grape Variety & Vinification
- Pure Chenin Blanc – still a rare choice in Hungary, pursued by Bencze Birtók with obvious conviction. The naturally cloudy character suggests minimal cellar intervention: spontaneous fermentation and avoidance of aggressive filtration appear to be the programme here.
- Food Pairing Suggestions
- A natural companion for scallops with lemon butter, grilled lobster or sea bass en croûte de sel. Equally convincing with bouillabaisse or a Provençal fish broth – the wine’s salinity plays with Mediterranean flavours on equal terms.
- Special Features
- Chenin Blanc at Lake Balaton is something of a sensation. Bencze Birtók proves that Hungary’s wine scene has far more to offer than Furmint and Tokaj – and that volcanic terroir and an underestimated grape variety can come together to create something extraordinary.
