Hernyák Estate
Etyek Region
The Hernyáks are an extraordinary family in the Etyek wine region. They are an ethnically-Hungarian family, originally from the Vojvodina region in former Yugoslavia. They immigrated to Hungary in a spur-of-the-moment decision—just with 200 Deutsche Marks in their pockets—in the early 1990s to avoid the bloody wars in Yugoslavia. Valéria and Laci Hernyák founded their winery in 1993, and their son Tomi now works with them as a winemaker. They initially started their business in Etyek as a distillery, as they had already worked with making palinka back in Yugoslavia. They quickly fell in love with the terroir in Etyek, and got into the winemaking business. Their winery (which is also their home) has steadily grown over the years, and they now have 17 hectares of vineyards. They grow Pinot Noir, Zöldveltelini, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. Their true love is methode traditionelle sparkling wine, and they are big advocates for the region’s potential in this area. Their lovely estate also includes a greenhouse (where they hold small events), their distillery, and tasting rooms. The Hernyák’s hospitality and love for their region and vineyards comes through clearly in their wines.
Hernyák, Zöldveltelíni, 2019
Zöldveltelini is the Hungarian name of Grüner Veltliner, which the neighboring Austrians are masterful with. (Both Zöld and Grüner translate as green.) However, in Hungary the potential of this wine hasn’t really been explored yet, and it is still rare to find a high-quality Hungarian Zöldveltelini. That is why we are so excited about this Hernyák Zöldveltelini! The Hernyák family has about 17 acres of vineyards, which they have been farming entirely organically since 2015. The grapes for this wine come from the vineyard which is adjacent to the winery, a small plot located in the heart of Etyek’s beautiful Öreghegy (“old hill”). This is where the Hernyák family settled 25 years ago when they left Yugoslavia to start a new life in Hungary, steadily building their gorgeous estate by hand. The grapes for this wine were hand-harvested in late-autumn and, after one night of settling, the juice was transferred to second- and third-use oak barrels where the wine fermented and aged for five months before bottling. Zöldveltelini is Tomi Hernyák’s favorite grape—which is why his other favorite thing (his dog Bizsu) was selected as the label’s image. Hernyák’s Zöldveltelini has a richer body and a milder acidity in comparison to the classic Austrian style of Grüner Veltliner. This is a versatile food wine, which can be a perfect pairing with a range of creamy pasta dishes, shellfish, rich poultry dishes, or fried foods.
Hernyák, Pinot Noir, 2017
Pinot Noir is a cold-climate-loving grape, so it makes sense that it’s one of the very few red grapes planted in the Etyek region, one of Hungary’s coldest climate regions. The Etyek-Buda region is a PDO appellation, stretching from the Buda Hills westward. The Hernyák Estate is located in the loveliest part of Etyek, on Öreghegy (“old hill”), just about a 45-minute drive from Budapest. This winery is a true family affair, run by Laci and Vali Hernyák and their son, Tomi. The family settled in Etyek in 1993 after fleeing Yugoslavia with just a few Deutsche Marks in their pockets. Starting with a distillery, their estate has grown to include this winery, a lovely greenhouse (where they hold private events), and a tasting room/restaurant. The Hernyáks put lots of effort and love into their Pinot Noir vineyards, which they use for both red and sparkling wines. It is the only red grape which they grow. Etyek produces, arguably, some of Hungary’s best Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir—a very sensitive variety, which is easy to produce bland wines from—seems to feel at home in Etyek. This Pinot is full of bright, crunchy, fruity flavors like ripe strawberries and raspberries. The gorgeous dark chocolate aromas are from the nine months of barrel aging. The wine is simultaneously both soft and complex, and silky and ripe. We like it with duck and pork dishes, mushrooms, or rye bread toast with some truffle butter.
Hernyák, Extra Dry (Methode Traditionelle)
This wine is the result of many years of preparation, research, collaboration, and experimentation by the Hernyák family. They have long held that the region’s terroir is ideal for high-quality sparkling wine, and have been major advocates of Etyek’s potential with sparkling wines. They are working on creating a PDO for sparkling wine from Etyek. Historically, Etyek has always been home to Hungary’s largest and most important sparkling wine producers. Its terroir has some important similarities with that of the Champagne region, home to the world’s finest sparkling wines—it has a cold and rainy climate, with predominantly limestone soil. To further the Hernyák family’s sparkling wine plans, Tomi Hernyák worked for several vintages in the Champagne region before he began producing sparkling wines in the family winery. The entire family is so crazy (and optimistic) about their sparkling wines that their long-term plan is for the winery to primarily produce sparkling wine. This wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc. It spent 36 months on the lees. Even though the label says “Extra Dry,” this wine has the flavor profile of a Brut style. It has just enough crisp acidity to balance it, but keep it dry. It is an extremely elegant, floral, and seductive wine, with a creamy mousse and subtle peach flavor. This is a must-try wine for any sparkling wine lover! Try it with salty foods such as oysters, fried potatoes, or a mature cheddar.
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