Irsai Olivér – Gál Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet

Aromatic wines are one of the most popular categories in Hungary, and are big sellers at our Budapest shop. These are wines made from intensely fragrant and floral grape varieties; often very fruity; and produced in a reductive style (without any oxygen or oak contact) to preserve the freshness and lively acidity. They are made to be enjoyed young, while their bouquet of aromas is still exploding. Irsai Olivér is the fifth most widely planted grape in Hungary, and is one of the favorite aromatic wines in Hungary.

Irsai Olivér is a crossing of Pozsonyi Fehér and Csaba Gyöngye, developed by Pál Kocsis in 1930. Officially registered in 1975, it only started being used for wine in the 1980s. It has been gaining in popularity ever since, thanks to its delicate acidity, Muscat character, and fresh aromas and flavors. There are various stories as to how the grape ended up with a person’s name. Some say that Olivér Irsai (in Hungarian surnames come before first names) was a wine merchant who paid to have a variety named after him. Others say he won a card game. Most likely, Olivér Irsai was the son of Kocsis’ friend. This grape is resistant to many vine diseases. It ripens early (mid-August), and is one of the first wines released every year, usually around November. This particular wine is the virgin wine coming from Irsai Olivér vines that the Gál family planted in 2020 on Csepel Island, a large island in the Danube, south of Budapest. It’s light-bodied (and very refreshing), with fruitiness in perfect balance with acidity. This wine is intensely aromatic, and very grapey, with pronounced Muscat flavors. It has a myriad of floral aromas, including violet, acacia, and rose. There’s also honey, cantaloupe, green apple, eucalyptus, lemon, and gooseberry. But the flavors start and finish most prominently with elderflower. If you like Pinot Grigio, you’ll like this wine. You can also add a splash of soda water to make it into a fröccs (wine spritzer). Enjoy it with salads, cold soups, chips with guacamole and salsa, cured ham, or spicy dishes with ginger.