Malatinszky, Signature, 2015

Malatinszky Kúria, Villány Region

Csaba Malatinszky’s family descends from an old aristocratic land-owning family (their crest dates back to 1341), who suffered the same fate as many Hungarians under Communism. His grandfather was an earl, his father was literature professor, and his mother was an ethnographer. They were forced to move to the rural Great Plain, due to their background. The family were never winemakers, but historically they had land in Tokaj and Badacsony—so wine culture was always present in the family. However, like the rest of the winemakers in the Villány region, Malatinszky has been most influenced and inspired by Bordeaux. He has traveled to France many times to gain insight into the French region which Villány shares its major red grape varieties with. This is a Bordeaux blend (50 percent Cabernet Franc, 30 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20 percent Merlot) which shows Malatinszky’s Bordeaux education and state of mind. The weather in vintage 2015 was excellent, with dry, warm, and sunny conditions that helped produce wines with great aroma and aging potential. This is an elegant wine with strong tannins that are nicely balanced by the fruitiness (alcohol is 14 percent). The nose is fruity (plum, blackberry), and the palate is intense, with hints of tobacco, leather, and cigars. The finish is nice and long. This wine was aged for 12 months in 500-liter Hungarian oak barrels. This is an organic and vegan wine. We like this wine with long-cooked meat dishes—like lamb or barbecue. It’s also good with cheese, especially older hard cheese.

Read About The Villány Region