Nádas Borműhely, “Vagy Mi?” Szürkebarát, 2021

Nádas Borműhely, Etyek-Buda Region

Pinot Gris is an international variety, which in Hungary goes by a decidedly Hungarian name: Szürkebarát (which translates as “grey monk” in English). Legend says that Cistercian monks brought the grape to Hungary in the 14th century, planted them in Badacsony (north of Lake Balaton), and the grape therefore got its name from the monks’ clothing. In Hungary, Szürkebarát is mostly grown in the Badacsony and Mátra regions, but this wine shows how good it can also be in Etyek. Made from 100 percent Pinot Gris, grown on 40 year-old vines, the wine has a beautiful color—somewhere between pink and light red, amber and orange. Perhaps the color of an aged brandy. The color is due both to the Pinot Gris grape itself, and the winemaking method. ​​Pinot Gris is a color mutation of the Pinot Noir grape, and its berries can look more like red grapes than white ones, ranging in color from pink to red. And this wine is a so-called orange wine, which means it is a white wine made in the manner of a red. The grapes were fermented on their skins in an open vat (adding color to the wine), with the cap punched down regularly until the end of fermentation. (Typically, when making a white wine, the skins are separated from the juice right after pressing). The wine was then aged for one year in oak barrels. On the nose, it is deliciously spicy—with notes of rooibos tea, mulled wine spices, baking spices, and potpourri. All of this continues on the palate, as well as some fruitiness—strawberry, raspberry, candied fruit, dried cranberries, and blood oranges. This is a full-bodied wine, with an oily and viscous texture. Because of the skin contact, there are tannins, which give it a more serious finish than you’d expect. We find this wine hard to define, other than being really good and tasty (and with a stunning color). This might explain its name: “Vagy mi?” (“or what?”). Is this red or white? Or what? Is this orange or what? It’s a food-friendly wine, which goes well with dishes such as fried chicken, cheese and charcuterie, pasta with cream sauce, and grilled foods. Only 218 bottles made.

Read About The Etyek-Buda Region

Nádas Borműhely 

Winemaker Szilárd Nádas and his wife, Veronika Rajnai, both horticultural engineers, are the team behind Nádas Borműhely (“Wine Workshop”). They both worked in Bordeaux, Yarra Valley, and Okanagan Valley, before starting their own winery. In 2011 they bought a crumbling 19th-century press house on Etyek’s Öreghegy (“Old Hill”), and they now have six hectares of vineyards—mainly the white varieties typical to Etyek, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris), Királyleányka, and Zöldveltelíni (Grüner Veltliner), as well as some PInot Noir. With their newest plantation (finished in 2019), they also have some rarities, such as Viktória Gyöngye (Pearl of Victoria), Pinot Meunier, and Chenin Blanc. They produce up to 14,000 bottles annually, and receive many visitors. They like to experiment with local varieties, while also showing their international grape varieties in a different light, unique to the Etyek region.