Szászi, Badacsonyi Olaszrizling, 2021

Szászi Winery, Badacsony Region

It’s no exaggeration to say that one of our very favorite places in Hungary is a picnic table next to Szászi’s cellar—glass of his wine in hand, of course—next to the rose bushes marking the end of his neat rows of vines heading towards the lake. Badacsony’s strangely-shaped volcanic hills emerge in every direction—some pointy, others rounded, or flat-topped—in a surreal scene. Endre Szászi is a pioneer winemaker in Badacsony, one of the first in the country to certify his vineyards as organic (right from the start of his winery, in the 1990s). Most of Badacsony’s other wineries followed. The family takes great care to work in the most sustainable way possible in the vineyards and cellar. The Szászi family has 24 hectares of vineyards spread amongst different Badacsony hills. Olaszrizling and Lake Balaton go hand in hand. A wine that truly reflects its terroir, the Olaszrizling in Badacsony is rich with a mineral, salty character that comes from the volcanic basalt soil. This wine is essentially an estate wine, meaning that the grapes come from multiple vineyards. It was spontaneously fermented in stainless steel tanks, and had some partial oak aging for three months. The color is light lemon, and the aroma is dominated by wet stone, lime, and  apricot jam, with some almond, chamomile, green apple, and pear. This wine shows all that we love about Badacsony—a delicious acidity, mineral stone characters, and a salty finish. It also has a lovely creamy texture; fruity flavors like quince, lemon, and green apple; some vegetal, herbal, grassiness; and some almond nuttiness. This wine is wonderful when paired with fish and seafood.

Read About The Badacsony Region | Read About Olaszrizling