Vida Family Wine Estate

Szekszárd Region

The Vida family has 20 hectares of land, divided among five vineyard locations in Szekszárd, one of Hungary’s prime wine regions which is known for its big spicy reds, including Bull’s Blood. Péter Vida Sr. made his first Kadarka secretly and entered it in a local wine contest under the name of his father. His wine won the competition, and ever since then he has not been hiding his wines. His three children, who have all studies winemaking, are all deeply involved in the family business. Tasting with Péter, who could have been a poet in another life, is an unforgettable experience. In 2011 Péter Vida was named “Winemaker of the Year” by the Hungarian Wine Academy.

Bonsai Öregtőkés Kadarka, 2017

The southern Hungarian region of Szekszárd, with its predominantly loess soils, is synonymous with the Kadarka grape, which is often dubbed ‘the Hungarian Pinot Noir’ and can (like Pinot) be a tricky and temperamental grape. Nevertheless, with some serious tender loving care, such as from the savvy and attentive hands of winemaker Péter Vida, it is capable of making wines that ooze charm, class, and unique character. This wine was made from a very low yield of grapes, which were hand-harvested from 100-year old Kadarka vines from the Lisztes-völgy vineyard, which miraculously survived the mass production philosophy of the former regime. It was aged for 17 months in steel tanks (since oak can overwhelm the varietal character). It has a very pale ruby color, with vibrant aromas and flavors of rose-hips, ripe strawberries, raspberries, red currants, and black pepper. It has light tannins and a tingling acidity on the playful palate. This is a very light-bodied wine with restrained alcohol. It’s spicy, yet very elegant, airy, and ethereal. It is highly distinctive, with old vine depth and complexity. It is great with all manner of spicy dishes, including curry, as well as duck, lamb, and veal. In Hungary, it is often paired with a paprika-infused fish soup, and would go beautifully with any paprika heavy dishes.

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La Vida (Merlot) 2016

Péter Vida is the master of subtle wines in Szekszárd, a warm, southern Hungarian region where balance and finesse are often hard to come by. This is his flagship wine—predominantly Merlot (90 percent), which is spiced up by Cabernet Sauvignon (6 percent), Kadarka (3 percent), and Syrah (1 percent). The grapes come from vines ranging from eight to 100 years old from chalky loess soils with red clay from the Virághegy, Bakta, Hidaspetre, and Lisztes vineyards, and from very low yields. Grapes were hand-harvested in the first two weeks of October, using manual bunch selection. The wine underwent fermentation at 79°F for 15 days, followed by malolactic fermentation in stainless-steel tanks for six months. It was then aged in already used 500 liter barrels for 18 months. After blending, it was aged in the tank for another six months. It’s a deep ruby colored wine, with pronounced aromas of raspberry, cranberry, cedar, and earthiness. It’s a full-bodied wine with medium tannins. Yet, it’s very elegant and complex, with expertly integrated oak and a beautifully balanced, really long finish. It’s a great partner for game dishes and all red meat-based meals. It’s also delicious with dark chocolate.

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The southern Hungarian region of Szekszárd is famous for its Bikavér (Bull’s Blood), which is also made in the north-eastern region of Eger. Péter Vida takes the bull by the horns to make what is probably the most refined and elegant Bikavér in Szekszárd. It’s an exciting meeting of indigenous and international varieties, with local heroes Kékfrankos and Kadarka playing a crucial role, with the former providing the backbone and the latter bringing local spice. This is a blend of Kékfrankos (50 percent), Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon (20 percent), Merlot (20 percent), Syrah (5 percent) and Kadarka (5percent). Grapes were hand-harvested from six- to 100-year-old vines from the chalky loess and red clay soils of the Hidaspetre, Baranya völgy, Virághegy and Lisztes vineyards, between October 6 and October 15. It has an appealing ruby color, with very elegant aromas and flavors of both black and red fruit. The oak is barely detectable, and perfectly integrated. It’s a medium-bodied wine with lovely freshness and zesty acidity. The finish is very long—and so incredibly elegant for a warm region like Szekszárd—with subtle spiciness and juicy fruit (especially sour cherry). Kadarka is the magic ingredient here, and despite contributing just a few percent to the blend, it makes itself felt with the cool rosehip note and spicy character. It’s a fine partner for spicy dishes and various stews.

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