I don’t know the legal term for what the press decribes as “the cellar of the winemaker of the year is closed by the wine qualification (classification?) authorities”. The bottomline is that added gylcerin in test samples was found in Vincze wines recently and irregularities in storing the said wines (well, a few hectos, the whole lot actually, were simply missing…) during the investigation of the case.

Falsification of wines in Hungary is not uncommon, rumour has it. Ráspi once explained to me (and a zillion times to the rest of the world I guess) that techniques like that, and even legal methods of alterating artifiially the character of the wine is widespread practice even among the best winemakers in Hungary (he didn’t think twice to name a few of the best known winemakers of the country). This might be exaggeration, but let’s not pretend that Vincze’s case is unique. I doubt anyone thought this. What raises concern in my mind is how could this guy have gotten elected winemaker of the year? According to which criteria? And, let’s think a minute about who voted him this award…

You can read my opinion about Vincze’s wines here.

My perception has always been that Vincze Béla is one of the most overrated wine makers of Hungary (which is quite remarkable because the competition for the being the most overrated is huge in Hungary). The obscure outcome of the winemaker of the year elections didn’t change that when Vincze won in 2005 surprising many, much less skeptical persons than I am towards him. Anyway, paying half price is probably the best opportunity to give someone another chance, so this Cabernet Franc 2006 is from the stock I purchased on occasion of Wine Wednesday.

The review

Medium deep ruby with a rusty-brownish rim. With only some hints of tobacco leafs on the nose this wine is so closed  it doesn’t show anything for 90 minutes when it finally opens more with more dense tobacco and sawdust notes. The first foamy-flimsy texture will be better integrated after some time and sour cherry and chocolate elements will be added to the palate and a black-pepper accent to the nose. It remains a bit too alcoholic however. The wine as a whole improves a lot, starting from 2+ points and ending around 4 points 2 hours after opening, when I actually started to enjoy it. And let me state again here that many Hungarian red wines necessitate 2-3 hours to show something, a feature I never encountered so widespread in any other region’s wines. Would you believe that most Hungarians see this as a positive thing?

Score: 3+/4-

Price: HUF 1 600