A stock clearance of a well known retailer provided my with a good opportunity to acquire some bottles for party people coming to visit us from time to time, you know smokers and alike. Some of these wines were so disappointing they drove me to the conclusion I made about mediocre wine reviews in this post. Tiffány’s Portugieser 2009, Tiffán’s Imortal cuvée 2007 and Tűzkő’s Sauvignon Blanc 2008 were good match with cigarettes only really. The following two wines were the best of the lot, so far.

The wines

Chateau Kajmád – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Kékfrankos, 2003

Considering it was made in 2003 we can call this an early bird of it’s kind with it’s 14% alcohol.

The look: A dark core surrounded by pigeon blood hue and a pale brownish rim, with some purplish reflections.

Nose: Interesting spices coming through a stuffy bouquet at first, things like turmeric-favored plum and other oddities.

Palate: Dirty. After 90 minutes it evoles structurally but I’d like more definition to it. The wine’s texture is oily and I’m suspecting a good deal of glycerin here. The tart fruityness I would even call pleasant would it not been ruined by the whole picture including quite a lot of half powdery, half sticky overflowing tannins soaked up by the glycerin. The wine has a dirty character which I associate with many – even not so old – Ch. Kajmád wines, very much the opposite of the clean Konyári or Gróf Buttler wines.

Hilltop – Prémium Merlot 2008

Look: dead ruby.

Nose: mulberry syrup, very fruity.

Palate: Ligh-bodied wine with blueberry wrapped in burnt rubber and licorice aromas. Soft texture and polished tannins. But as a whole it’s too “made” and simple.

Evaluation: forget about it.

Eurobor’s Tűzkő line deserves a last chance and I have a Chardonnay 2007 anyway, so I didn’t hesitate to give it to them.

This Chardonnay has a deep brassy color with grape juice aromas on the nose with a tutti-frutti accent, relatively dense. It’s a bit tired on the palate, medium-bodied, not fresh, woody (but not in an oaky-vanilla way), with a wet hay character and later with grapefruit. Some unripe vegetables come through the slightly bitter mid-palate supported by harsh acidity.

According to the winery’s website this wine ages well but if you ask me, this wine’s already over its peak.

Score: 3+

Price: HUF 1 300

Another Sauvignon Blanc, another Eurobor. This time I took one from the lower segment of the sortiment.

Bright golden color. It has a fresh grassy nose with a lavender undertone. The palate shows fresh, long, rustic acidity and an even longer bitterness. All very young and quite not integrated. This characteristic is accompanied by the scents and savor of lemon grass, mint and peppermint. The mediterranean spices (including thyme) are more present than any fruit.

Score: 4, 4-

Price: HUF 1338/ EUR 5