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Vintage Reports |
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| November 27th 2006 |
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| Hungary: Low yields but... |
by Mario Scheuermann and Norbert Bodorkos
Hungary reports a 2006 crop of approximate 3.5 million hectolitre, 33 percent below the volume of 2005, when 5.2 million hectolitres were crushed. Still, the volume is slightly higher than in 2000 or 2003. Because of the low yields, analysts expect prices to rise, some by as much as 30 to 50 percent, which will effectively choke exports. |
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As far as quality is concerned, opinions vary widely. Although the volume of botrytisized grapes from the production of Aszu was still small in November, the vintage in Tokaj is said to be good to very good. In Balaton as well as in western Hungary maturity was two weeks behind average, but good weather conditions prolonged the ripening period and made late harvests possible. The result, though, was heterogeneous. Riesling suffered severely, with barely 40 percent of an average vintage recorded in volume. Sauvignon Blanc, on the other hand, managed 45 hectolitres per hectare. Often, though, low acidity was the price to pay for sufficient ripeness. Légli Ottó in Balaton-Boglár, however, is quite happy with the vintage.
The situation is Eger is even better. Demeter Csaba considers 2006 the best vintage of the past ten years. In the south, in the red wine area of Villany, producers are also bubbling with excitement. After a long, cool spring came a phase of rain, followed by extreme heat in July, an unstable August and a warm autumn. While parts of the harvest were destroyed by early hail, further yield reduction was done manually. Winemakers Bock Jószef and Gere Atillá see the vintage at or above the 2003 level, with higher must weights for Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and better acidity. After the recent success of wines like Geres Kopár and Solus at international tastings, even better wines may follow. |
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