Kadarka, Hajós-Baja, Hungary

These brand new arrivals to Ontario blew us awayyyy. Like pinot’s older cousin that’s clearly not going through a phase; this is who they are & you can’t help but respect their unabashed nature. Near the Danube River, winemakers Petra and Balázs work their organic vines with care & vast oenological knowledge. Their tiny village is mainly composed of a patchwork of vineyards growing atop historic hand-dug cellars. Kadarka is a regional grape that previously ruled Hungary’s vineyards, and could be described as having a micro-renaissance due to its ability to produce pinot noir-esque wines of stellar energy & terroir expression (yum). The kadarka is crushed, matured for 10 months on life-giving fine lees, then bottled unfined, unfiltered & without sulphur. Smoked cherries, holiday spice, autumnal winds, citric crescents, red-fruit liqueur (but, like, good) & a densely interlaced tannin structure. Pour alongside evenings spent watching international movies with subtitles & loving every second of it.