Fekete Pince "FKT" 2023 Olas Rizling Somló, Hungary

750ml bottle

13.5% abv

Easy; salty; textural; long; not sweet; quiet stone fruit; great!

Variety - 100% Olasz Rizling (Graševina / Welschriesling)

Tasting notes - Pure straw yellow color, full – though not showy – nose with pear & peach, flowers & herbs. The palate shows ripe pear & apricot with & hints of vanilla, bitter herbs (characteristic of the variety), and salinity from the soil. The finish is exceptionally long.

Sugar free extract - 20 g/l

Acid - 4.5 g/l

Residual Sugar - 1.6 g/l

Quantity - (bottles) 660

Yield - 1.2 kg/vine 

Vinification - After careful hand harvesting at the end of September, natural fermentation in 1000l Hungarian oak barrels.

Maturation - 6 months in used 500l oak barrels, and after 6 months in tanks 

This is the second wine coming from the ‘FKT’ line at Fekete Béla. The traditional Béla wines are still being made according to Fekete’s style: botrytis, light maceration, and extremely long elevage on the less. No changes to those wines and they keep the traditional label as well.

However, when Gábor took over completely a few years ago, there were a number of audibles to call. With new plantings and changing up barrels and so on, he found himself with extra Olasz Rizling. Harvested pretty late in mid November, it was direct pressed and spent 6 months in used 1000l and 500l oak barrels, followed by 3 months in tank. Extremely dry for a Somló Olasz Rizling, it’s got that later-picked depth, but with the shorter elevage, really showcases the salt, fruit, and levity.

Somló (Shoam-low) is Hungary’s smallest appellation and was once an underwater volcano. Now dormant, its slopes of ancient sea sediment, hardened lava, and basalt are home to some of Hungary’s steepest, most densely planted vineyards.

Driving up to Somló from Lake Balaton, it’s like seeing an island rise up from the ocean’s horizon — nothing else around survived the retreating ocean. The oldest writings mentioning the wine of Somló date back to 1093 and viticulture all the way back to the Romans. Hungarian Kings bought vineyards here, Maria Theresa and Queen Victoria both praised the wines, and insurgent Hungarian troops fighting against the Hapsburgs would salute the vineyards as they marched past at the end of the 17th century. In 1752, local laws stated that if you were found adding water to wine, expect 25 lashings as the minimum punishment. If you were found to be labeling wine as Somló but using other fruit sources, you would be banned from making wine permanently and might even have your property confiscated. Perhaps most well known is that belief that drinking the wines of Somló before copulation would guarantee a boy. “Nászéjszakák bora” or “wedding wine” was soon the favored wine of the Hapsburgs to keep the patriarchy in full swing (insert eye roll).

Béla, having recently turned 97, is currently known as “Grand Old Man of Somló’ and to some as “Bélabácsi” (Uncle Béla). He made quality wines from the early 1980s all the way through 2013. We only had the opportunity to meet, taste, and eat with him a few times because he sold the winery in 2014.

With no immediate family to take things over, it fell to György “Gyuri” Emmert to convince long time friends Ákos Dölle and Gábor Riesz to buy the winery under the condition that they continue the legacy. After the sudden death of Gyuri in 2017, things changed for all parties and Gábor, in full agreement with the others, is now the sole owner. Gábor, along with help from his wife Zsofia are still in contact with Béla and from what we can taste, staying true to his life's work. Changes they are making are using better cork, conversion to organic certification, and of course working on new innovations.

Béla was engaged in a private dialog with his land that’s only possible after decades of working it. The vineyards are not as postcard perfect nor are they planted to the newest clones but having listened to the old farmers and the council of others when we started, Béla's vines have achieved balance.

With 4 hectares dry farmed on the southern slopes, the basalt soil retains heat and a mixture of alluvial and loam soils give just enough nutrients. The vineyards have a secret garden appeal that’s far from a monoculture. Organic certification is underway and more an issue of paperwork than changes to the farming. Equally important, and also according to Béla, the vineyard access to the mineral spring water of Somló is the magic, not simply rocks touching vines. In tandem with botrytis and 3 years minimum of élevage, there’s a perfect storm for making something truly unique and delicious.

The wines of Somló tend to be high in alcohol, very acidic, and chock-full of smoky volcanic minerality. All wines are meant to be aged and can be fairly aggressive when young. Much like Tokaj, this is an all white appellation so winemaking is geared for structure and strength. All of the wines are picked on the later side, have a couple of hours of maceration, spontaneously fermented in 1000L oak, aged another 10-12 months in said oak, and then 2 years minimum in stainless steel/plastic tank. The grapes do of course bring something to the table, but with time, Somló eventually takes over. That said Furmint has a little more acidity up front, Hárslevelű more aromatics, and Juhfark channels the volcanic funk.