2013 Lenkey Pinceszet Harslevelu Valogatas, Tokaj, Hungary Palinkerie

Géza Lenkey’s father founded their family winery in 1999. Today the winery is 10  hectares, comprised of 15 parcels in 8 different vinyards in Mád and Bodrogkeresztúr.  

They have been practicing organic since 2005, and were certified organic in 2015. In the  cellar, Géza uses no added yeast, sugar, or acid, and does not block malolactic   fermentation. He is known for his bold experimental style and powerfully flavorful wines. 

This is Lenkey’s Hárslevelű Selection (Válogatás) from 2013, which he describes as one of his favorite  vintages. Beeswax, elderberry and candied honeydew appear on the nose, with bright apricot, honeyed green  apples, flint, salt and black pepper on the palate. Powerful acidity with a long lingering finish.  

Vintage: 2013 was a fantastic vintage – the best vintage since 1999, according to Géza. It was sunny with  sufficient rainfall. The grapes were healthy and beautiful, and aszú berries also developed late in the season. 

Harvest: The grapes were harvested by hand between the end of October and the beginning of November.

Varietals: 100% Hárslevelű. 

Soil and estate: The grapes come from the. Úrágya, Vilmány, Holdvölgy, and Betsek vineyards in Mád. Úrágya is our most mineral-rich vineyard, full of hard rhyolite stones. The surface of these stones is painted  red by iron oxide, and this vineyard has the most complex clay. Holdvölgy is highly mineral as well, with  volcanic tuff, rhyolite, and red clay. Vilmány faces south and is composed of red clay with detritus. Betsek  faces southeast as well; it is composed of white tuff with zeolite and red clay, with abundant levels of iron and  aluminum.  

Fermentation and winemaking: Whole cluster pressing, followed by spontaneous fermentation with native  yeasts in 400 L Hungarian oak barrels.  

Aging: Aged in new and second-use 400 L Hungarian oak barrels for 36 months. Spent an additional 4.5  years in bottle. 

Other details: Organic farming, no pesticides or herbicides, vegan. 867 bottles produced. 

Technical data: 

1. Sulfur dioxide at bottling (free/total, in mg/L): 11/130 
2. PH: 3.17 
3. Acid (g/L): 7.7 
4. C6 sugars (g/L): 3.9 
5. Alcohol percentage: 13.13%