Description
Pannonhalmi Apátsági Pincészet, Pinot Noir
Winemakers call Pinot Noir the “heartbreak grape” because it is so delicate and difficult to work with, but everyone goes ahead and plants it anyway: The rewards, when you get it right, are too tantalizing to pass up.
As someone said, anything worth doing is going to be difficult—a sentiment the Benedictine monks of Pannonhalma, Hungary took to heart. The vineyards surrounding their historic abbey had been appropriated by the state under Communist rule, but the 50 or so monks still residing at the abbey got the chance to re-acquire the land in 2000; among other varieties, they took the risk on Pinot Noir and have been producing gorgeous wines in their ancient cellars ever since. Composed of fruit from three historic sites, this limpid, red-fruited beauty channels Burgundian elegance without ever losing its own personal sense of terroir. Tasted blind, I knew the Pinot in my glass was from somewhere unusual, and was thrilled at the realization that this kind of quality could correlate with such an appetizing price. When it comes to Pinot Noir value, I remain a dyed-in-the-wool partisan for Oregon’s Willamette Valley, but this wine has opened my mind to thrilling new possibilities. It is simply exceptional in every way, every bit as good as anything we’ve offered from Oregon, Germany, California, Burgundy…you name it. I’ll be going back to this one again and again, and once you’ve tasted it, you will, too!
Pannonhalma is the smallest of Hungary’s 22 historic wine regions, tucked into the Eastern corner of Transdanubia, or the region across the Danube from Budapest. It has serious cultural and historical significance; the Abbey at the center of our story was founded in the year 996, as were the first vineyards planted on the slopes at its base. After World War II, the single-party state confiscated the Abbey’s vineyard holdings and winery, putting a sudden end to their centuries-old traditions of viticulture. Thankfully, vineyards were restored to the Benedictine monks in the year 2000, and the government has carefully nurtured the regrowth of this cultural heritage site.
“Pannonhalmi Apátsági Pincészet” translates to “Pannonhalma Abbey Winery.” The revitalized wine industry of Pannonhalma still centers around the Abbey itself, a gorgeous and enormous fortress of caramel-colored stone sitting atop the highest of a series of rolling hills. While the climate of the region resembles the Loire valley more than anywhere else, this region specializes in reds such as today’s Pinot Noir. Soils are predominantly sand and loess with veins of white and red clay. The three vineyards that contribute to today’s blend are among the very finest of the monks’ holdings: Széldomb, Babszökö, and Tavaszó. Their gentle south and southwest-facing slopes are planted to Burgundian clones, meticulously cared for by the resilient monks themselves. The many soils and microclimates of the Pannonhalma wine region mean carefully combining traditional approaches to viticulture with clean, modern winemaking.
The Pinot Noir for this wine is carefully de-stemmed before a six-day cold maceration in chilled stainless steel tanks. The fermented wine sleeps in barrels of varying sizes and ages for a thoughtful, site-specific approach to each vineyard before blending. Ten months later, it’s ready for bottling. Less than 2,500 cases of Pannonhalmi Pinot Noir are made, and only a fraction of those make it to international markets. This transparent, lively Pinot perfectly encapsulates the meeting of the ancient and the modern, a testament to the resilience of wine culture!
The wine is a beautiful light garnet red with a kiss of pink on the rim. The nose is expansive and floral after half an hour in a decanter—the fresh red berries of early summer juxtaposed with deeper, more feral notes of wild raspberry and forest floor. There’s a gentle spiciness from the oak aging, but it never competes with the clarity and subtlety of the clove and cool earth notes that bloom across your palate with every sip. It’s ripe but focused, with an ephemeral wash of fine tannins that leave lingering minerality on your tongue. It’s the perfect companion to a warm bowl of white bean soup dusted with freshly grated parmesan cheese…and of course, a little bit of storytelling for dessert. The monks would approve!
