Dúzsi Tamás Kadarka Szekszárd 2021

Would it be overstepping to refer to Tamás Dúzsi as an icon of the Hungarian wine scene? We don’t think so! A graduate of the University of Pécs with a degree in viticulture and enology, his career has included working as a horticultural engineer, teacher, winemaker, and winemaking consultant. The 1990s in Hungary introduced the “Land Compensation” scheme, which permitted former landowning families to re-acquire land that was nationalized under communism, allowing Tamás to purchase just 3.3 hectares of the Kékfrankos grape in Szekszárd. Powering forward, the estate now harvests roughly 400 tons of grapes each year to make 25 different types of wine. The awards and accolades quickly began rolling in, with Tamás even being recognized as the Hungarian Winemaker of the Year in 2014, the highest national distinction for winemaking in Hungary. This bottle is a pure, singular expression of Kadarka, a rare native variety that was at one time the most commonly planted red variety in Hungary. Grown organically, it hails from 30- and 80-year old bush-trained vines in the warm hills of southern Hungary. The wine was spontaneously fermented in open 500L barrels and aged for 12 months in used Hungarian oak. Bright-cherry hued, the wine is spicy with soft handed tannins. Think dried plum, freshly shaved fennel dusted with paprika, a whisper of lavender and juicy pomegranate. Organically grown, sustainably grown, low-intervention/natural wine.