Bencze Birtok, Atlas 2021

Situated near Lake Balaton on the basaltic Mount Szent György, are the sloping vineyards of the Bencze Birtok estate. Founded in 2011, initially as a more personal experimentation project, István Bencze cultivates 20 hectares of both newly planted and old vines in partnership with nature. The overarching drive of the project is to reflect the terroir and local character through native and forgotten Hungarian grape varietals. Wild yeasts drive spontaneous fermentation, and the wines are produced without sulphites or filtration with a focus on ageing in various clay amphorae. Atlas 2021 consists of 100% Pinot Noir from the 21-year-old Rókaluk plot, found in the upper parts of the vineyard. Carefully selected bunches are pressed whole by feet, then fermented in open vats for 10 days. The juice is then gravity-transferred to 2500L oak barrels where it stays for 12 months on gross lees. Much lighter in body than the Pinot Noir 22 by Bencze, with a prominent sour raspberry nose. Refreshing notes of wild cranberry, redcurrant and blackcurrant are undercut by herbaceous and pepper profiles. Atlas 2021 would pair well with a mushroom donburi and cured egg yolk.