The AWS National Tasting Project Wines of Austria and Hungary ~ A Well Kept Secret August 30, 2015

Thank You Silver Coast

AWS and Chapter News  We are starting to make plans for  AWS National Conference will be taking place on Nov. 4-7  Please note the change in out October meeting date from the 25 th to the 18 th.  Cast your ballot for the future leaders of AWS. Ballots for Secretary and Direct of Education must be cast by 9/15. Also there is a bylaw change to vote on as well.  PA Gov Tom Wolf vetoed legislation that would have closed the state’s liquor stores and allowed private sales.

Future Chapter Events  Sep 27 th QVC Wine  Oct 18 th Virginia Wines by Mary Lou and Jeffery Salter  November No Meeting  Dec 7 th Wine Dinner at Angelo’s Will need a commitment by sometime in October in order to go forward with detail plans.  Jan 17 th Italian Wines by Petrea Imports  Feb 21 st Bordeaux Tasting by Doug Lappins  Mar 20 th TBD  Apr 24 th Amateur Wine Competition Awards & Tasting

According to the U.S. Wine Market Council 69% of all wine is consumed in your own home 12% is consumed at the home of a friend or a family member 15% is consumed in restaurants and bars about 4% of the wine is consumed somewhere else Could it be at AWS tastings? Did You Know?

OVERVIEW OF 16 WINES INCLUDED IN 2015 NTP The tasting today is a sample of wines from this list of varietals: Whites Austrian Varietals: Whites Gruner Veltliner (3) Weissburgunder (1) Grauburgunder (1) Reds Blaufrankisch (2) St. Laurent (2) Zweigelt (2) Whites Hungarian Varietals: Whites Furmint (1) Tokaji Aszu (1) Reds Kadarka (2) Blaufrankisch “Bikaver” Blend (1)

Austrian and Hungarian Wine  Both countries have produced wine at least since Roman times. Hungary has a longer tradition of wine regulation than France.  Winemaking in central Europe has experienced ups and downs over time due to social/political/economic instability as well as natural threats to viticulture.EXAMPLES PHYLLOXERA Epidemic late 19 th century wiped out vineyards throughout Europe COMMUNISM (Hungary) wine viewed as a commodity …overproduction, overpasteurization yielding large quantities of cheap, unpalatable wine primarily for internal and especially for Russian use CORRUPTION (Austria) Diethylene Glycol scandal 1985

CURRENT PICTURE  The wine industry in both countries is resurgent in recent decades….especially Austria….more slowly in Hungary  Stricter government regulation of wine industry since late 1980’s  Less emphasis on overproducing cheap wine for internal consumption and export  More emphasis on production of quality wines e.g., increase in small, artisanal wineries; more outside investment from reputable and successful winemakers  Austria accounts for less than 1% of world wine production; Hungry much less than that. Yet, these countries have a long and storied history of winemaking, and produce some very high quality wines. Examples

In Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2014: 1 Hungarian Wine and 2 Austrian Wines made the list #75 Tokaji Aszu 5p Gruner Veltliners #’s 90 and pts $49 90 and 91 pts $14 and $22 See Jan 2015 issue of WS WS 2015 Noteworthy New Releases had 47 Austrian Wines GV = 21 wines Riesling = 26 wines 15 rated rated 90+ See Jan 2015 issue of WS

Nine Austrian DAC Regions ”Districtus Austriae Controllatus” DAC is a legal designation that a particular region has achieved a special focus (and renown) for one or more varietals. DAC identifies a region typical quality wine.

Tokaji Aszu (Tokay) Mainstay of Hungarian Wine for centuries ….sweet dessert wine highly favored by royals throughout Europe and currently considered one of the finest dessert wines in the world. Louis XV described it as "Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum“  Made from indigenous grapes…. primarily Furmint which is blended with other local varieties especially Harselevelu, Muscat Lunel, and Oremus  Autumn in NE Hungary is intially wet followed by an extended “indian summer”  Grapes are left on the vines until botrytis (noble rot) sets in  Harvest may not take place until December ________________________________________________________________________ In 2014, regulators restricted Tokaji Aszu to 4 or 5 Puttonyos, which is the Hungarian scale expressing residual sugar content of the wine. (1 p = 30g/l) There are Tokaji wines with lower residual content. (See Total Wine graphic) The new rule is intended to increase the quality of wine labelled “Tokaji Aszu” and further limit use of the term.

Southeast Hungary accounts for most of the white wines produced in Hungary, especially the Kunság, Csongrád, and Hajós-Baja regions that primarily produce quick-drinking, table wine. Hungarian whites, which account for 70% of the wines produced there, are described as full- bodied and spicy.

AWS Wine Evaluation AWS uses 20 point evaluation scale developed at UC Davis. The system assigned points across 10 categories. For everyday use, AWS has reduced the number of categories to five: Appearance, Aroma & Bouquet, Taste & Texture, Aftertaste, and Overall Impression. Wines are rated in each category and the total dictates the rating of the wine according to the criteria below:

AWS Wine Evaluation Form

AWS Wine Evaluation cont.

Till next month...be good, behave and be well. Godspeed and Best Wishes everyone!!

Wine Designations

Wine Designations cont.