Hungarian autumn flavours to accompany rosés

Autumn is here and though the season of summer heat and ice cold drinks is over there is no reason why the popularity of rosés should be on the wane. Rosés can bring back memories of summer and provide the perfect accompaniment for seasonal dishes. At Nagygombos Winery there is an unwavering belief that rosé is not just for one season either as a wine in its own rights or as a foil to various dishes.

Anna Takács-Barta the winemaker of Nagygombos Winery in the Mátra region has decided from the very beginning that she wanted to make rosés fit not only for spritzers but ones that embrace the more serious style of the French and Spanish rosé traditions offering a complete experience for tasters. The Mátra wine region with its Northern location boasts a cooler, well tempered climate ideal for producing flavoursome grapes with a slower, more balanced ripening period conducive to retaining lively and refreshing acidity.

Anna believes in natural winemaking. On the one hand grapes are farmed in an environmentally friendly way, on the other hand winemaking is not rushed, processes are given ample time to run their course.

Therefore Nagygombos rosés typically hit the shelves of stores no sooner than the end of spring.

The 2017 Rosé Cuvée is a blend of almost equal proportions of merlot and zweigelt and thanks to the round acidity made possible by the warm vintage this is an inviting wine rich in fruit aromas. The 2017 Gróf Grassalkovich Gamay Noir Rosé follows in the footsteps of the previous vintage: half of the wine made from this variety which is rarely seen in Hungary was aged in steel tanks while the other half in oak barrels. There is a fine balance between the more substantial and textured palate and the intense fruit flavours promising a longer than usual lifespan.

„The style I have chosen is close to one of Provencal and Spanish rosés. The weight, the creamy texture, the lush fruit and the fact that the winemaking process is allowed to unfold at its own pace means that they are wines not for just one season, so our customers don’t have to dispense with the rosé experience in autumn furthermore the wines go well with seasonal dishes. I love cooking and I consider it important to pick ingredients in season and if our rosés match the dishes then everything is ready for a perfect meal”, says Anna Takács-Barta.