Bencze Birtok Kékfrankos

Vintage: 2022

Region: Badacsony, Hungary

Grapes: Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch)

Alcohol: 11%

This young Kékfrankos comes from the second harvest of vines planted in 2017 – just 5 years old but already showing real promise. István's working with three clones: Austrian A4, the Ruszt-based Triebaumer selection, and one from the Szentesi–Losonci partnership, all on volcanic basalt and clay at 130m. After the mid-September harvest, the grapes were hand-destemmed and fermented on skins for eight days with extremely gentle extraction before pneumatic pressing. Aged for 10 months in two third-fill 228L French barrels, then bottled without fining, filtration, or SO₂. What you get is unusually juicy and energetic – bright notes of raspberry, damson, and wild herbs lifted by black pepper. The palate is light, juicy, and effortlessly drinkable with vibrant acidity that gives the wine its signature energy. There's a purity and delicacy here that's unmistakably István – a gentle hand guiding a vivid expression of Badacsony's volcanic soils. Bright, cheeky, with beautiful, insistent acidity. Yum! Around 3000 bottles of joyful, elegant red that's wonderfully approachable whilst hinting at what these young vines will become.