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Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated!

Villa Tolnay, ‘Csobáncz’ Cabernet Franc Unfiltered 2017

Cabernet Franc is one of the most popular red grapes in Hungary. The Hungarian wine region of Villány has made Cabernet Franc its signature variety and thanks to that promotion, wineries throughout the country have had success growing and selling wines made from the grape. It’s grown in almost every Hungarian wine district.

Villa Tolnay is a property located in the Badacsony district of the larger Balaton wine region. It’s a region known for white wines although there are some standout reds being made there. The Villa Tolnay, ‘Csobáncz’ Cabernet Franc is made with fruit grown on the Csobánc hill, which is volcanic in origin. It’s the top wine from the Villa Tolnay estate.

The Villa Tolnay, ‘Csobáncz’ Cabernet Franc Unfiltered is a Hungarian wine that acts like an old school type of wine. The vines are grown from French cuttings and the wine is fermented spontaneously with native yeasts. This is more of an earthy red with notes of mud, cherry, raspberry, capsicum, and a touch of funk. Medium-bodied and smooth with a lot of texture, it tastes more developed than the age suggests. The tannins are firm and the wine has a lengthy finish. It’s a fabulous wine for stews and charcuterie.

This is different than many Cabernet Francs made in Hungary. It’s very reminiscent of an example from Bourgueil. If you’re a fan of Cabernet Franc from the Loire, this one is worth seeking out. It’s not a wine with a big future in the cellar, so drink up now.

Score: 90/100 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.)

Find or buy at Bortársaság.

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