Venue: Tornai Winery – Somlójenő – Somló Hill – Hungary
Lately visited Somló upon invitation to get to know the 17 wineries bringing 27 Juhfark delights at the Somló Juhfark Festival.
The representative presentation of Juhfark – (Sheep Tail) was organized for the seventh time with the co-operation of winemakers from Somló, where the public could participate in tasting the best batches of the past years wines and get to know the winemakers personally, ask questions, talk about their techniques of wine making, the characteristics of the wines, taste and taste again.
The Somló Juhfark (“Sheep Tail” – in English) – (staying with the original Hungarian name from now one) Holiday, was organized a special walking tasting event in many ways in providing a special experience for the wine-loving public. At the Festival one of the most popular wineries were present at the same time with their best wines. We were introduced to know the characteristics of the wine region. We could also follow the handiwork from the winemaker within tasting their items. These wines were completely different types and characters of Juhfark.
In brief back in time long the way to to-day’s Somló Winery … Endre Tornai after returning home from the war, he restarted the family farm. Instead of the grapes he lost in Badacsony, he bought an outdated plantation in Somló, barely two months old … began his small cellar the Tornai cellar. It is one of the oldest of this kind on a 0.7 ha wine-land, today expanded 50 ha. The 450 ha lands on the hill side are now cultivated by 3000 landowners becoming small plots. For the first time it has been introduced here. The process …the juice is left to stay in contact with the grapes skin for approx. 7 – 14 hours.Then yielding a brightly color, full-bodies white wine with charastic acidic-mineral taste mixed elegantly with fresh, fruity fragrance. Several grapes varietals are planted in the field … Riesling, Juhfarok, Szürkebarát, Furmint, Hárslevelű, Zeus, Zenit and Pinot Blanc. The Hárslevelű 2011 earned great gold medal at the international wine competition in Verona. In 2003 received a gold medal in Montreal and Düsseldorf and several other countries.
The wine of Somló and the Tornai winery has for ages been known … taken as medicine … In the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and beyond the Somló wines were claimed to possess medicinal qualities. Many healing powers were recorded. The wine was in favor in the court of Habsburgs, as drinking Somló wine on the royal wedding night was believed to increase the chance to conceive a male child. So along the way from 1990 and today it became, known as the “wedding night wine”
Back to highlight the festival … Juhfark and Somló is a special pairing with a mineral flavor, inimitable wine. The unique volcanic character of the mountain can best be seen … tasted … in the bottles of Juhfark wines.
Participating wineries were: 5 Ház Wine Estate, Barcza Winery, Bogdán Estate, Csetvei Winery, Csordás-Fodor Winery, Dobosi Winery, Fekete Pince, Hegedűs-Szabó Winery, Kolonics Winery, Kőfejtő Cellar, Kreinbacher Estate, Somlói Vándor Cellar, Szabó Winery, Szalai Cellar, Tomcsányi Family Estate, Tornai Winery, Zzirai Winery
At the Tornai winery can not only enjoyed the wines, but also beauty of the varied golden field of “Grapeville” at Somló.
In addition to the walking tasting, we could participate in additional programs. One workshop was a ride on a special little bus coming to pick us up just for this occasion, rolling up-and-down Somló hilly side on the vineyard tour titled “Journey around Somló”. During our ride ongoing tasting was held.
We were also able to take part in a special museum-cellap, where the history of generations in winemakers of the Tornai’s family tree and now rare wine making tools were introduced.
At another workshop, we got to know more about the Somló’s vineyards … also tasting excellent wines, older vintages and famous wines from this great wine regions, comparing them with each batch of Juhfark. Was told that the Somló Juhfark wine has crossed the Ocean to the States and there it goes through a web auction … maybe a collect or a deeply wine lover has already cherished a bottle of Juhfark.
Riport and snaps Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 