Bott Frigyes - 'Just Enjoy' - Gewurztraminer, Welschriesling - Južnoslovenská, SK - 2019

I want everyone to sit on the deck overlooking the Danube River at the Bott Frigyes household and drink wines like this. This is from vineyards planted on the southern side of the Mužla hill and in between the aforementioned Danube river and nearby Hron river. Made by the 3 layered “Hamburger method.” This is basically 10-15% foot trodden, 50% whole cluster, and the rest if destemmed. Kept in these layers, everything is macerated for about 6 days in open vats and just kept moist enough to manage VA and contamination. Gently pressed, everything complete fermentation and ages in neutral oak barrels. Extended lees time is really important for this style as well. Unfined and unfiltered, this is unmistakably Gewürztraminer dominant, but in a juicy, smooth, acid driven and hyper mineral fashion. --- “We believe in the outstanding qualities and uniqueness of our region that lies next to the Garam. We would like for our wines to help the wine region reestablish its position on the European wine map.”—Bott Frigyes The People After WWI, Hungary lost around 71% of its territory to Romania, Ukraine, Czechoslovakia (Slovakia), Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia) and Austria. Over 3 million ethnic Hungarians found themselves outside of Hungary with significant outcome on the grapes and traditions that never stopped or are now coming back to life beyond the present day borders of Hungary. On the southern slopes of the Mužsla Hills in Slovakia surrounded by the river Garam, Danube and the Ipoly rivers, is one such example: Bott Frigyes. Even the neighboring village of Béla is where Judit and József Bodó of Bott Pince began their winemaking career (ethnically Hungarian but born in Slovakia) before moving to Tokaj. Long story short, a whole bunch of things all came together with Bott Frigyes coupled with great farming, honest winemaking, and delicious wines. Vineyards Bott and his son Frici cultivate 10 hectares of vineyards next to the River Garam, at 250 metres above sea level. They are growing Furmint, Hárslevelű (Lipovina in Slovakia), Juhfark, Kékfrankos, Kadarka (cuttings are incidentally from Balla Géza in Romania who is also ethnically Hungarian), Tramini, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sárfahér and Olaszrizling. The soil is clay on top of volcanic bedrock, which is also rich in limestone and minerals. Winemaking The winemaking is certainly structured in terms of technique, although all fermentations are native, there’s zero temperature control, longer lees aging, natural settling, all oak barrel (some amphora), and bottling unfined and unfiltered with a small amount of SO2 at bottling as the only addition. For the reds, they do use the “Hamberger” method which is essentially alternating layers of whole cluster (foot stomped), topped with whole cluster, then topped with a destemmed and hand crushed layer. This achieves a semi-carbonic quality to the wines without developing too much of the banana or bubble gum often associated with carbonic. For the skin contact whites, it’s often no more than a week, and they are careful to keep it worked over to prevent VA and other flaws. The winemaking overall is tied to tradition but with a nod to modern hygiene in the cellar.