Description
White wines from Somló—Hungary’s smallest region, and essentially one single volcanic hill—are savory and smoky with remarkable concentration and vigor. They age stunningly well, gaining further mineral expressions, honey, and exotic fruits. This wine is no exception! Somlói wines were once so popular that Maria Theresa and Joseph II favored them over much better-known Tokaj wines. This particular wine is a marriage of three varieties—Olaszrizling, Furmint, and Juhfark—with a deeply concentrated golden color; expressive aromas of autumn (apple cider, spices, cantaloupe, peaches, dried apples, yellow roses, and mushrooms); and a great slightly smoky, toasty almond finish. The unique basalt soils in Somló bring a distinctive character. This one has great acidity, texture, and concentration; a waxy palate; and stony, mineralic flavors blended with citrus, apricots, and spice. The name “Wedding Night” derives from the 18th-century legend (when Somlói wines were popular with the Habsburgs) which held that drinking these wines on your wedding night guaranteed a male descendant. Stefan Spiegelberg’s small winery in Somló is beloved by its fans, and was named as one of the 100 best wineries of 2014 by Wine and Spirits Magazine. Spiegelberg works on just 2.5 hectares of land, resulting in limited quantity wines which are mostly exported to the United States. If you get your hands on this wine, you can try following the local custom of drinking it at a slightly warmer temperature than other whites, which amplifies its flavors.
