Juhfark from Somlo

This is a bottle of Juhfark wine from Somlo in Hungary. Not a well known variety due to its limited distribution (mainly in Somlo), I read of it in Hugh Johnson's pocket wine book and wondered if the Hungarian wine retailers might carry it in Hong Kong. It was not there in the Wan Chai shop, but I was going to phone the distributor to look for it. When I got to their stand in last year's wine fair, I thought I might just ask. Although they did not have a bottle opened, they did have one chilled and would open it for tasting to someone interested enough to ask.

Juhfark literally means sheep's tail, which aptly describes the shape of its long cylindrical bunches. A late ripening grape, it produces wines with firm acids and fine aromas capable of expressing the minerality of its terroir. As for this example, it was deep yellow in colour with a fruity crisp nose sporting a hint of sweetness. It was off-dry with a slightly fruity palate and a mild acidity in its backbone.