Hungarian Ermitage, a Musary Texier

[Saina Nieminen]

Joszef Bock Ermitage 2007 - Villanyi, Hungary

14% abv. A blend of pretty much everything red, but with the classic Bx blend making up most of it. Despite the bad glasses at the restaurant, this was a very enjoyable drop. Meaty, earthy aromas with primary fruit; crisp, more red toned palate than expected from the scent, good tannins, refreshing.

ric Texier St. Gervais Vieilles Vignes des Cadinires 2005

13% abv. Charles Morgan once mentioned that mature Grenache can sometimes appear very similar to Ch. Musar. And this has all of Musar's lovely sweet red fruit, a pleasant lift (not full blown VA), delightfully savoury (instead of the more animal quality of Musar) - so it's not quite Musar, but I certainly see the kinship Charles mentioned. Quite full body, but still on the elegant side for the S. Rhne, refreshing and bright palate, good acidity for the grape/region. Delightful. And though this is already in a Musary stage of evolution, I still feel it is very young. Maybe this one of those wines to drink now and hold?

But I used to dislike S. Rhone until I tried the Bonneau Marie Beurrier 1997 that Charles opened. So I have practically no experience with mature Grenache. Under what circumstances does it Musarize?

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by Otto Nieminen:
Hungarian Ermitage, a Musary TexierJoszef Bock Ermitage 2007 - Villanyi, Hungary

14% abv. A blend of pretty much everything red, but with the classic Bx blend making up most of it. Despite the bad glasses at the restaurant, this was a very enjoyable drop. Meaty, earthy aromas with primary fruit; crisp, more red toned palate than expected from the scent, good tannins, refreshing.

Otto (et al.),
How can a Hungarian wine legally be labeled Ermitage? Is that not a term covered by AOC/EU regulations? Considering how hard Hungary has fought for the exclusivity of To(c)(k)a(j)(i)(y) I find it perplexing that they'd wantonly appropriate another region's identify for a wine.

Mark Lipton