2007
Alcohol: 11.7%, Acidity (TA): 9.3 g/l, pH: 3.39
Available from the domain’s library reserve for special tastings only. Approx. 40 bottles remain.
Vintage characteristics
A relatively cold winter was followed by a pleasently mild spring with good flower-set in April. It continued with an extremely hot summer. There was no rain from the last week of July to the end of August and beginnig of September. Added to the lack of rain, there was a period of three weeks when day-time temperature was above 30-32 ºC, which caused the vines to shut down. In some places burnt leafs were visible. As a result, harvest was relatively early on 15th September.
Winemaking
The grapes were hand-picked, de-stemmed and crushed. The free-run juice was taken off after a period of 4 hours of skin contact, then the grapes were basket-pressed. The must was spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts in a 400-litre old oak barrel. After fermentation the wine was left on fine lees till mid-December when it was racked off. The wine was barrel aged for 12 months after which it was moved into a stainless steel tank and it was bottled in July 2009.
2008
Royal Somló did not declare this vintage.
2009
Alcohol: 12.20%, Acidity (TA): 8.1 g/l, pH: 3.43
Available in Hungary, the UK and the Netherlands. Soon in Singapore. Approx. 900 bottles.
Vintage characteristics
A cold winter was followed by an exceptionally warm spring with normal level of rain. April was especially warm compared to the long-term average. June then was normal. This combination of a warm spring and good June led to good flower set. It was followed by a hot summer with very strong winds and some rains. September was warm and dry, so harvest was at the very beginning of October. A ripe year with good concentration and softer acids.
Winemaking
The grapes were hand-picked, de-stemmed and crushed. The free-run juice was taken off after a period of 4 hours of skin contact, then the grapes were basket-pressed. The must was spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts in 400-litre old oak barrels. After fermentation the wine was left on fine lees till mid-December when it was racked off. The wine was further barrel aged for 7 months after which it was bottled in July 2010.
2010
Royal Somló did not declare this vintage.
2011
Matured in bottle at the moment; to be released in early 2013. Approx. 1,380 bottles.
Vintage characteristics
A very cold winter followed by a moderately warm spring. After a good flower set, a warm summer started in late May, early June, which was quickly followed by a very warm spells with day-time temperatures going up to 35 Centigrade. On 20 July a cold spell with plenty of rain and low temperatures arrived into Hungary giving vintners a fear of the return of the weather pattern of 2010, a very wet year at the end of the ripening season. However, this time, the wet and cold weather lasted only for a bit more than a fortnight and mid-August saw the return of a hot summer. In fact, there was hardly any rain, if any at all, and veraison began somewhat earlier.
September continued wiht an very sunny and warm, often around 30 degrees Centigrade, which resulted in a good maturing period for the grapes. By 24 September Royal Somló Juhfark grapes reached 22.5 Brix with a good phenolic ripeness based on organoleptic testing. Thus grapes were harvested on this date.
Winemaking
The grapes were hand-picked, de-stemmed and crushed. The free-run juice was taken off after crushing, then the first pressing took place, whilst the second vat of crushed grapes were soaked on the skin till pressing. Once pressed, the must was spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts in old oak casks of 630 and 800 litres as well as a third barrel of 150 litres. All the barrels were old wood lending a structure without an impact on flavour. The wines were bottled in July 2012, they will be released after maturation in bottle.
2012
Matured in barrel at the moment; to be released by 2014. Approx. 600 bottles.
Vintage characteristics
A very mild winter was followed by a moderately warm early spring before almost early summer like warmth arrived in April. May continued with exceptionally good warm weather and low rainfall, but then in second half of the month (25 May), there was one night of frost with temperatures around -2 degrees Centigrade. This brought damage and forecasted a decreased yield. June turned out to be moderately warm until the second week when cold weather and rain set in bringing disease pressure of mildews. However, the weather turned around and a succession of heat waves arrived. From the third week of July up to harvest in late September there was no significant rain bar the 5 mm on two or three occasions, hardly sufficient to suppress the dust of the soil. There were days when temperatures were above 40 degrees Centigrade for a good couple of hours, however, it was the enduring temperatures in the mid-30s for about 8 weeks form late July onwards that led to a great decrease in the juice to solid material ratio in the grapes. In effect, the grapes very dehydrated and used most of the moisture for the shoots and leaves. The upside was the super concentration of flavours in the berries. The fruit from the second flowering lagged three weeks behind that of the first-flowering, which helped us to maintain a fine balance of maturity in terms of sugars, phenolics and acidity. Harvest was on 22nd September 2012.
Winemaking
The grapes were hand-picked, de-stemmed and crushed. The free-run juice was taken off after crushing, then the first pressing took place, whilst the second vat of crushed grapes were soaked on the skin till pressing. Once the first pressing was done, approx 2 to 3 hours in duration, the second portion of grapes was pressed. The must was spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts in old oak casks of 300 and 600 litres. All the barrels were old wood lending a structure without an impact on flavour. When the ferment was finished, the barrels were topped up.