Malatinszky 'Novum Conceptio' Villány 2020

Csaba Malatinszky founded his small, eponymous winery in Hungary’s southernmost wine region, Villány, in 1997. A former sommelier with years of experience working in Budapest and France, Csaba’s passion for natural winemaking quickly led to a reputation as one of the most respected estates in Hungary. The winery was among the vanguard of Hungarian organic viticulture, and has been certified organic since 2009. This unfiltered red is a blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% cabernet franc (a grape that Csaba pioneered growing in Villány in the ‘90s), and 10% merlot. Fermentation took place spontaneously with ambient yeasts in stainless steel tanks, followed by 8 months of aging on the lees, also in steel tank. The wine was bottled without fining, filtration, or sulfur. Brooding, textured layers of woodsy, earthy red and black fruit (currant, cranberry) mingle with herbs and hints of iron and ore on a core of muscular tannin. A burly cold weather warmer perfect for pairing with a hearty stew or roast. Certified organic, low-intervention/natural wine, vegan.