This was the highest bid amount in the event’s history
The 11th annual Kantharosz Charity Gala took place on the 13rd of April at Győr. We offered our most cherished wine collection for the good cause, the first Aszú Vertical Collection that was ever made at our winery. Every wine in the collection was created with grapes from the historical grand crus of Mád, representing the best quality vineyards in the area. But not only this makes it so special. We preserved this first collection for a special occasion like this and it was worth waiting for the perfect moment: it got the highest bid ever in the history of the charity event, 2 100 000 HUF.
The collection include 6 bottle of our CULTURE 6 puttonyos tokaji aszú from 6 consecutive vintages (2006-2011). The wines are placed in a limited edition wooden box which also contains an aszú booklet, introducing the vintages and is signed by Pascal Demkó, the founder and owner of HOLDVÖLGY and Bianka Jákób, chief winemaker. It is a true collector’s item: it is the first ever limited collection with the box number 001, and it is not available at the winery anymore.
A free visit and vertical aszú tasting lead by our winemaker at our Estate is also included in the offer.
Previous success
The award-winning wines of the collection were already recognized at an international luxury auction in Monaco organized by the ArtCurial Auction House where they attracted a bid of 4 000 EUR. This also proves that the tokaji aszú which is one of the most noble natural sweet wines in the world only gets more valuable through the years. It is not just for pleasure but can be a smart investment as well. Although the listed collection is not available anymore for commercial purposes, it can be purchased bottle by bottle through our webshop and there is also a second, limited edition Aszú Vertical Collection still available with the vintages of 2012-2017.
A higher purpose
The success at Győr was not only important because the quality and the aging potential of our wines got recognized, but it served a higher purpose as well. All the 23 000 000 HUF contribution collected during the event (bids and entry fees) will be distributed through a public tender among highly talented young people and children in need.
2022 was all about challenges and sad events in the world. Difficulties caused by the unusually extreme weather in Hungary deepened the problems. Solutions required deeper thoughts, more precise planning and harder decisions at the Estate this year. First and foremost the goal was to create all of our main products in high quality for two reasons: ensuring economic stability and providing continuity for our customers and partners. But in such a vintage we have never thought that creating rarities we have never made before could be possible. Collecting berries again for the CULTURE 6 puttonyos tokaji aszú was achievable, for the 17th time without interruption since 2006.
“This shows again that it is worth investing the highest level of professional work and knowledge into these historical first growth vineyards. The wines created in the most difficult vintages obviously show us that the original vineyard classification of the region (established hundred years ago) is more than valid also today.” – Pascal Demkó the founder and owner of HOLDVÖLGY
RAIN AND SNOW ARE INEVITABLE IN THE WINTER
The winter of 21/22 was mild and poor of rain and snow. This made a well-paced pruning possible but had a substantial drawback as well: till the end of February the soil could not absorb enough water for the upcoming growing season which impacted the workload and the expenditures negatively throughout the year.
DELAYED BUDDING, HECTIC BLOOMING
Spring arrived slowly in March with chilly mornings and low temperatures which did not increase during the day either. As data show, these conditions lasted till April: the average monthly temperature (based on the previous years) fell behind with 1,94°C. Because of that, budding took place only on the 22nd of April at the Nyúlászó and Dorgó vineyards, 2 weeks later than usual. Thanks to the dry and warm weather in May the plant was able to catch-up. The first signs of blooming appeared on time on the 31st of May but continued imbalanced.
The temperatures of June exceeded the usual average of the wine region by 2,85°C, and rain fell short by 59,1 which made this month the hottest and 3rd driest June of the last 50 years. The rapid increase in temperatures and the escalating drought had an adverse effect on all types of grapes but Hárslevelű experienced the most intensive stress of all. Less berries were impregnated which showed early signs of yield loss. Our team somewhat managed to counterbalance it, but only a substantial amount of rain could have been able to provide a final solution.
THE DRIEST AND HOTTEST SUMMER OF THE LAST CENTURY
The summer was characterized by extreme heatwaves and drought and weather conditions also worsened further till the harvest. In July, temperatures stayed above 30°C and parallel to that the amount of rain was substantially lower than usual (52 mm less than the average amount). Temperatures started to cool down only at the end of August, but rain still remained absent. Based on meteorological data, the summer of 2022 was the driest and hottest of the last 100 years.
Till the end of the season plant growth slowed gradually, pulpy and water stressed berries appeared with high polyphenol content and sugar levels were skyrocketing. These conditions urged an early harvest of our dry wines, starting off with collecting the Zéta grape on the 24th of August and finishing the process on the 8th of September with our dry furmint. Despite these challenging circumstances the quality of the fruit exceeded our expectations, it was fine and juicy as it should be.
DIFFICULTIES OF THE SWEET HARVEST
This period was followed by 3 weeks of constant rain. The amount of rainfall in September was 3 times higher than the average of the previous years. It caused severe problems. Sugar levels were declining and botrytis rose slowly because humidity and the foggy weather constantly diluted the berries. Last but not least grape skin became thicker due to the dry and warm summer conditions which made it harder for the botrytis to break through and hindered the healthy spread of mold. The rising pressure caused by the aforementioned circumstances aggravated the decision on the optimal date for our sweet harvest. Finally it started in the Nyúlászó vineyard on the 10th October, three weeks later than usual. Ensuring the HOLDVÖLGY quality for our flagship wine the 6 puttonyos tokaji aszú, we started harvesting our 1st class aszú berries only on the 19th of October. After this day harvest became slower and more time consuming. Our team had to revisit all of our parcells to collect enough grapes for the needed sweet presses. The harvest period ended on the 4th of November in the Becsek and Király vineyards.
PRECISE VITICULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND CREATIVE WINE MAKING
2022 was definitely much more complicated than the previous vintages. The ripening process of the different varieties overlapped each other in a way never experienced before. The key was constant measurement and re-planning, only these could help setting the ideal harvest dates varieties by varieties to reach the required amounts of grapes.
Signs of heavy drought not only appeared on the bunches, but caused trouble during the winemaking process as well. The sweet components were thicker this year, which made the pressing and even the settlement of the stum more complicated and it caused a decrease in the amount of the pressed juice too. Despite all of these we will present a truly diverse portfolio with new wines, thanks to the careful, creative mindset and work of our winemaker.
HOLDVÖLGY WINES TO BE RELEASED FROM VINTAGE 2022:
VISION – Dry estate blend
MEDITATION – parcel selected dry Furmint
EXPRESSION – parcel selected dry Hárslevelű
INTUITION No2. – parcel selected Muscat a Petit Grains
ELOQUENCE – sweet szamorodni
EXALTATION – parcel selected late harvest Muscat a Petits Grains
Source of the weather data displayed in the Vintage report 2022: Tarcal Research Institute – monthly report, newsletter (https://www.tarcalkutato.hu/)
The “Cottage”
At HOLDVÖLGY the first place of wine-making was the ”cottage”. The residential building constructed in the 19th century, as well as its annexes, had to be demolished in part due to their poor conditions.
The primary goal was to restore and expand the “cottage” with regard to the change of function and current demands by displaying the elements of contemporary architecture in harmony with the ancient stone walls.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE 1.8KM LONG CELLAR SYSTEM STRETCHING UNDERNEATH OUR WINERY SHOULD HAVE STARTED SOMETIME IN THE 16TH CENTURY.
All of the 8 entrances of the cellar dug mainly in liparite tufa are located on our property.
This uniquely large cellar system displays excellent qualities.
It is the natural environment of Cladosporium Cellare, a benevolent fungus appearing as a result of the combination of the high level of humidity and alcoholic evaporation present in the cellar and covering the walls after a while in thick layers. The balance between wine and noble rot creates a matchless atmosphere of very healthy climate in the cellar, which is indispensable for making the excellent and unique wines of the region.
The cellar system under the Estate (previously called “Úri Borok Pince” or Wine Cellar of the Noble Ones) has always played an important role in the life of the wine region throughout history. Its main entrance, which was constructed in 1866, can be seen on one of the engravings in the 1867 edition of the Tokaj-Hegyaljai Album as well.
The vinery
Our goal was to design a building first communicating modernity then which would not upset the existing balance but rather emphasize the architectural and natural values present in the area subdivided by the ancient retaining walls.
The winery, a transparency-driven and moderate building of which reminds the visitor of the fine-tuned nature of a contemporary museum rather than an industrial building, is finely embedded into the hillside. Transparency is suggesting openness and evoking trust in visitors.
On the one hand, it gives the impression as if the quality of wine was not determined during its crafting but much earlier, still on the hillside. On the other hand, the building lets the major enemy of all kinds of sins and blunders into the manufacturing process, which is light. The winery is subordinated to the noble purpose that is to make wine from the grape and to the cause of the HOLDVÖLGY brand.
