Zoltán Heimann Jnr. // Heimann & Fiai (Sons) - Szekszárd
We first introduced the Szekszárd Kékfrankos wines (and Kadarkas) of Zoltán Heimann Jnr last spring, and now, here is the new vintage.
Three single-vineyard Kékfrankos wines have arrived from 2019, which Zoli described to us with great ease. After the new brand and the accompanying ‘noisy fermentation’, the most important details have already been put into place, with most of the vineyards undergoing the transition to organic. From now on, they just have to pay attention to the main point: the focus is on the different fruit from vineyard to vineyard. That is why, to see the differences clearly, the methodology is almost identical for the three wines. Apart from the different harvest days, the same steps follow one another in the cellar: spontaneous fermentation, whole bunches, wooden vats, large barrels, bottling with little added sulphur and low intervention.
2019 is a classic Szekszárd vintage. Easy to love, full wines with plenty of fruit, pronounced acidity and tannins. A real feast. Apart from that, they’re also showing a fresh vibration that we feel as the trademark of the Heimann & Fiai Kékfrankos wines. There are still must notes in the wines. They are fresh, exuberant, and I really like that. Z.H.
Bati Kereszt Kékfrankos 2019
From the vineyard exclusively-owned by the Heimann family, which stretches in one piece on the hill’s ridge, at the highest point of the wine region, at 286 metres above sea level. Bordered by forest, the protected north-facing location is going through organic transition. Here the Kékfrankos usually ripens 2-3 weeks late, as the ripening takes longer, hence the fragile, violet character. The whole bunches were spontaneously fermented in a wooden vat, followed by ageing in used ászok barrels for eight months. It was bottled on the spot, without filtering or fining, in August 2020.
Baranya-völgy Kékfrankos 2020
The Baranya-völgy is a sunny, windy and open valley, overlooking the Great Plain (Alföld). The wine from it is a blend of several plots with nearly 11-year-old vines, grown on loess and limestone soils. Due to the south-eastern exposure, the grapes ripen here very early and give a solid, rich wine. This Kékfrankos was picked between September 24-25, then the whole bunches were spontaneously fermented in wooden vats, followed by ageing for eight months in the cellar’s 10-hectolitre Hungarian barrels. It was bottled on the spot, without fining and with only slight filtering, in August 2020.
We held the vintage presentation of these new wines on the estate in October, and as the weather permitted, my great wish could be realised. We walked from the Bati-kereszt, through the Szarvas-szurdik, to the Baranya-völgy. Showing the vineyards and tasting the wines together, we could feel the different characters: the Bati-kereszt is a protected spot, while the valley of the Baranya-völgy is open and windy, where the heat from the Alföld keeps coming in constantly.- Z.H.
Szívem Kékfrankos 2019
It comes from the old-vine Kékfrankos plot in the Baranya-völgy. Planted in 1969, the 50-year-old vines’ roots go deep down into the loess soil. Despite being a warm vineyard, and the south-eastern exposure, the grapes grown here bring concentrated and rich flavours, even with the early ripening. “There’s a great difference compared to the yield of younger vines. It’s deep and full,” says Zoli. They harvested on September 23, then the whole bunches were spontaneously fermented in wooden vats. Pressing was followed by eight months of ageing in 10-hectolitre Hungarian barrels, then the onsite bottling, without fining or filtering, was carried out in August 2020.
Altogether, the new vintage has reassured me regarding the whole thing. We’re confident and it’s refreshing that here we really only talk about the two varieties and the differences between the vineyards, and nothing else.- Z.H.
Heimann & Fiai kékfrankos
HEIMANN & FIAISzívem Kékfrankos 2019