Winery Location: Hungary
Varietal: Königliche
Today’s offering from Costco’s Wine Advent-ure Calendar is a white wine from Hungary, featuring the Königliche grape – a varietal I never tried before. A couple of days ago if you asked me what I knew about wines from Hungary, my answer would simply contain the following three words: “Furmint”, Tokaji” and “Aszu”. That’s it. And that’s a shame because Hungary grows a diverse array of wine varieties, including well known grapes such as Chardonnay and Blaufrankisch (known as “Kékfrankos”). Now with this wine I can also add “Königliche” to the list of grape varieties in Hungary and add “learn more about Hungarian wines” to my list of resolutions for the upcoming New Year.
The tasting notes from Costco claims that the word ‘königliche” means “princess” in Hungarian, the grape’s name coming from its popularity in “local pubs and cafe’s”. Not to disagree with Costco, but I can’t help thinking there’s another connection here. I don’t speak Hungarian, but I do speak German and, in that language, “königliche” means “royal”.
Looking up “Königliche” pointed me to a Central European white grape called “Madeline Royale”… or in German, “Königliche Magdalenentraube”. So I am thinking there is a connection between these two grapes, they could even be the same grape.
But enough about that mystery. Etymology and lingustics aside, there is one thing I won’t debate – Disheveled Tailor Königliche is an awesome white wine. The nose swirls with aromas of lemon, pineapple and perfume. This is a very aromatic wine, almost like a Gewurztraminer in terms of floral character. The Königliche on the palate is lively and crisp, with a minerality and zippy acidity complimenting the citrus fruits of lemon, pineapple and grapefruit. The aromatic wine finishes long and fruity as well, and leaves you wanting another sip – at least it did for me. Like the Meadow Moon, this wine is versatile. I can see it pairing well with seafood or even a loaded baked potato as the tasting notes say. But I can also see this delightful wine enjoyed by itself at a party – whether it’s a party for many or just a party of one.
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