Vintage 2011
About the vintage
In the previous 2010 vintage, the wet autumn weather were very troublesome for most Badacsony wine producers. However, Villa Sandahl gained from the well drained and wind-dried vineyards. It was not an easy vintage, but we had less problems than most and could harvest at ideal ripeness.
For most producers this 2011 vintage were less problematic then 2010. However, what was giving us an edge in 2010 turned into a challenges for us in 2011, which was very dry from the spring, and continued so in the summer and autumn. The drought and dryness did prevent the grapes to mature in a natural way, see more info below.
Labels
We continue to release all wines with separate labels. (Click on the labels to get high resolution images).
Rhine Riesling 'Magic rain'
Our Rhine Riesling was affected much more by the dryness and drought. Approaching harvest time, the grapes looked extraordinary beautiful, but the ripening was blocked and they tasted hard with raw tannins. Luckily for us, there was a full day rain the 7th of October, which fully ripened the tannins in a week. Strange feeling to long for rain a week before harvest !
This wine is the best we ever have made and it is already much more approachable than still is 'the Stamp'. Because of this we currently rather sell 'Magic Rain' instead and let 'the Stamp' rest in the cellar for some years.
Link for more details (leads to the same site as the link from the the QR code at the back label).
Riesling 'Cappuccino Oil'
This is our crowd pleaser being the most accessible wine and easy to approach. But be aware, it will be judged better than the Recept by most people. So even 2011 we have turned out better wine then ever before.
The name originates from the harvest of the grapes. The tractor was suddenly not possible to drive, and 20 pickers stood around it with surprised faces. The tractor driver is not good at foreign languages, and when he looked into the servo oil tank, the oil had been whipped with air from the pump, and the driver smiled and concisely proclaimed 'Cappuccino Oil'.
Link for more details (leads to the same site as the link from the the QR code at the back label).
Olasz Rizling 'Give me five'
Our new vineyard Earl Ridge with Olasz Rizling ripened superbly and the grapes was harvest in splendid conditions. However, our extremely cold fermentation produced slightly more alcohol then expected. The body and everything else is in big dimensions to be a traditional Olasz Rizling, so there are luckily no problems with balance and hotness. It is a traditional Hungarian Olasz Rizling, but made with our modern methods.
Thord Sandahl's Bedlington terrier named 'Give me five', was in 2011 Paris world dog show, awarded world champion, for being 'best in race'. Our first Olasz Rizling, from the newly acquired vineyard 'Earl Ridge', celebrates this event.
Link for more details (leads to the same site as the link from the the QR code at the back label).