Hárslevelű

We haven't been to Hungary, home of some of the most interesting wines we've tasted as well as undoubtedly the worst spelling. (I admit that I copied and pasted to get the various 'markings' correct on today's grape. To learn about it and to sample wines made from this grape, we are headed to a place (and I refer to it as a place because it's not really a town or a village, but more of a hill and its surroundings in Doba) called Somlo.

To get to Somlo, you fly to Budapest and drive about 2 1/2 hours mostly west through the dense forest of central Hungary. We're not far from Lake Balaton in the Transdanubian region of the country.

The wine of Somlo has an interesting place in eastern European folklore. It was once said, particularly among the Hapsburgs, that consuming copious amounts of Somlo wine, probably Hárslevelű, led to conception of male children. What it really did may be another story.

The hill that comprises most of Somlo is an ancient volcano. Long extinct, it deposited layers and layers of basalt from the flow of lava along with wind-blown loess and sand. The combination stresses the vines, but provides for excellent natural underground water flow.

Returning to our grape, Hárslevelű is famous in the region as the "other grape" in Tokaji along with the predominant Furmint. On its own, however, Hárslevelű produces a particularly dense, nearly greenish wine with gold undertones with exceptionally intense aromas.

As much as anything, I would say that Hárslevelű smells like beautiful spring day. On the nose, we get lots of flower pollen (but without making us sneeze), elderflower, and spice of the nature we would expect from a grape of the Traminer family. The palate is viscous with hints of spiced orange peel, honey, and elderflower with an intense minerality.

Serve Harslevelu in its dry offerings well chilled with traditional Hungarian dishes loaded with paprika including, of course, goulash. Try the sweet versions fridge cold with veiny blue cheese or even foie gras.