Malatinszky, Chardonnay "Noblesse" Siklósi, Villány, Hungary 2019

Csaba Malatinszky was a major force in the revitalization of the Villány wine region in the 1990s, after the fall of communism. The region is now world-famous for its fuller-bodied reds, but Malatinszky's "Noblesse" estate selection Chardonnay from 2019 shows us how beautiful whites from the region can be as well.

The wine has flavors of clean lemon, pomelo and apricot, with a rich balanced mouthfeel and long finish. Fermentation was with native yeasts, and aging took place for 7 months in new 500 L Hungarian oak, second-use 500 L Hungarian oak, and stainless steel tanks. Aging was on the lees with some battonage. Unfined and unfiltered, certified organic, and vegan.