BÖJT | Egri Bikavér | 2017
blaufränkisch | cabernet sauvignon | blauburger | zweigelt

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Today we are going to review a very interesting wine from Eger region in the north of Hungary – Egri Bikavér 2017 by Böjt. This wine is a blend of 4 grape varieties: 51% blaufränkisch (an old austrian variety, known also as kékfrankos in Hungary and burgund mare in Romania), 39% cabernet sauvignon (that adds structure and complexity), 5% blauburger (an austrian crossing of portugieser and blaufränkisch) and 5% zweigelt (Austria’s most planted red grape variety). The wine name (Egri Bikavér) translates as ‘Bull’s Blood of Eger‘, which is the best-known hungarian red wine abroad. Based on kékfrankos (blaufränkisch), Bull’s Blood is a blend of three or more grape varieties, with the requirement to be aged in oak barrels for at least 12 months. This particular wine is made out of grapes that were sourced from the Dűlő and Ostoros vineyards, planted on volcanic soils and has been aged for 12 months in 500-litres, french and hungarian oak barrels and then another 6 months in bottles before being placed on the market. But enough theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: medium ruby color
clarity: hazy garnet shades

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & savory
fruit profile: red fruits
__red fruits: red currant | red plum | cranberry | sour cherry | wolfberry
fruit character: ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: vegetal | spice | oak | savory
__vegetal: wormwood
__spice: red pepper | cloves
__oak: sun-dried oakwood
__savory: iron | veal | leather | game | musk | brown olive
primary layer: savory

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: medium
__grip: green
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: supple & lean | medium body

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: ripe & underripe
non fruit: savory & spicy
finish: medium+
aftertaste: seedy-crisp

//Scoring
BÖJT | Egri Bikavér | 2017
variety: blaufränkisch | cabernet sauvignon | blauburger | zweigelt
country: Hungary
region: Eger
rating: 91.8

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 2-3 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Hungary and, with a total of 91.8 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a fine wine blend: fruity-savory, rustic and well structured, with overwhelming acidity, slightly green tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel. This is a wine that needs a bit more time in the bottle (around 2 to 3 years), as in its current state it tastes slightly angular, crisp and seedy. What this wine lacks today is definitely some harmony and finesse, as the acidity is dominating the palate at the moment, which in turn makes the wine taste slightly off-balanced. On the nose the wine delivers ripe red fruits, mixed with very pronounced savory-gamey flavours in the foreground, supported by some spicy hints in the background and a layer of subtle oakiness in between. All in all this is a supple, round and quite opulent wine blend with a very pronounced irony-meaty layer (definitely an old-world styled wine) – one that will do great when paired with meaty dishes that are rich in natural umami flavours, like for example veal, game, venison or duck. Cheers!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.