A.GERE | Kopar | Villányi Cuvée | 2020
cabernet franc | merlot | cabernet sauvignon

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For seven generations, the Gere family has been a cornerstone of hungarian winemaking, respecting traditions while embracing innovation. The winery is now guided by Andrea Gere, whose expertise and vision were recognized in 2025 when she was appointed president of the Pannon Wine Makers Guild – a prestigious group of Hungary’s finest family-owned wineries.

Today we are going to review a wine of exceptional quality that comes from Villány, which is Hungary‘s warmest wine region  – Kopar Villányi Cuvée 2020 by Gere Attila Winery. This is the winemaker’s flagship wine – a Bordeaux-styled blend, made only in the best years (previously reviewed: 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018) – a wine that is rightly considered as a reference point for many hungarian red blends. It is made with all three of Villány‘s main red grape varieties: 50% cabernet franc, 40% merlot and 10% cabernet sauvignon, all of them sourced only from the estate’s best vineyards in Kopár, Konkoly, Csillagvölgy and Ördögárok, where cabernet franc forms the wine’s main body and highlights the local terroir, merlot adds up-front richness and suppleness on the palate, while cabernet sauvignon enhances the wine’s structure and brings black fruits notes to the forefront.

This wine (‘Kopar‘ meaning ‘barren‘ in hungarian) is named after one of the estate’s premier vineyards, whose thin topsoil forces the vines to dig deep, yielding grapes of exceptional concentration and unmatched character. First produced in 1997, this iconic blend is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the 2020 vintage. The 2020 growing season began with a cool, delayed spring, but a dry, warm summer accelerated ripening, resulting in a harvest of healthy, high-quality grapes. In order to preserve the individual varietal characteristics of the three grape varieties, the wine has been fermented using only selected, indigenous yeast strains, then part of the blend has been aged for 16 months in 300-litre Zemplén hungarian oak barriques, from which 80% new oak, while the other part of the blend has been aged in big (10 to 20 hectoliter) and used oak barrels.

Nestled in southern Hungary, Villány is one of the country’s most prestigious wine regions. Benefiting from a warm and dry climate with mediterranean influences, the region provides excellent conditions for cultivating red grape varieties. The long and sunny growing season ensures rich concentration in the fruit, while cool nights help preserve freshness and balance. The soils here are primarily clay and loam, with limestone and loess sub-soil, offering both good moisture retention and mineral depth that encourage healthy vine growth and complex flavor development. This unique terroir yields structured wines that with remarkable depth. While Cabernet Franc is the region’s champion grape variety, producing elegant and complex wines, Villány is also famous for its Kékfrankos, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

Villányi Franc is the epitome of a terroir-driven Cabernet Franc wine. The Villány wine region has proven to be ab ideal microclimate for the cultivation of the Cabernet Franc grapes. With strong mediterranean influences, it is one of the warmest wine regions in Hungary, famous for its loess topsoil over a limestone bedrock. The abundance of sunshine ensures optimal ripeness and concentration in the grapes, while the loess provides excellent water retention and warmth, whereas the limestone imparts a distinct minerality and elegance to the wines. Unlike the cooler Loire Valley, where Cabernet Franc is often lighter and more herbaceous, or the warmer Bordeaux/Toscana pair, where it’s typically a blending partner rather a single varietal wine, Villány allows the variety to shine at its full potential, often producing a voluptuous and elegant expression with ripe tannins and a complex, spicy character that is nothing short of world-class. Known as Hungary’s benchmark region for Cabernet Franc wines, Villányi Franc consistently delivers robust yet refined expressions that stand shoulder to shoulder with most of world’s great terroirs.

color: deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: hazy garnet shades at the rim

In the glass, the wine presents a deep and opaque ruby color, signaling its concentration and youth. Towards the rim, it displays noble garnet shades – a hallmark of the Cabernet Franc grape variety, which forms the backbone of this amazing cuvée.

intensity: pronounced & fruity-expressive
fruit character: ripe & dehydrated

On the nose, this wine reveals a pronounced, fruity-expressive aromatic profile that is both complex and inviting, showcasing a classic new-world style. The foreground is a rich tapestry of ripe and dehydrated black fruits – blackcurrant, dark bitter cherry, blackberry, and dark plum -interwoven with sophisticated notes from oak ageing – toasted oakwood, tobacco, and cloves – with appealing hints of prune and dried figs. As the wine opens up, a secondary layer emerges in the background, introducing subtle nuances of spice, like peppercorn and nutmeg, alongside an earthy-mineral core of pencil lead and granite – all tied together by sweet accents of mulberry jam.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: high | balance: fine
finish: lasting | aftertaste: crisp & seedy

On the palate, this is a remarkably rich, nuanced, and multi-layered wine that showcases a modern, new-world-styled interpretation of a classic Bordeaux blend. It is full-bodied and powerful, yet maintains an incredible sense of balance. The mouthfeel is defined by a bright, vibrant acidity that cuts through the wine’s richness, while ripe and seedy tannins provide a firm and well-structured frame. A pleasant touch of alcoholic warmth adds to the wine’s bold character, leading to an expressive, round, and extracted palate. The finish is long and persistent, leaving a crisp and seedy aftertaste that invites another sip.

maturity: developing | requires time and patience | drink in 3 to 5 years
verdict: great | a benchmark wine | a wine that has all the traits to become legendary

Overall, this is a top-tier, new-world-styled Bordeaux blend that masterfully combines nuance with structure and fruit-forward power with terroir-driven minerality. It is a rich, grippy, and harmonious wine that is impeccably balanced and already shows immense complexity. While enjoyable now, the wine is still in its developing phase and possesses all the necessary traits for long term bottle ageing. To experience its full aromatic sophistication, it is highly recommended to cellar this wine for at least another 3 to 5 years. It has the potential to evolve beautifully and is expected to reach its peak between 2031 and 2036.

With its bold structure and complex flavour profile, this wine calls for a dish of equal stature. A fantastic pairing would be Bo Ssam, the korean slow-roasted pork shoulder. The wine’s bright acidity and firm tannins would effortlessly cut through the richness of the pork, creating a beautiful contrast. At the same time, the wine’s deep black fruit, spice, and earthy notes would complement the savory and slightly sweet flavors of the ssamjang sauce, creating a harmonious and unforgettable wine tasting experience. Enjoy!
A.GERE | Kopar | Villányi Cuvée | 2020
variety: cabernet franc | merlot | cabernet sauvignon
country: Hungary
region: Villány
rating: 95.2

Villány, with its rich viticultural history, is not just known for its exceptional wines but also for its picturesque landscapes that draw wine enthusiasts from afar. Under the stewardship of Attila Gere, the region has gained international recognition by keeping the much-desired harmony between tradition and innovation. Villányi Cuvée has been the symbol of excellence for more than 20 years. The first Kopár was made in 1997, and over the years the wine hasn’t changed much. It’s only made in the best years, within which two types of vintages can be distinguished: some vintages deliver richness, while other vintages deliver finesse.
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