Tart black currant, green bell pepper, wild raspberry. Whole strawberry, cured meat, black licorice. Violet bud and weeping willow, dried blood and copper penny. Barely-ripe boysenberry, cranberry, and plum muddle with rust, anise, and paprika in earthy and sanguine attack. Jalapeño flesh leads a medley of pronounced pyrazines that enhance complexity with distinct vegetal charm. Cast iron, red dust, and forged steel expose fantastic old world rusticity aided by a mild impression of hard salami, aged leather, and cedar plank. Bloody and visceral yet quite lean and balanced; sitting at no more than medium in body with present yet well integrated tannin and wonderfully elevated acidity. This 2011 Danube Valley Cuvée by Twickel Wine Estate is a terrifically unique and wonderfully classic red blend from Szekszárd Hungary.

Bordeaux grape varieties have proliferated much of the old world and in many regions have even overtaken indigenous grapes in total plantings. While these transplanted varieties are often made into high quality wines on their own it is the producers that combine them with indigenous grapes that typically create the most unique and interesting wine. This bottling, crafted by Twickel Wine Estate using Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Kékfrankos all grown in the Szekszárd region of Hungary, is a wonderful example of a Bordeaux-style blend with distinguishable local flair. While clearly expressing bits of typical Bordeaux character this wine has a wonderfully Hungarian personality, and focuses more on iron-rich earthy tones and spice than sheer ripeness or saturation. At eight years of age it is already nicely developed but likely has many great years still ahead of it. An extremely delicious and thought provoking bottle made available by PB Importers.