Sparkling Wines of Hungary Part 6 – Sauska
During my travels to Hungary in August 2022 and November 2022 with Hungarian Wines, I had the opportunity to taste a few of Sauska’s wines – and during the second trip, visit their winery and restaurant in Villány – SAUSKA 48 – an incredible tasting and culinary experience (created especially for my dietary restrictions) – that I will never forget.
Krisztián Sauska – an architectural lighting engineer – and his wife Andrea – an economist and wine tourism journalist – both serious wine enthusiasts and collectors – decided in the late 1990s they wanted to make their own wines. Today they make a wide range of wines – whites, reds, sweet, and sparkling – from Tokaj and Villány. I was immediately smitten by Sauska’s award-winning sparkling wines, which are made in the traditional (Champagne) method and include both Hungarian and French varieties like Furmint, Hárslevelű, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.
“We believe that sparkling wine is the finest instrument to showcase what this world-class Tokaj terroir is capable of,” said Endre Vincze, sales and marketing at Sauska. Sauska’s winegrowing and winemaking team already knew Furmint and Hárslevelű made lively, dry wines, but they also wanted to know how Chardonnay and Pinot Noir would grow in the region’s volcanic soils. In 2005, Sauska enlisted the guidance of world-renowned French soil specialists Lydia and Claude Bourguignon and now-retired Champagne Chef de Cave Régis Camus of Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck to make their Tokaji estate-grown sparkling wines – which are finished in Budafok in the 22nd district of Budapest. “Budafok has a long history in traditional sparkling winemaking. Outstanding temperature conditions, steady circulation of fresh air, and robust limestone walls that provide perfect light protection characterize the 150-year-old cellar,” said Vincze. The Sauska sparkling portfolio includes vintage and non-vintage Brut, Rosé Brut, Extra Brut, Rosé Extra Brut, Tokaj Extra Brut, and Extra Dry.
Sauska Brut is a blend of Furmint, Hárslevelű, and Chardonnay – made dry (8 g/l dosage) with low alcohol (12%) aged a minimum of 18 months in the bottle – and a Gold Medal winner at the 2022 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. It is both crisp and rich with honeyed citrus and tropical fruit flavors transported by fine, fresh bubbles.
Sauska Tokaj Extra Brut is a blend of the Hungarian indigenous varieties – Furmint and Hárslevelű – made even drier (4 g/l dosage) with low alcohol (11.5%) and aged a minimum of 36 months in the bottle. Flavors like lemon curd and juicy peach compote melt with lively, fine effervescence – creating a remarkable mouthwatering and mouthfilling taste experience.
Regarding Sauska’s recent awards, Krisztián Sauska had this to say, “I consider it extremely important to continuously compete internationally because it helps us understand where we stand and what our chances are in the global market. It seems that Tokaj-Hegyalja has a place on the map of sparkling wines, which is a great pleasure and real perspective for us.”
*This is the sixth of a series focusing on Hungarian sparkling wines.