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The Hárslevelü Grape


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About Hárslevelü

(Synonyms: Budai Goher, Feuille de Tilleul, Frunza de Tei, Frunze de Tei, Gars Levelyu, Garsh Levelyu, Garsleveliu, Garsz Levelju, Gorsh Levelyu, Hachat Lovelin, Harch Levelu, Harchlevelu, Hars Levelu, Hars Levelü, Hárs Levelü, Hars Levelyu, Harslevele, Hárslevele, Harst Leveliu, Harzevelu, Hosszúnyelü Fehér, Feuille de Tilleul, Kerekes, Kereklevelü, Lämmerschwanz, Lämmerschwanz, Weisser, Lidenblättriger, Lindenblätrige, Lindenblättrige, Lindenblättriger, Lindenblütrige, Lindener, Lipolist, Lipolist Biyali, Lipovina, Musztafer, Nöthab, Tarpai, Tokai, Tokay, and Vörös.)

Background

Map showing Hungary in the Carpathian/Pannonian Basins

Hárslevelü is a white-wine grape originating in the Pannonian (aka Carpathian) Basin, a region in the southeastrn part of central Europe; it encompasses a number of modern-day nations, but predominantly Hungary.

Hungary is today the chief source of Hárslevelü grapes and wines (though there is now a bit being grown in Germany, Slovakia, and even South Africa). The grape is planted in several Hungarian wine regions, but chiefly in the area of Somló, and therein most notably in the Tokhttps://openingabottle.com/first-taste-guide-harslevelu/aj wine region.

Hárslevelü is mainly used in the production of sweet dessert wines such as the famed Tokaji Aszú. There remains, however, a nontrivial amount of dry table wine being made, and it is that we are interested in here. Those wines are typically described as full-bodied, with a strong herbal-floral nose and corresponding flavors.

Though it is not yet well known in the U.S.—undoubtedly the pronunciation (one source says it’s HARSH-leh-veh-LOO, while another says HARSH-lev-UH-loo) and complex accenting are barriers—it is an important and good-quality grape, and its wines, though currently scarce here, worth seeking out.

(Another drawback is the terrible reputation the wines got during the Soviet hegemony, when The All-Wise in Moscow turned most or all of the satellite nations into “wine factories”, making ghastly but cheap plonk for the masses. Hungary, home to many excellent grapes, got hurt especially badly, and the miasmic reputation of all the wines of that era lingers.)

Factoid: Hárslevelü winemakers include an unusually high percentage of women.

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Some Descriptions of Hárslevelü Wines

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Some Hárslevelüs to Try

(About this list.)

It’S the usual problem with wines unfamiliar to the market: few (when any) decent specimens available, and often those at high prices. We could only find one bottling within our quality/price/availability zone. Sorry.


Carpinus Family Hárslevelü
(This wine is scarcer than one could wish, but not unfindable.)

• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.

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For a Splurge

Our nomination is the Meinklang “Hnn” Hárslevelü, which retails for from about $24 to $35. Note! What we showed as nn is actually a two-digit code for the vintage year: the 2017 vintage would be labelled H17.

• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.

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This page was last modified on Tuesday, 9 November 2021, at 12:57 am Pacific Time.