WTN: Two Bikavér

I don't know if Egri Bikavér and the other regions' "bull's blood" wines have a reputation in the UK. But in Finland a particularly nasty version was for long one of the cheapest reds available and it kind of tainted the reputation of these big Kékfrankos-based red blends - but there are good ones and tonight I got to try two.

First up is a big name, very famous at least in Hungary, Gál Lajos Egri Bikavér 2015 (c.14€; 13% abv). I like it! The scent isn't obviously of any grape used (Bikavérs are based on Kékfrankos but must contain at least 3 grapes from a list of 13; this particular one has Kékfrankos, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Menoire and Blauburgunder). But it has all kinds of delectable fruit aromas, more in the red berry range than the dark. It also shows a bit of fun maturing kinds of aromas like mushroom and forest floor - no hurry with it but it's fun to have such aromas in a wine. Quite soft and fruity, not obviously acidic or tannic yet it is fresh and very moreish. Very slightly rustic - but that is only a good thing IMO. At this price and with this personality, I'll certainly be buying again.

Second was a more modern, more polished take, not from Eger (Egri is just the genetive case of Eger) but from Szekszárd, Hetényi "Blue Bull" Szekszárdi Bikavér 2017 (c.19€; 14,5% abv). Clean, ripe fruit, more in the dark berry than red end of the spectrum, obvious Cabernet lift though the original aesthetic of the Bikavér blend was such that no grape should be obviously dominant. Rich and juicy fruit but not heavy thanks to pretty good acidity; not massively tannic but there's enough. It is a touch hot (not surprising given the abv) but is not a mess. In fact, it's weirdly moreish despite the bit of heat. I like it! Though I did prefer the slightly more rustic and cheaper one. But at least this more ambitious wine didn't go the route of massive amounts of new oak like ambitious Eastern Europeans did still a few years back. Buy again? Hmmm. Probably not unless the cheaper, more fun Gál Lajos runs out and I need a beefy red without obvious new oak.

[David M. Bueker]

Interesting. I had no idea there were good versions!

Bulls Blood used to be a commonly found inexpensive wine when I first started drinking wine many years ago, but it fell out of fashion (along with Mateus Rose, Blue Nun etc). I enjoyed those I had or I wouldn't have had more than one.

A quick check shows that major supermarkets Sainsbury, Tesco & Waitrose don't list any, neither does national wine store chain Majestic. The Wine Society has one Egri Bikaver, Áldás Egri Bikaver, St Andrea 2017 at £12.50

Egri Bikaver from the state cooperative used to be ubiquitous in wine shops in New England, but I haven't seen it since the fall of Communism in Hungary. It was cheap and in the "mostly harmless" category.

-Paul W.

One of my regrets from Hungary is that there were many Bikaver on various lists but I didn't try any due to the fabulous Tokaji. I did enjoy a red wine from indigenous grapes that was somewhere between a merlot and a cab franc that was quite good. Would love to explore the red wines of Hungary beyond the Egri Bikaver that are available here, which are drinkable at best.

[Jenise]

We had some delicious Egri Bikavers in Budapest in 1999. Before that, we used to love a $4 one that Trader Joe's imported. Easy-drinking and reasonably complex which Bob, who is foreign-language challenged, renamed Eager Beaver. Haven't seen any here in the U.S. in the years since, but they're probably about.