Kövérszőlő, also known as Grasă de Cotnari in Romania, is a rare white grape that is believed to have originated in Romania but is also grown in small quantities in Tokaj, Hungary. Both names translate to ‘fat’ or ‘fat grape’. The vines yield The age of variety is unknown but there are mentions that date back to at least the nineteenth century. There has been some confusion because some believe it is the same as Furmint, but the two are distinct varieties. The grape almost completely disappeared after phylloxera but it was brought back and received state authorization in the 1990s. Just like other white grape varieties in the region, Kövérszőlő is also susceptible to botrytis. In Romania, it has a history of being used to make sweet wines from noble rot, just like Tokaji. In Tokaji, it is used in botrytized blends with other grape varieties from the region. It can also be used to make varietal wines that are full bodied but have otherwise softer character.
On my trip, we stopped at Tokaj Nobilis, a small family owned winery that was established in 2000. The family has been growing grapes for over 70 years in various areas around the region. Today, they have about 7 hectares of vineyards in the center of the region. While visiting Hungary, there was a definite misogyny in the culture. It was delightful to see the female winemaker at Tokaj Nobilis, Sarolta Bárdos, and other local prominent female winemakers support each other so much. She joins forces with two other women to create a blend each vintage called 3 Grace with the likeness of each woman on the label. At Tokaj Nobilis, I tried a 2023 Kövérszőlő. This wine was a pale lemon color with aromas of pineapple, candied lemon, sugar peas, quince, and apricot jam. This wine was off dry with a moderate level of acidity to balance the sugar content. It also had a full body and moderate level of alcohol. The intense flavors of citrus and tree fruit were dominant on the palate and slowly faded on the extended finish. This wine should be consumed young. It would pair well with spicy asian foods.
-TheLooseTannin
A Trip Around the World of Wine in 52 Weeks 