Weingartner Juhfark 2022: Hungary's Volcanic Masterpiece

Juhfark literally means “sheep’s tail” in Hungarian; the bunches curl as they ripen. The grape grows almost exclusively on the extinct volcanic cone of Somló, in western Hungary. Oliver Weingartner makes natural wine from it. His 2022 is not an easy bottle. But an unforgettable one.

Somló in short

• Extinct volcanic cone rising above the Transdanubian hills
• Basalt soils studded with volcanic rock
• Oliver works four hectares on the northern slope
• Cooler exposure keeps the acidity unusually tight

“After five years you can no longer tell what variety you’re drinking. It’s pure Somló terroir.”

The fermentation

Juhfark is not a willing worker. Oliver recalls his 2022: it stopped fermenting after three weeks with plenty of residual sugar, restarted, stopped again, restarted once more. Three or four times in total. For natural wine (no added sulphites, no inoculated yeast) that is nerve-wracking; the sugar has to disappear in the end.

That pause-and-restart fermentation gives Juhfark its signature roasted, nutty layer.

Tasting note

Mid-gold. The nose opens on fresh apple, pear and melon, then dried fruit and a herbal touch of parsley and basil. Underneath, the basalt core: smoky mineral, a suggestion of salty flint.

The palate is full and salty, never heavy. Layers of fruit (fresh and dried), nutmeg, hazelnut, a hint of yellow apple slowly drying out. Long finish, roasted and mineral, with a smoky tail.

At the table

• Naska in Amsterdam pours it next to Peruvian dishes
• Belgian Michelin kitchens pair it with deep-fried seaweed
• Aged sheep’s cheese (Comté, mature Gouda)
• Shellfish in light butter-and-lemon sauce

Availability

800 to 1,000 bottles per vintage. The 2022 is sold out at the estate; the last bottles went to the Netherlands and Belgium. If you see one: take it.