Author: Ágnes Herczeg, Kristian Kielmayer
Rosé is a hugely popular category among Hungarian wine drinkers, although siller is less so. It would be an exaggeration to say that these wines are an undervalued category, but, it does have to be said, few regions take these wines really seriously.
Both rosé and siller are made from black grapes but using different winemaking processes. The grapes for rosé wines are pressed almost immediately after harvesting, using the same process as for white wines. Fermentation only begins in the already pressed grape juice, so the berry colour only has a minor influence on the character of the wine. Siller, on the other hand, is left to macerate with the fruit for longer, usually 2-3 days, before pressing. That’s why a siller is always a little different to a rosé, with deeper colour and a slightly red wine character. So in fact, siller is nothing more than a very light red wine that has just started to ferment with the skins.
Siller wines were once very popular in the Carpathian Basin. This was mostly because before phylloxera, there was plenty of Kadarka planted in Hungary. There were periods in the Hungarian winemaking industry when there were nearly 400,000 hectares under vine in the country, of which around 80% were Kadarka. However, besides its wonderful characteristics, Kadarka can also be the cause of problems for growers. Mostly when it does not produce enough colour to become a true red wine. In such vintages, Kadarka was often turned into siller, which in many cases, did not detract from its value.
It was also popular variety outside of the Carpathian Basin, for example on the other side of the Danube in the Hajós-Baja wine district. There was also quite a lot of siller made around Villány at one time, as well as around Eger. Unfortunately, it has fallen a bit out of fashion, although it deserves its place on the table.
Many Hungarian sillers are based on Kékfrankos, a wonderful grape variety with bright fruit flavours and good acidity – perfect for making siller. Siller is rarely aged in oak, but is more alcoholic, more deeply coloured and more structured than rosé. Perhaps the best-known version is that made in Szekszárd, which has its own name: Fuxli. The reference to a fox is no coincidence, as the colour of siller wines is indeed reminiscent of a fox’s fur. When you taste it, you can feel a touch of tannins, which besides the lively acidity, also gives siller its light red wine character.
It is not usually overly rich in aromas, but its structure is based on vibrant acidity with very little tannin. It is bright and lively with flavours often reminiscent of red berry fruit and spice. Moderately long, it is not usually aged much longer than four to five years and is best served youthful and chilled.
These wines can stand up to a lot more ingredients, cooking methods and spices than most Hungarian rosés. They can often be treated as a very light red wine.
One thing’s for sure: these light sillers are great for summer quaffing and are perfect well chilled at the start of a barbecue. They are, of course, also delicious with many fruit and vegetable dishes. However, if you come across a slightly more powerful, well-structured wine with more body and a longer finish, you can also pair it with spicier, slightly more complex dishes. A fruit soup that’s not too sweet, for example, fresh cheeses, grilled poultry and lighter dishes flavoured with paprika also work well.
Hungarian cuisine boasts a few dishes that can be a good match for both siller or ethereal Kadarka, such as fish soup from Baja or rooster stew. Unfortunately, as much as a good stifolder sausage or coarsely ground sausage and a lovely Kadarka siller might sound like a good match, in reality it doesn’t always work. These paprika flavoured delicacies are usually more complex in flavour, ingredients and seasoning than most siller wines. Interestingly, the presence of cold fat together with paprika has a different effect than in a goulash soup or hot paprika flavoured dish.
The Szekszárd area is one place where hungry travellers can easily choose local wines to go with local dishes, as there is no better accompaniment to a well-made rooster stew than a ripe Szekszárd Kadarka siller. You mustn’t miss the rooster stew if you spend a few days in Szekszárd, you could even try several different ones, as there are numerous variations of the dish, although they are always served with small dumplings. They may have more or less gravy, could be hot and spicy or just with a hint of spice, but they always pair well with Kadarka and siller.
Lying to the south of Lake Balaton, this region of southern Pannonia also boasts plenty of flavours. The Swabians, the Hungarians, the Szekler families from Bukovina who arrived much later and the Reformed population of the Sárköz all contributed something to what the locals call their own today. And you can take their word for it that when it comes to rich, spicy dishes, siller finds itself in the right place.
