Author: Ágnes Herczeg, Kristian Kielmayer
A Hungarian-bred white wine grape variety, it was created by András Kurucz and István Kwaysser. It was bred in Kecskemét in 1950, most likely a crossing of Roter Traminer and Hárslevelű. It is also known by its nicknames of Kecskemét 5 and Miklóstelepi 5 (Miklóstelep was the location of the research institute in Kecskemét).
Morphologically, it is characterised by medium-sized, compact clusters with shoulders. Its large, round leaves are shiny and grass green in colour. They are not waxy and are undivided and lobed. It has small, round, yellow, speckled berries with bloom. It is a vigorous, quite high-yielding variety. Its cultivation characteristics do not necessarily help its wide distribution and it is susceptible to many adverse conditions. It is prone to rot and not easy to work with.
It is most abundant in the Danube wine region – Kunság and Hajós-Baja – and around Lake Balaton.
Grapes should be fully ripe, otherwise the acidity will not be pleasant. It has neutral aromatics characterised by some floral and vegetal notes. Due to its tendency to rot, it needs strict selection at harvest to ensure a pure wine. It is generally higher in alcohol than in acidity, although one exception is on the volcanic terroir of some of the hills in the Balaton Highlands. On the slopes of Csobánc, for example, it can yield a pleasantly acidic wine, which can even stand its own as a single varietal, although it is more typically blended.
As wine from Ezerfürtű is somewhat restrained, it should not be paired with overly complex or vibrant dishes. The origin of the wine should be considered here. Wines produced from sandy soils, which are more often made as single varietals, can be a pleasant everyday drink. The wine districts of Hajós-Baja, Kunság and Csongrád all produce light wines with soft acidity and somewhat low alcohol from both white and black grapes. There is certainly room for more of these light wines in Hungarian gastronomy. But where? Practically anywhere where good quality house wine by the glass is, or could be, on the table. Today’s cuisine, which makes use of plenty of vegetables and light white meats, especially at lunchtimes, is crying out for such uncomplicated wines, which are often only 10% ABV. A wine from a high-acid variety would even make a nice spritzer on a hot summer’s day.
So what should you serve these wines with? You should definitely not serve wines from this region with acidic food, as it might make the wine feel a little empty, while in the worst case, it might strip it of its character completely. Dishes with sweet garnishes, acidic or sweet fruits should also be avoided. Don’t pair them with overly complex, fussy or spicy dishes, as the wine won’t be able to match up to them. However, we do recommend these wines with simple, essentially neutral dishes. They come into their own with white-fleshed poultry dishes with sour cream or cream but can also be excellent served as a spritzer.
