Author: Ágnes Herczeg, Kristian Kielmayer
A Hungarian crossing, created by Károly Bakonyi and his colleagues at the Badacsony Research Centre from the Judit and Cserszegi Fűszeres varieties. Typically found in the Balaton Highlands, it is not widespread elsewhere in the country. (Just for the record, we would like to point out that Tokaji ESZENCIA, which is often referred to as NEKTÁR, has no relationship and nothing to do with the Nektár variety. Tokaji Eszencia can only be made from Tokaj’s six authorised varieties, and Nektár is not one of them, it is simply a case of a misleading name.)
Morphologically, it is characterised by small to medium-sized, loose clusters which are often branched. It is relatively early ripening and produces grapes high in sugar, hence is also used to make sweet wine in the Balaton Highlands. However, it is not susceptible to botrytis, so its sweet wine is usually made from raisined grapes.
The nose is pleasantly aromatic, with occasional muscat-like notes. The acidity is fresh, but not too intense, and a few grams of sugar work in its favour. The nose and palate boast notes of grape, grape blossom and muscat. When made in a sweet style, its aromatics boast notes of raisin, molasses, roast coffee, honey and muscat grapes. When made in a dry style, its wines age well, while its sweet wines tend to be longer-lasting thanks to their sugar content.
As the variety is often used to make both dry and sweet wines, you should consider the two categories separately. If the wine is dry, you should start from its acidity. It is mainly produced in the Balaton Highlands, which means it also has a good texture and you can rely on its lively acidity when choosing a dish to pair with it. There is one place in a meal when acidity is absolutely essential, and that is for the aperitif. Your pre-meal drink should always boast sufficient acidity. Wines that are fresh, lively and low in alcohol as well juicy and fruity with good acidity make the best aperitifs. Serve cold, in small quantities, at least 10-15 minutes before the meal.
However, if the wine is sweet, you should follow a different set of rules. With sweet wines, you should either follow similarities or flavour contrasts. For example, a sweet wine can also work well with savoury flavours. Of course, Tokaj is usually the standard bearer for such wines, but the Nektár variety is a great example of how different wines with good acidity from other wine regions can also hold their own. When pairing with sweet flavours, make sure that the overall sweetness effect is not overwhelming.
