Wine Club Dinner: Hungarian Brown Sahib

In another first, the Delhi Wine Club entered the uncharted territory by matching Bengali cuisine with Villány based Malatinszky wines from Hungary, with the  winemaker-owner Csaba Malatinszky presenting five wines at the newly opened Brown Sahib Restaurant on the Valentine’s Day, writes Subhash Arora.

When an Indian presenter at a Vinitaly edition a couple of years ago talked of matching Indian food with wine a couple of years ago, he was cut to size by one of our late food journalists who asked him if he understood the concept of Indian food and the spectrum it had all across India and how he could generalize pairing wine with Indian food. To a majority of us however, the Indian food is synonymous with the Mughlai food, perhaps due to the nobility indulging in wine with food more regularly.

Non-Bengalis may not even be much exposed to the gourmet Bengali food. So when Rajyasree Sen, the charming, young owner of the newly opened Brown Sahib Restaurant in Saket showed keen interest in working with the Delhi Wine Club, it was an interesting beginning- made even more exciting and adventurous as Csaba Malatinszky, the winemaker from the Hungarian region of Villány would be in Delhi for a couple of days and would present his wines personally.

We had to go through a couple of food tastings earlier, to understand the language and the food on the Menu. Ever-willing to take chances with the food and wine pairings, we invited a few of the Bengali members; Sourish Bhattacharyya and Chinta and Rina Rao to help us in tweaking the menu. We had to improvise on the pairings, using only the tasting notes and our imagination since wine samples were to be hand carried by him, especially for the tasting.

The service issue would also arise as the wine pouring might not be of the standards our members are used to,. But we were willing to take chances in this department. It may thus be safely recorded that this was the first wine club dinner in India and perhaps the world, with Bengali cuisine matched with Hungarian wines. That it was a Valentine’s Day was coincidental to the visit of Csaba (pronounced as Chaba) and my departure for Tuscany the same night.

The evening started with the Malatinszky Noblesse Chardonnay 2007 which was medium bodied wine with a touch of spices in its flavours and the oak that was very well balanced with the berry fruit flavours. It reminded one of a nice Bourgogne white, with a refreshing vivaciousness. Bhapa Murghi ( steamed chicken dish) and Maccher Chop (fish croquettes) were a perfect combination though a few not-so-Brown members found the latter a bit too hot. The vegetarian dishes would have been even better matched if served at a colder 10-12 °C instead of the 14 °C.

Le Sommelier Rose 2007 had shades of sweetness and was a fair match for the Calcutta bekti which was steamed to perfection- the earlier Chardonnay would have matched better. Stuffed Crumbed Crab meat was my favourite with the Pinot Bleu- a Pinot Noir based blend which was delicious with the Crab- the finger licking good sauces did not come in my way of enjoying the food, though they might have impaired the paring somewhat- but we were here to relish the food as well!

The Noblesse Cabernoir 2006 was an interesting blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir- a sort of mermaid, I felt. But the fuller bodied Cabernet Franc was really the piece de resistance of the evening. Csaba has done wonders with the grape, a typical Chinon appellation grape in France and a minor blend in the Bordeaux wines-not always easy to manage. Quite elegant, full-bodied wine was well balanced with good structure with excellent mouthfeel. No wonder Villány is known for Hungarian red wines.

The food was pretty well matched as it turned out, except minor collisions here and there.
And how was the food? Generally, people loved the experience. The Bengali members were more analytical and less charitable. But as Chinta, the non-Bengali member married to the Bengali Rina, said, ‘you know Bengalis are serial critics. I can only tell you that this was a good introduction to the Bengali food and overall a thoroughly enjoyable experience.’

And the service- well, it certainly can do with more polishing up and a seamless wine-food service will hopefully happen in due course. But one complaint most members had was that the food portions were too large. Reacting rather coyly, Rajyasree said that a journalist had recently written in his paper that the portions were too small in the restaurant and since then she just could not hold Chef’s hand while doling out in the plate.

Perhaps, she should not have them serve loads of delicious snacks before we sat down on the table for the Royal Bengali Feast. Hungary Kya?

http://www.indianwineacademy.com/item_4_366.aspx

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Treat for wine lovers in Delhi

The Wine Society gathered on 15 February at Claridge's to taste the complex wines of the Villany-Siklos wine region in southern Hungary, near Croatia. The winemaker, Csaba Malatinszky, spoke passionately about why he does as little as possible to get in the way of the grape. That means gentle crushing, hand-harvesting, no irrigation, careful management of the yield and canopy and proud use of Hungarian oak. We tasted five of the wines, beginning with a crisp rose as an aperitif and then a 2007 chardonnay with lots of citrus and mineral with the first course, a truffled fusilli. And then we moved on to the reds, which were almost as interesting to talk about as they were to drink. The 2007 "pinot bleu" is a blend of 30% pinot noir with kekfrankos, a grape native to Hungary. It had plummy black fruit, some earth and the complexity of a good zinfandel. Another blend, the 2006 "cabernoir" is just what it sounds like - cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and pinot noir. Never mind the unorthodox mixing of Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals--this is a wine that's very easy to like, with plenty of blackcurrant fruit, spice and (could it be?) some chocolate on the finish. Both these wines can age.

The wine Malatinszky seems most proud of, though, was the 2007 cabernet franc. There was no hint of the green bell pepper, vegetal taste that many people find so challenging. By the end of the evening, I understood why the New York Times wine writer, Eric Asimov, finds Hungarian wines--in this case dry whites--so fascinating, as he wrote in a recent column: [http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/dining/10pour.html?hpw]. Hungary's Malatinsky Kuria wines don't have an importer yet in India, but I have no doubt that will change very soon.

http://www.sommelierindia.com/blog/2010/03/jyoti_thotham.html

CSABA MALATINSZKY-THE RISING SUPERSTAR OF HUNGARY    

In Hungary there are two national treasures worth a mention: their world-renowned water polo team which has dominated the game globally for decades, and their wines. The Hungarian water polo team holds a place of pride, and tourists to Hungary are greeted by huge billboards of the current National team at every airport. Their wines, equally renowned the world over is mentioned in their National Anthem and has also helped coin the term “The King of wines, the wine of Kings” – in regard to Tokaj.

In 2006, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution, a film, “Szabadság Szerelem-Love and Freedom”, was made. It is a story that revolves around the tragic relationship of a Hungarian Water polo player who through fair-play, helped the team defeat Soviet Union in the finals of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games to win the Gold; while at exactly the same moment Hungary’s freedom fighters were being unfairly and ruthlessly massacred by the Russian troops under the guise of truce; and of a woman who took part and became a victim of the revolution. This gripping movie spins a tale of poignant love, resilience and sacrifice that the people of Hungary made in order to win back their freedom from the Soviet Union controlled-Communist rule. Ironically, it also underlines similarities that were faced by the winemakers of Hungary during that trying period.

Almost every winemaker existing today will ruefully recall the time when their ancestral vineyards were confiscated by the Communist regime. Their expressions fail to conceal an utter state of helplessness and anger at having been forced to strip vineyards of varietals that were famed for placing them on the wine-map, in favour of unknown varietals that were forced upon them by ignorant officials of the government. In a bitter twist of fate, Hungary, with 5000 years of winemaking history behind it is struggling to regain her lost glory as one of the premier winemaking nations in the world. Instead, it has had to bear the ignominy of being virtually unknown, shorn of all the glorious memories that were once associated with it. That the Hungarian winemaking industry has survived to make a re emergence is in itself a wonder! The resurgence began in 1989, after the downfall of the Communist regime and now includes areas other than Tokaj, which until then was the sole flag bearer of Hungarian wines for centuries. Leading the resurgence at Villány, the southernmost winegrowing region of Hungary is a man of noble heritage-Csaba Malatinszky.

Csaba is no stranger to the cruel fate that destroyed many a destiny in Eastern Europe. He watched helplessly as his family’s ancestral wealth slipped right through his fingers into the hands of the Communist network. That his forefathers were the Kings of Anjou was of little solace that ensured no escape from persecution. Stripped of everything he inherited, Csaba tried his hand at most jobs available until he decided to become a sommelier .It turned out to be a move that crafted his destiny and propelled him into the annals of fame and fortune. Not one to forget his past easily, Csaba is unusually grounded and clear about what he needs to achieve next despite his success.

Starting his wine career as the Head Sommelier of the world famous Budapest restaurant, Gundel, Csaba soon found out that his interest in wine had grown deeper. He followed that urge by opening the first ever retail wine boutique Le Boutique des Vins in 1991, which enabled him to travel to Bordeaux on numerous occasions in order to source good wines. Severely bitten by the wine-bug, Csaba spent more time at Medoc over the next few years, learning the nuances of winemaking and blending at renowned Chateaux such as Pichon-Longueville Baron, Lynch-Bages and Cos D’Estournel. He returned to help blend the wines of József Bock, presently his neighbor and rival. In 1997 Csaba began his own winery. He simultaneously established vineyards in collaboration with the University of Bordeaux and makes his wines with his signature mark stamped on them-the expression of the environment in which they are grown.

Unlike most wineries where numerous people are involved in different aspects of wine production, Malatinszky is a one man show. He solely looks after his vineyards which encompass 40 hectares today; decides when to pick the grapes and supervises every step of the winemaking process. Apart from that, he heads the marketing of his wines shuttling between Budapest and Villány every single week. His commitment to ensuring that he seals his place in the Hungarian wine industry is evident as soon as the time for the harvest arrives.

His stay in Villány begins to lengthen and his day starts really early. A little known fact about Csaba is that he has a unique connection with India. Married to a yoga enthusiast, he has embraced the ritual of meditation and is very much into spiritualism. He meditates every morning, transferring positivity into his grapes and his wines. This is followed by long walks in the vineyards to taste the grapes for its ripeness. The terroir in his vineyards are unique in that it effortlessly harbors the Cabernet Franc which he artistically crafts into his signature brand- Kúria. The soil is composed mainly of loess with some clay and limestone.30% of his vineyards are planted with Cabernet Franc,30% with Cabernet Sauvignon and the remaining 40% with differing proportions of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and little known native varietals, Kékfrankos and Kadarka.

Csaba follows his instinct totally. He speaks of times when the laboratory analysis of the grapes showed that the acidity levels were too high to start the process of picking them, but his taste-buds over-ruled that decision. He harvested the grapes based on intuition and strangely during that year the acid levels at the end of fermentation were perfect to ensure a wine of superb balance. Had he waited for the acidity to get reduced, he would have been left with flabby wines lacking structure. His experience speaks for itself.

Harvest time at Malatinszky is hectic. The work hours are long and tedious. Csaba has only two cellar workers to manage the movement of wines all year long. His production is about 200,000 bottles a year. He personally gives the cellar-hands instructions for each step of the winemaking process that follows. Every single morning he spends hours tasting the fermenting juice that occupy the 26 tanks of different capacities- analyzing their development, observing their color, savoring their taste. He embraces each tank as he removes its contents through the sampling valve, patiently explaining that since the human body is about 36.4 degree Celsius, any deviation in tank temperature can be immediately recognized. He is a tolerant mentor who readily shares information about the techniques and style that he intends to make, dragging me from tank to tank if I am unable to grasp any fact, until I see things in his perspective.

Towards evening my colleagues would transfer the garden in the winery into a grilling station where we cook different dishes each time while awaiting the grapes. This is the reward for all the toil and for having to turn up early morning when every bone in the body is aching and begs for more rest. To soothe the trauma of virtual insomnia that the winemaking fraternity is forced to go through during harvest period; precious bottles of Kúria Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Kövesföld and Cabernet Sauvignon are uncorked. The effect of the wines instantly works its magic over us and we are ready for more grapes. The day ends well past midnight.

Csaba has a unique style of winemaking. He tries to make wine as naturally as possible. Unless some chemical is mandatory he completely avoids using them. Unlike most wineries that stock chemicals for the correction of wines, Malatinszky has nothing. Even the 100% Hungarian oak barrels that he selects is washed thoroughly, numerous times, to purge it of unwanted woody flavors. That the wines which roll out from Malatinszky bear a semblance to the environment in which they are grown is therefore hardly surprising, considering the skillful blend of traditional winemaking methods with modern technology that Csaba tactfully employs.

Funnily Csaba has had no formal education in winemaking and has gained all his expertise as a cellar-hand and observer. He truly believes that he was born to be a winemaker and that the science of winemaking occurred naturally to him. His spiritual inclination furthers his ability to improve his wines in terms of quality and consistency with each passing year. He is convinced that the Cabernet Franc, a difficult varietal, which is hardly produced as a pure varietal anywhere in the world except in Loire, has finally found its spiritual home in his vineyards in Villány.

The winery at Villány is well –built keeping the functionality of the design in mind. The tanks are laid out carefully to ensure that the movement of pumps, machinery and press takes place without any hindrance. This guarantees the easy separation of the skins once fermentation is complete, which can otherwise prove to be a nightmare. At the centre of the winery rises two doors from the ground which meet to form an inverted “V”.A press of the button is all it takes for the doors to mechanically open outwards revealing a long flight of brick stairs that lead down into the cellar. Rows of barrels occupy this vast space, containing thousands of liters of precious wines, which is the living testament to the years of sweat, blood and tears that Csaba has poured into his passion of making wines. The winery is spotlessly clean and has an ethereal aura to it.

Csaba’s wines come in three levels: Sommelier, Noblesse and Kúria; the Sommelier being the least expensive entry level wines and the Kúria being the most extravagant ones which command a price equivalent to the second and third classed growths of Bordeaux. His Noblesse Cabernoir(a blend of Cabernet and Pinot Noir)2006 is worthy of remembrance as is his Kúria Cabernet Franc 2003 and 2006.That his wines are patronized in London’s private exclusive clubs like Mossman’s and in distinguished hotels like the Dorchester Hotel in itself shows the tremendous impact Malatinszky has had in reviving Hungary as a global force to reckon with. In The Wine Report 2009, he has made it to the top 10 globally in two categories: Best Wine Producers and Greatest Quality Wines. This should abet my article on him, of any charges of favoritism!

As with everything, all good things have to come to an end, and so did my internship. What price can one offer in exchange for the invaluable knowledge gained and for the experience of being there, doing it all? This article is a small but humble token of gratitude that I can offer only because I discovered my talent for writing while interning with Csaba. That means that I will still owe him one for helping me find a new career! And in the world of spiritualism that can imply that I do not have to repay it in this life.

Here’s looking forward to the next hundred years of Malatinszky wines. CHEERS!

Dr. Yashoda Devi  - wine consultant, India