Laposa Birtok, Representing Balaton
A family winery located in the Balaton Uplands Laposa Birtok has a beautifully romantic story. In 1978, József Laposa and Eleonóra Barabás met on a train traveling through Balaton. It must have been love at first sight because the couple married later that same year. Coincidentally, both happened to come from wine families and the marriage joined the Laposa family barrel maker with the Barabás family winemaker. The couple received a small wine press house in the Balaton Uplands as a wedding gift and from there built their winery.
Today in the hands of their children, Laposa Birtok focuses mainly on white wines. They work with traditional, local grape varieties typical of the Badacsony wine region including Welschriesling, (Rhine) Riesling, Pinot Gris, Kéknyelű, Furmint, and Juhfark. The winery controls some 30 acres with the largest plots in Badacsony, Csobánc, and Köves.
Laposa 4Hegy Olaszrizling, 2019
I honestly don’t remember when I first encountered Laposa wines. Either I found the elegant hock bottle too attractive to resist, or someone recommended this to me, both not knowing the winery at the time and not really loving Olaszrizling. To whomever (probably) recommended it though, thank you!
The Laposa 4Hegy means “Four Hills” and represents the four hills where the family grows grapes. The 4Hegy series blends grapes from these hills (Badacsony, Gulács, Csobánc, and Köves).
Paler in the glass than the picture looks, it was had the silvery-green sheen of an underripe lemon. The nose gave a lot of citrus notes in lime blossom and preserved lemon, interwoven with pear and lemongrass. I was smitten right away. Soft palate (which is why Olaszrizling usually isn’t my favorite) that leaned more pear with pear blossoms and Devici pear fruit finished with cream, like those LifeSaver cream suckers! Does anyone remember those? Friendly acidity wrapped around a creamy mouthfeel and peachy finish. 13.5% abv. 
Quite charming.
Laposa Kéknyelű, 2022
Kéknyelű, primarily found in Badacsony, is an old grape that fell out of popularity but is making a comeback. I first discovered this a handful of years ago with a bottle of Szászi Birtok Badasconyi Kéknyelű. It was a transcendent wine and I’ve been trying to duplicate that moment with every Kéknyelű I try. So far, I haven’t found it yet but I continue to look.
The grape’s naturally late-ripening nature (mid-October), low yields, poor fruit set, and demanding time and effort required in the vineyard made it known as the “gentleman’s grape”. I assume because only the wealthy could afford it and not because men need a lot of work but maybe I’m not giving Hungarians enough credit for a sly sense of humor. To compound its difficulty, Kéknyelű is not hermaphroditic and needs another variety to pollinate.
Pale lemon in the glass with rich floral and citrus notes on the nose along with young almond and fruit blossom. The palate gave aromatic herbs, lemon-grapefruit, almond, and young peach along with a saline finish that marked its volcanic terroir. Lean and zesty with 12.5% abv.
Did it capture that original wine? No, sadly, But Kéknyelű often needs a few years in the bottle (from what my friends tell me). I was just too impatient with this one!