Markvart Bikaver Kadarka

Owner and winemaker János Márkvárt Jnr is passionate about Kadarka – and it shows. His juicy, light-bodied red hails from two vineyards – Sauli Valley and the Right Hermit – with the latter boasting one hundred-year-old vines. János lovingly coaxes the best fruit from these lower-yielding old vines located on steep, sun-drenched slopes. The result is a vibrant and spicy red.

Kadarka is truly a rare variety with only 700 hectares planted in the world. The Balkans introduced Kadarka to Hungary when they fled Serbia in the late 16th century. This is not an easy variety to grow. Kadarka is a late ripening variety with thin skins, meaning it’s very susceptible to noble rot. Yields of this grape require proper restriction to produce quality, concentrated fruit.

As a result of these challenges and the variety’s finicky nature, many plantings of Kadarka disappeared from Hungary throughout the 20th century. Kardarka is a great choice for any lover of Pinot Noir looking for something new and different. The grape bunches are hand-picked and sorted and only the best berries are used for this wine. This is followed by a skin-contact fermentation, then tank ageing. Kadarka is famous for its tannic structure being quite different from any other red grape wines. Markvart Kadarka is a light red coloured, almost transparent classy wine. Elegant and beautifully perfumed, light in body paired with a brilliant acidity. With generous notes of black cherry, red fruit, violets and a subtle hint of pepper.