We aim to showcase the lighter side of Villány’s red wines through our Phoenix Cuvée. To achieve this, we blend local and international grape varieties to create a wine that is well-rounded, easy to drink and sufficiently full-bodied to reflect our wine region, whilst also being a perfect match for a Tuesday evening’s glass of wine or dinner.
Phoenix Cuvée has long been part of our winery’s portfolio. We first bottled it in 1992, and not a year has gone by since then without us producing this blend. This is not merely background information; what makes this wine particularly interesting is that it has not always been the same throughout its history. These changes have always reflected the interplay between the Gere style and the current demands of wine drinkers.
In the 1990s, Phoenix burst onto the Hungarian wine market with a promising, upward trajectory and maintained its market position for a long time. We felt that the wine range, which had become increasingly broad and varied over time, also called for a renewal of the Phoenix brand.
So we reimagined this light, cheerful blend, experimenting with new grape varieties whilst retaining its signature style. This is always a truly exciting task, as a good blend can only be created if we can achieve cohesion between the different grape varieties, ensuring that the chosen lots reinforce one another, thus creating the desired character in the final composition.
In recent years, alongside Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Kékfrankos, two new grape varieties have brought a distinctive vibrancy to this wine: Barbera and Tempranillo. We are talking about a guest who has made a home here, as Barbera was made famous by the north-western Italian region of Piedmont. Wine lovers will only encounter this grape variety in this particular blend at our winery. Its added value lies in its lovely acidity, which we believe complements the Phoenix beautifully. Tempranillo is perhaps more familiar to many, as it also features as a single-varietal wine in the Gere range.
In keeping with the style, we age the wine for a shorter period – 10–12 months – in large oak barrels holding 1,000–2,500 litres. It is also important to note that these are used barrels; this ensures that the wood has only a subtle influence on the wine’s aroma and flavour. The aim is rather for this ageing method to lend the wine additional finesse and extend its longevity. Mind you, this particular A.GERE wine is not the likeliest candidate to set aside for decades, but as a high-quality Villány red, it will age well for up to 10–15 years under the right conditions.
We recommend the Phoenix Cuvée to those who simply want to unwind with a glass or two of Villány red wine. It blends local and international grape varieties, and its unique character is enhanced by a grape variety that is a rarity in Hungary: Barbera. A wine that doesn’t require a special occasion – a Tuesday evening is just the ticket.
When it first appeared on the market in the 1990s, its name – a reference to the phoenix – became a metaphor for the rebirth and resurgence of Villány wines following the political transition. Today, it is enjoying a new renaissance and has become a favourite amongst those who prefer lively yet complex wines.
