Gyula Szabó is a third-generation wine-grower and -maker with vineyards on the north side of Lake Balaton - Central Europe’s largest lake. The name Káli-Kövek means "Rocks of the Káli Basin" and pays tribute to the area’s stony, volcanic-basalt soils. Most of the Káli-Kövek wines come from these soils near the lake, but 'Kalamona' is a literal outlier: the vineyards are on the extinct volcano of Somló, some 50 kilometers north and well away from the lake - and even more intensely volcanic than in the Káli Basin.
'Kalamona' is the name of a three-headed dragon, capable of binding the winds and both raising and ruining kingdoms. Here each head represents one of the three classic Hungarian white grape varieties that make up the blend: furmint, juhfark, and olaszrizling (a.k.a. welschriesling). It spontaneously fermented and then aged for seven months, all in Hungarian oak barrels. There is a steely and salty side to the flavors, and furmint texture contrasting with juhfark + welschriesling snappiness. It’s a full-spectrum wine that will complement lots of cuisines and dishes, including New England clam chowder, Vietnamese Phở, and pork with or without sour cream.
