Kasnyik rodinné vinárstvo (= “Kasnyik family winery”) is in the Strekov subzone of Južnoslovenská (= Southern Slovakia). It’s 20 kilometers from the Danube River and Slovakia’s border with Hungary; closer to Budapest than to Bratislava. Brothers Gábor and Tamás Kasnyik, with Gábor’s wife, Virág, are leaders among Slovakian natural wine producers. Dunaj is a crossing of muscat bouchet, blauer portugieser, and St. Laurent - i.e., three Central European red varieties. The variety’s name comes from the Slovakian name for the Danube. Kasnyik’s version spontaneously fermented in big barrels and then aged for 11 months in smaller oak barrels. This is a brawny, full-throttle red with finesse. It’s got a bit of everything: fruit, flowers, herbs, and spices, with good acidity and moderate tannin. This serious and hedonistic red will complement rich stews, including ones with a bit of spice.
