2011

We experienced a moderate winter, however, it was long-lasting. The low temperatures lasted all the way to the end of March. This was followed by a sudden and considerable rise in temperature that accelerated the budding. We were concerned about the occasional spring cool spells. In the beginning of May, when the buds were already well-developed, the temperatures dropped to 2°C, and there was some frost in the valleys and low-lying terrains. The vineyards were not affected.

Despite the cool spells, flowering started early (May 25th) and continued in the good weather without any problems. There was not much rain and we began to experience a water shortage by the end of June. The dry and hot weather continued, with growth almost stopping in the middle of summer. Fortunately, enough rain fell at the end of July to ensure the uninterrupted growth of the grapes. August and September were dry and hotter than usual, which sped up the ripening process.

For this reason we lost no time with harvesting. We started on September 7th with the Sauvignon, finishing on October 4th with the Furmint. Weather was favourable the entire time – sunny and with no rain. The temperatures were high and we had to be very careful to transport the grapes so that they were undamaged and cool.

Despite the high temperatures during the harvest, we were able to preserve the varietal characteristics. The grapes were very ripe with an above-average sugar content. We produced somewhat more than we had anticipated.