Warsaw. Bud Break 2022 Mielżyński
The 26th of May was a very busy day for all wine lovers in Warsaw. It started with the return of the annual Bud Break wine tasting at Mielżyński Burakowska. The theme was “Italian Alpine Wines” with the following producers: Nino Franco, J. Hofstatter, Attems, Castello di Buttrio, Marco Felluga & Rusiz Superiore. Robert Mielżyński himself was in charge of pouring wine and storytelling.
Nino Franco is an extremely renowned producer of Prosecco from the heartland of Valdobbiadene. I have tasted four different labels: Nino Franco, Rustico and vintage 2015. Wines were pale straw in colour with a very bright acidity. Peach, stony notes and sour citrus notes. The wines were nicely balanced and a great aperitive!
J. Hofstatter was my first encounter with this producer. Two white wines were clearly inferior to the reds – the blend of Weissburgunder and Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurtztraminner were both properly executed but not especially exciting. On the other side of the spectrum were the reds – Lagrein 2020 with aromas of animal skin, cranberry, and pepper was very good but the Pinot Nero stole the show with strawberry, raspberry, and wildberry notes soaring from the glass from the first sniff. Afterward pine notes and plush tannins come together with a cheek-pinching acidity and good finish. For me, this was possibly the best label of the tasting!
Labels from Attems I tasted were based on white varieties - Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio. All properly executed with a focus on the fruit and all made in steel tanks with no signs of MLF. Sauvignon Blanc was tropical with typical notes of gooseberries. Chardonnay was mineral with stony fruits and wine must notes, while Pinot Grigio turned out rather bland and disappointing.
Marco Felluga & Rusiz Superiore presented a mix of two whites and two red labels. The white being Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio again properly executed but not overly exciting. Here I found the reds to be more interesting, especially 100% Cabernet Franc with tomato leaves and the scent of smoke. Very interesting wine!
Castello di Buttrio caught my attention with their Merlot which delivered a punch of black fruits, blackberries, and blueberries with sharp acidity on the palate and redcurrant notes.
