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J. & J. Kekfrankos 2011 Wine Review

J. & J. Kekfrankos 2011

J. & J. Kekfrankos 2011

Eger, Hungary

Community Score:88/100

Community Reviews: 7

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Price: $24.95

Drink: 2013-2018

Bottle size: 750 ml

Alcohol: 13.5%

Sweetness: Extra Dry

Wine Type: Red Wine


Winery: J. & J.

Agent: Liquid Art Fine Wines

Natalie's Score: 85/100

Smoky with campfire smoke on the nose and palate from lots of toasty oak aging. Tart, rustic and tannic. Dark red tart fruit on the palate. Pair with a rare steak.

Best Beef Wine

This J. & J. Kekfrankos 2011 was reviewed on January 26, 2017 by Natalie MacLean

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Pricing & Stock Information

  • BCLDB
  • 210252
  • $36.75 
  • Check Stock

Reviews and Ratings

Greg Hughes rated this wine as 91/100 with the following review:

This is an interesting grape to explore. Kekfrankos is sometimes called Blaufränkisch in Germany and is the one of the principle components of 'Bull's Blood.' Kekfrankos, Kadarka, and sometimes other varietals like Merlot are used in this area of Hungary to produce intensely tannic, heavily structured, and spicy reds.
This wine of Eger (the historic terroir of Bull's Blood) is 100% Kekfrankos, making it approachable and complex. Kekfrankos could be characterized as producing firm, old world wines with bright fruit and a savoury rusticity.
This wine has a lovely medium garnet colour.
The aromas leap out at you, but come together a lot more after having had a chance to breathe for half an hour. It smells like dried leaves, pepper, coffee bean, sour cherry coulis, red plum, mulberry, humidor, and earth.
Vibrant acidity and lots of sour cherry. Brooding oak spice (vanilla, cocoa etc...) melds really well with the natural spiciness of the Kekfrankos (Asian spice, smoked meat, and cherry stem).
Interestingly, one of the investors in this venture is famed wine reviewer, John Szabo. I must compliment him on chosing an interesting varietal to promulgate and for ensuring the result was a high quality example of the style.
If you plan on exploring Eastern European grape varietals, this is a good quality wine to start with. Pair it with slow cooked beef stew and yorkshire pudding.
Andrew Bernardo rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

I loved this wine. Featuring mouthwatering notes of cranberry, plum skin, sichuan peppercorn, agave and smoke. Extremely tactile and utterly fascinating. You can get to the bottom of the bottle trying to assess what it is and what it means. Don't be fooled by its high-toned aspects, there's just so much going on its kind of dizzying. 90 Points. (www.ottawawinejournal.com)
Rachelle O'Connor rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Raspberry, cherry and hints of oak and pepper on the nose. Good acidity and ripe tannins. Medium bodied.
Jennifer Havers - WSET Level 3 rated this wine as 87/100 with the following review:

Pair with hearty beef dishes. Aromas of dried herbs, smoke, and tart berry. Both slightly tart and also smooth on the palate. Nice balance of berry and savory, nice acidity. Treat with rustic beef dishes.
Jane Staples - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 85/100 with the following review:

Cranberry and earth on the nose, with dusty earth and subdued berry flavours on palate. A bit flat and unfinished.
Tasted Jan. 2017
Kekfrankos J&J 2011 is made from 100% old vine Kekfrankos. Kekfrankos has several grape aliases: Blaufrankisch in Austria. Frankovka modrá in Croatia, Lemberger in the Okanagan and Washington. The Eger region also knew it as Egri Bikaver, or the ‘Bull’s Blood of Eger’ and has largely replaced the Kadarka grape there. - Community Wine Reviews

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