The Other Wines in the House - Monarchia Winery

This is a wine I tasted for a recent wine chat on Eastern European wines.  I went looking for a wine from Hungary as my family owned vineyards in the Lake Balaton area.  I didn't have much choice, actually this was my only choice a 2006 Pinot Noir from Monarchia Winery in the Eger region of Hungary.

The Eger region is located in Northern Hungary.  They are known for the Castle of Eger which claim to fame is repelling the Turkish attack in 1552. Eger is also known for their thermal baths and their red and white wines. The wine region is located between the Matra Mountains.  It is famous for it's Bull's Blood.  From what I understand, Bulls Blood wine got its name during the Turkish attack.  Seems the citizens of Egar went to their wine cellars and drank red wine to give them the strength to fight off the Turks.  They didn't have Riedel glass back in those days, so the wine spilled over onto their beards and armor giving it all a blood red color.  Rumors spread that the Hungarians were drinking the blood of bulls to make themselves strong.  The Turks got fearful and retreated.  Today, Bull's Blood is an actual blend of red wine from the Eger region of Hungary.

Now that I got way off track, let me get back to the Pinot Noir I purchased from the Eger region of Hungary.   I had no expectations on this wine.  So I was pleasantly surprised at what I found.  Aromas of cherry and plum filled the air with hints of cocoa, cedar and spice. The palate finds itself with soft cherry and raspberry and a little spice on the finish. As the wine opens the spice finish become more pronounced and lingers on your palate

For $12.99, this wine wasn't that bad.