Wine Cellars goes to Hungary
Apart from its famed dessert wine, Tokaji, Hungarian wines have had an uneven history in recent years.
Wine Cellars' 1994 wine list draws attention to a new sense of quality and stability in the region's table wines.
David Gleave, Wine Cellars' managing director, sees its inspiration in people such as Tibor G'al and praises his 1993 barrel-fermented Chardonnay (£70 a case including VAT), and his Kékfrankos, "combining the immediate appeal of Gamay with the darker side of Pinot Noir" (£71 a case including VAT).
Tibor G'al, by the way, apart from his work with the Hungarian company Egervin, which he left in 1989, is known for his sterling achievements with the Italian producer Ornellaia in Tuscany.
A European version of the New World flying winemaker, G'al manages to make his wine in Hungary while continuing to supervise production at Ornellaia.
Italy comes top in 1994 honours
Top honours in the 1994 International Wine and Spirit competition go to Italy's Carbineto Casa Vinicola. Its winemaker, Giovanni Carlo Sacchet, was awarded the Robert Mondavi Trophyfor the Winemaker of the Year.
The Carpineto estate is in the Chianti region between Florence and Siena. It has 70ha of vineyards and produces one million bottles per year of which most are exported. It makes the traditional wines of the region as well as varietal wines from grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
Three of Carpineto wines won gold awards and five other Italian vineyards also achieved golds. Italian products also won 19 silver and 10 bronze awards.
For more information about winners contact the International Wine and Spirit Competition on 0306 627477.
New editions
Big wine publishing events this year will include the fourth edition of Hugh Johnson's World Atlas of Wine.
It is now 23 years since this vastly influential work first appeared. Caterer will be reviewing it in this column, alongside something completely new from Jancis Robinson - the Oxford Companion to Wine. It will contain more than 3,000 entries from over 80 specialists around the world.
Also lined up for review is The Champagne Companion by Caterer's regular contributor, Michael Edwards. It is described as "a definitive guide to the most exuberant of wines".
