Eger bovine blood

According to the Eger legend, the name “bull blood” comes from the times of the struggle with the Turks. When, during the siege of the Eger fortress, its commandant Istvan Dobaud ordered to give their soldiers wine to strengthen their fighting spirit, the Turks saw how thanks to this drink Hungarian soldiers received fresh forces, and decided that their opponents drank bull blood. However, the credibility of this legend is extremely low, because in Hungary before the Turkish conquest there was only the production of white wine. Kadarka and the production technology of red wine were brought only later by rats , who fled from the Turks to Hungary. Written sources, letters and travel notes do not mention the name "bull's blood" until the middle of the XIX century ^[1] .

The name appeared only in 1846 , when Janos Garai , a poet from the competitive wine-growing region of Szekszard , where they also produce bull blood, created this name in a poem called Szegzárdi bordal ( Seksarda table song ). Another important early mention of bovine blood appeared in the book “Magyar közmondások könyve” (“A collection of Hungarian proverbs”) by Janos Erdei in 1851. In the article “Bikavér” ( Bull blood ) it is stated: “This is the name for strong red wine, for example, Eger” . Although this expression does not apply to Szeksärd, but also Eger wine is mentioned only as an example, which indicates a common and unconscious use of the word. This is also confirmed by the book by Maura Ballaghi under the title A Magyar Nyelv Teljes Szótára ( Complete Dictionary of the Hungarian Language ), published in 1873 , according to which Bull's Blood (jokingly) is a strong dark red wine ^[2] .

In the recent past, there was a discussion between Eger and Szekszard about which wine-growing region has the right to use the name “bull's blood” according to historical data. Based on the available historical data, it can be said that, although the name first appeared in Szksárd, it referred simply to dark red wine, the name “bull's blood” cannot be attributed solely to only one wine-making region. Today, these discussions have lost their meaning, and winemakers from both regions accept the terms of use of this name.

During the nineteenth century, the name “bovine blood” did not denote the appearance of a particular wine, it was just so called for strong, dark wine in everyday speech. “Bull's blood” was then prepared by mixing different varieties of grapes from different vineyards, it received its dark color due to a short fermentation on the skins of grapes. A blend of different grape varieties originating from vineyards with different conditions allowed winemakers to soften the impact of the crop and produce as much as possible more balanced wine.

Before the appearance of phylloxera in the Eger district in 1886 , the largest part of the main raw material for bovine blood was provided by a spicy scent of Kadarki, called lúdtalpú (“goose paw”). Then, in the vineyards, different varieties of grapes were mixed and they were harvested and processed together. During the phylloxera epidemic, most of the grapes in the Eger district died. In the process of the first reconstruction of the grapes after the disaster in 1880-1910 . different grape varieties were planted in separate areas. Then, grape varieties such as Nadi burgundi , kecfrankos and kekoporto , as well as cabernet sauvignon , cabernet fran and merlot , and even otello , which is used as coloring wine, appeared in the region. For crop safety and due to cheap processing, unvaccinated grape varieties were planted in large areas ^[3] .

The first conscious producer of bovine blood was the experimenter Jena Graber at the beginning of the 20th century , thanks to whom bovine blood gained wider fame and international fame. Greber had a large ownership, sufficient capital, good winemaking equipment and modern professional knowledge. It is associated with the introduction of the grape varietal variety from France , which has become one of the main components of bovine blood ^[4] . The basis of Greber's bovine blood was a mixed Kadarka wort and Medoc Noir. The process of making wine included the removal of grapes from the stems and fermentation “on the skin” with the addition of a small number of stems. A good idea of ​​the then bovine blood gives an analysis of Greber's wine harvest in 1900, conducted in 1905. According to his results, the wine contained 11.25% alcohol, 5.6 g / l acid and 1.8 g / l sugar ^[5] .

In the period between the two world wars, Bela Borhi-Brown , the most famous producer of bovine blood, whose wine received many international prizes, was the most famous producer of bull blood. The basis of his wine was Kadarka, which accounted for more than 50%. Another 20% gave a variety of Nadi burgundi; Kekoporto and Medoc Noir also gave together 20% of the blend, and the rest was given to the coloring grapes Othello and Bako . The ideal time to harvest grapes was around October 20th. It was recommended to use only ripe grapes: at least 20 degrees of wort (20 g of sugar per 100 g of wort), but less often reached up to 25 degrees. The grapes brought to the cellar were carefully picked, the unripe or moldy berries were removed, and then the grapes were separated from the stems and crushed with the addition of a small amount of stems. The number of stems was an important element in the manufacture of bovine blood, and therefore it was a secret for winemakers. Fermentation took place in open vats, several times during the day winemakers lowered a thick part of the wort to the bottom of the vat, and the rising head of the mash protected the wort from the harmful effects of oxidation ^[5] .

According to the then sources, Egerian bull blood belonged to the best wines. Due to the complex method of its manufacture, it has never been produced in large quantities. Wine usually ripens in the second year, but at the turn of the XIX — XX centuries, wines of ages 5–8, or even 10 years, were often in demand.

Before World War II, bovine blood was prepared in both Szeksárd and Eger, but after the introduction of the planned economy, it was decided to make an export mark from Eger bovine blood. In Szeksärd they did not allow to use the name Seksardskaya bovine blood, moreover, it was removed from professional literature and encyclopedias ^[6] .

Bull's blood during this period was the victim of a socialist economy. Grape raw materials were grown using the large-scale method, because of overloading of the vines and harvesting too early, the raw materials were often unripe and therefore sugar was added to the wort. Sometimes they even increased the alcohol content by adding rectified alcohol . Growing grapes fell into places that were easier to process, but where the grapes were of inferior quality. Until the end of the 1960s The main raw materials for the manufacture of bovine blood were kekfrankos, kadarka, medoc noir and keco porto. Wine kept in wooden barrels.

During the second five-year period in Eger, vineyards were reconstructed over a large area. Then the vertical trellis of medium and high height spread. Kadarka and Medoc Noir were forced out of production because of the high cost of cultivation and the low, as it was believed, quality of the wine produced from them. Their place was taken by cabernet sauvignon and cabernet fran. In 1978-1980 under the so-called Bicaver program (Bull blood), a significant number of grapes of kecfrankos, zweigelt , kekoporto, and merlot were planted again, because they were best suited to large-scale farming and undemanding growing methods. During this period, wine was often kept not in wooden barrels, but in steel or concrete tanks ^[7] .

Classic wine bovine blood at this time had a medium-ruby or brown color, strong acidity, tart, often with a high content of tannin, bitter taste. By the beginning of the 90s. bull blood has lost much of its former international fame. The cultivation of grapes and the production of wine by industrial methods to the detriment of quality caused substantial harm to the wine, which is still felt today.

For the production of high-quality modern bovine blood, fundamental changes must be made both in the field of grape growing methods and in the technology of wine production. When growing grapes, the choice of suitable fertile soil is extremely important (climatic and geographic factors are important, water outflow, soil composition) as well as the practice of limiting crops and harvesting in a physiologically mature state. The main requirements for the production of high-quality bovine blood are the selection of grapes, removal of stems, ensuring cleanliness in the cellars, fermentation under controlled conditions and aging in small wooden barrels. Modern bovine blood is a wine of rich, spicy, fruity character, with a beautiful structure of acids, medium or high tannin and alcohol content, suitable for long-term preservation, capable of development in a bottle.

It is no secret that even today, Egerian bovine blood is produced in violation of the basic quality requirements. These wines are often made from immature grapes harvested from overloaded vineyards. They can be highly acidic, have a high tannin content and a low alcohol content. A common problem is the use of old, improperly washed barrels and insufficient hygiene of the cellars. These cheap, “bull blood” wines appearing in large quantities on export markets still cause great harm to the recovering Egersky wine-growing region, and maintain distrust of bovine blood among consumers. The reason for this is too compliant use of the bull blood brand, low requirements that determine the maturity of the raw materials, deficiencies in control and less stringent assessment requirements based on the senses.

During the planned economy was established Eger distillery , which was engaged in selling bovine blood, as a monopolist. During this period, the bullish blood mark was registered as a trademark . After the creation of the mountain municipality in the 1990s. this trademark has been abolished by order of the Supreme Court . Currently, the word Eger (as well as the adjective Eger) is registered as the appellation of origin, and all winemakers who produce wine in this region have the right to use the name “bovine blood” for wine that has the appropriate product description quality. Bull's blood is not a sort of wine, so winemakers who work outside the Eger wine region are not allowed to use this name.

Since 1991 , the Association of Eger winegrowers and winemakers has been working on the definition of bovine blood. The main question is what distinguishes bull blood from other similar blends of red wine in the world. After the regime change, among the main elements of bovine blood, a large role was played by the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes in the Eger wine region, which give rich wines, their blend is similar to Bordeaux blends . Also, a big controversy was the question of whether bovine blood could have signs of aging in wooden barrels, the so-called barric . In 1993, the Association developed the newly formulated rules for the manufacture of bovine blood, which were used only as a recommendation and did not have legal force. The adoption of the law on mountainous municipalities of the mountain created a legal basis for regulation, and therefore mountainous municipalities of the Eger wine region and the Council of mountainous municipalities were formed . The statute on bovine blood was approved by a unanimous vote on June 27, 1997. This statute was approved by a decree of the Ministry of Rural Development 130/2003, published in 2002 , which also created the category of bovine blood superior ^[8] .

According to the charter, bovine blood is a blend in which no grape variety should dominate. To make this wine, you must use at least three of the following grape varieties: Kadarka, kekfrankos, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet fran, merlot, portugizer (formerly kekoporto), pinot noir, blaburger , kekmedok and zweigelt . The charter prescribes that the grapes must have a minimum of 17 degrees wort, and for some grape varieties 19 degrees, which is 2-4 degrees higher than prescribed before. The maximum amount of the crop was determined 120 kg / ha. From the statute it follows that, for example, a winemaker who in the worst year does not have a sufficiently mature crop of at least three grape varieties does not have the right to prepare bovine blood. Vina type of bull blood according to the statute must be kept in wooden barrels for at least one year, and outside the wine-growing area it is allowed to sell them only in bottles.

Superior bovine blood, which was described in the 2002 edition of the statute, has more stringent requirements. This wine should be prepared using at least four of the above ten grape varieties so that the proportion of none of the varieties used is more than 50%, and not lower than 5%. According to the charter, the processed wort of some grape varieties should be 18 degrees, others 20. The sale of wine can be started after April 30, two years after the grape harvest.

In 2007 , the Council of Municipalities of the Mountain set the goal to introduce regulation of a sufficiently high level of all sorts of wine produced in the Eger wine region. The result of the two-year work was the decree of the Ministry of Rural Development "On protected wines of the Eger wine region" 102/2009, which again regulates the production of bovine blood, starting with the vintage in 2010. The resolution introduced two strictly regulated varieties in the protected category wines : classic wine protected by origin and superior wine protected by origin. According to the decree, for the production of bovine blood protected by origin, the following grape varieties are allowed: kekfrankos, portugizer, kadarka, blauburger, zweigelt, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, menuar , turan , biborkadarka and shiraz .

The category of wine protected by origin strictly regulates and checks the place of origin of the grapes, the grape variety, the cultivation technology, the distance between the vines, as well as the numerous stages of wine production (grape processing, pressing, aging, etc.).

This wine is allowed to be made from grapes originating from the following areas: Andornaktaya , Demien , Eger, Egerbakta , Egersalok , Egersolat , Felshetarkan , Kerechand , Maklar , Nagytaya , Nosvaj , Novai , Oshtorosh and Somoya , as well as in areas belonging to the village

The minimum alcohol content: 10.6% for varieties of kecfranchos, Portuguese, Kadarka, blauburger, turan, biborkadarka and Zweigelt, and for varieties of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, menoir and Shiraz 12.08%.

Rules for blending wine:

• You must use at least three grapes.
• The share of none of the grape varieties should not exceed 50%.
• The share of at least three grape varieties should separately exceed 5%.
• Variety kekfrankos should give the largest part of the wine.
• The share of varieties of turan and biborkadark should not exceed, either individually or together, 10% of wine.

Exposure: at least six months in wooden barrels.

Sale: only in bottles, not earlier than the first of November of the year following the harvest.

This wine is allowed to be made from grapes originating from the following areas: Andornaktaya , Demien, Eger, Egerbakta, Egersalok, Egersolat, Felshetarkan, Kerechand, Maklar, Nagytaya, Nosvaj, Novai, Oshtorosh and Somoya, as well as in areas belonging to the village

Minimum defined alcohol content: 12.83% for all grape varieties.

Exposure: at least one year in wooden barrels and at least six months in bottles.

Rules for blending wine:

• You must use at least five grape varieties.
• The share of none of the grape varieties should not exceed 30% with the exception of kekfrankos, the proportion of which should be at least 30%, but not more than 50% of the wine.
• The share of at least five grape varieties should individually exceed 5%.
• The share of Turan varieties should not exceed 5% of the wine.
• The share of varieties of cabernet fran and cabernet sauvignon should not together exceed 30%.

Sale: only in bottles, not earlier than the first of May of the second following harvesting year.

Modern, well-made, high-quality bovine blood has a medium-dark ruby ​​color, has good acidity , medium or high tannin content, medium or high alcohol content (typically 13.5-15%), contains spices in the bouquet, as well as red and black berries

Usually this wine is offered to spicy dishes made from beef or game . The temperature for drinking is 16-18 degrees. Wine is great for heavier dishes like perkelt , steak , roast , etc.

• 102/2009. (Viii. 5.) FVM rendelet
• 130/2003. (XII.31.) FVM rendelet