2015 Furmint

This tasting at Kapcsándy was one of the highlights of my October trip. Kapcsándy's 2015s possess off the charts richness and intensity. Yields are down significantly because of the poor flowering and severe selection at harvest. The wines I tasted from barrel were extremely raw, but with plenty of underlying potential. The 2015s are wines that will likely appeal most to readers who enjoy opulent, flamboyant Napa Valley wines. At the same time, the 2015s here are less showy than they are at many other properties. That may be a good thing over the long term. As good as the 2015s are, I find more subtlety and class in the 2014s. Over the last year, the 2014s have blossomed into extraordinary wines. Louis Kapcsándy adds that extractions were gentler in 2014 than they were in 2013, while macerations were shorter. I also had a chance to revisit the 2013s. Those wines are every bit as remarkable as they have always been. Lou and Louis Kapcsándy have always been hands-on owners. For that reason, I was not at all surprised to see them take on what appears to be a more active role following the untimely passing of winemaker Denis Malbec. Tony Arcudi has joined Kapcsándy as a consultant, but my impression is that the Kapcsándys will be more directly responsible for the wines than was the case some years ago.