RARE GRAPE VARIETAL RESOURCE

Kövidinka is a late-ripening white grape that was mentioned in the middle of 1800s, but probably dates back much further. It grows in the Kunság and Csongrád wine regions in Hungary’s Southern Great Plain. Kövidinka became very popular after the phylloxera epidemic and it was widespread in wine regions with sandy soil.

Kövidinka has round, barely lobed, serrated leaves. It blossoms relatively late. The grape bunches are small to medium-sized, shouldered, and compact. The grapes themselves are greenish to pale pink and have low acidity. They are harvested manually, usually in the second half of October, though they can be harvested even later, after light frosts and when the leaves have fallen. This variety is quite productive. Kövidinka thrives in sandy soil and it recovers from frost. Nowadays, the kövidinka variety occurs throughout Hungary, but not in large numbers—it has been displaced by international varieties that are more popular on the market.

Wines made from kövidinka are soft, aromatic, and light-bodied but tasty, with notes of herbs and apple. They pair well with white meat and fish. In Hungary, wine is especially linked to Saint Martin’s Day, November 11, which is important in folk traditions as it represents the end of the agricultural season and the beginning of advent. Celebrations of Saint Martin’s Day involve feasting on goose and making toasts with the season’s new wine.

(Courtesy of Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity – Ark of Taste) https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/kovidinka-grape/

Its bunch is very large, with light red berries and lots of juice. On the palate it is very fruit-driven and intense. Hence the color is red(ish) but the wine is considered as white.