By Ibolya Kabarcz-Horváth
Two winemakers – Tamás Dúzsi (Dúzsi Winery) and Attila Szentpéteri (Szentpéteri Wine Cellar) – present the colorful world of rosé and share why this wine category holds special significance for them.
We can’t emphasize it enough: not all rosés are the same!
If you’re already a fan, it’s time to explore different styles. And if rosé hasn’t been your thing so far, here’s the perfect opportunity to discover a version that suits your taste! Rosé can even be an excellent alternative for red wine lovers, since it’s made from red grape varieties – and the juicy red berry fruit character often carries through into rosé wines as well.
Rosé can be fresh and airy like a gentle breeze, fruity like biting into a ripe strawberry, or floral like walking through a meadow in bloom. It can be elegant and subtle, or deep and rich with barrel-aged notes and great aging potential.
The diversity of rosé comes partly from the grape varieties used, and partly from the differences in terroir. Terroir doesn’t only refer to the region, vineyard, or plot characteristics – it also includes meso- and microclimates, winemaking technology, and the winemaker’s personality.
In this article, we explore the world of rosé through the lens of two winemakers who pay special attention to this category. What is rosé like when made from Néró? How does it taste after barrel aging? The list of questions could go on—but you’re invited to discover the answers with us!
“If I could, I’d make rosé from every red grape variety”
In Hungary’s Kunság wine region, reductive, fresh, and vibrant white and rosé wines have always played an important role. Over the past few decades, this area has produced many high-quality, clean, and easy-drinking wines. At Szentpéteri Wine Cellar, rosé has been a priority from the very beginning – both in grape variety selection and winemaking methods, they’ve constantly sought (and continue to seek) innovation.
According to Attila Szentpéteri, who represents the third generation of this family-run winery, they produce 6 to 8 different rosés each year. Alongside the classic Kékfrankos rosé, they’ve also pioneered the cultivation of the lesser-known Néró grape in the region.
“Our Néró Rosé has become a flagship wine,” Szentpéteri says. “We grow the variety on 14 of our 50 hectares, and it brings us consistent success year after year. It has already proven itself in several styles: our reductively made Néró Rosé Selection and our barrel-aged Cabernero have both been recognized by experts – and our consumers’ feedback confirms that this is a real success story, even though Néró was virtually unknown a decade ago.”
Néró is a disease-resistant grape variety bred in 1965 by József Csizmazia Darab and László Bereznai, from the Eger 2 and Gárdonyi Géza varieties. These two parents gave Néró exceptional traits: a dazzling pink color, intense aromas, abundant fruitiness, and a vibrant acidity that sets it apart from average rosés in terms of balance and structure.
“Our Néró rosé offers a unique flavor profile, reminiscent of a Mediterranean, deeper fruit-forward style,” the winemaker explains. “Wine competitions often highlight its broad aromatic range, where red and forest berries meet notes of peach, cantaloupe, and even ripe tropical fruits. It’s a full-bodied rosé with flavors that reflect its intense aromas.”
Attila adds that Néró fits well into today’s health-conscious lifestyle: its natural resistance to fungal diseases means it requires minimal spraying during cultivation.
What to pair with the Szentpéteri Néró Rosé Selection?
According to Attila Szentpéteri: salads, vegetable-based dishes, fish, and spicy Asian cuisine all pair beautifully. We’d also love to try it with a spicy tomato quesadilla – why not?
Another unique rosé from the winery is made from Néró and Cabernet Sauvignon, with part of the blend fermented and aged in barrels. The result is an incredibly complex and exciting, yet harmonious rosé that resembles the rich, full-bodied “Tavel” style. Although technically dry, its body, concentration, and slightly higher alcohol content give it a subtle sweetness on the palate.
What to pair with the Szentpéteri Cabernero Premium Rosé?
Roast meats, grilled dishes, rice-based meals, and spicier chicken recipes are all excellent matches. Even a full-blown barbecue dinner would be well complemented by this wine.
Unavoidable When It Comes to Rosé
If the average person on the street had to name a single winery associated with rosé, chances are they’d say Dúzsi. Tamás Dúzsi founded his winery 30 years ago, and rosé has been a central focus from the very beginning. The estate processes the yield of 40 hectares and works with a wide range of grape varieties. Over the years, their spirit of experimentation hasn’t waned: they’ve introduced new rosé blends, parcel selections since 2007, and even battonage-aged and late-harvest rosés. They’ve bottled rosé from nearly every red grape they grow, and currently offer over ten different styles. Their wines have earned acclaim not only in Hungary but internationally as well – at the prestigious Mondial du Rosé in Cannes, Dúzsi leads the medal tally.
“In rosé wines, varietal character shows through even more than in reds,“ says Tamás Dúzsi Jr. “That’s because there’s no tannin or oak influence to mask the wine’s essence. It’s a very honest style – there’s no room for mistakes. You have to work with healthy grapes and keep everything impeccably clean.“
“Even when just looking at color, there are striking differences: Kékfrankos tends to have a violet-purple hue, while Cabernet varieties and Merlot show more orange undertones. Syrah rosé is naturally darker and needs to be processed quickly due to its high pigment content—two to three times more than other red grapes. Kadarka, on the other hand, is so light in color that it’s almost easier to make white wine from it. We often need to macerate it for up to 12 hours just to achieve a light pink shade.”
He also emphasizes that varietal and terroir distinctions are much easier to perceive when they avoid using artificially aromatic yeasts – the kind that give many rosés a generic tutti-frutti flavor. “That kind of yeast masks the grape’s true character, so we either ferment spontaneously or use neutral strains,” he explains.
Is Rosé Only Good When Fresh?
According to Tamás Dúzsi Jr., most rosés on the market are best consumed within a year. However, at their winery, the goal is to craft more complex, slightly fuller-bodied rosés from lower yields – wines that can actually benefit from some aging. In fact, their Rosé Selections typically start showing their best character after about a year in the bottle. Using high-quality grapes and not relying solely on reductive winemaking techniques allows for greater longevity. For example, they perform rackings during fermentation to expose the wine to some oxygen, which contributes to aging potential.
They’re not afraid to push boundaries: one bold experiment involved harvesting grapes in late October – including some with botrytis (noble rot) – and aging the wine on fine lees. The result? A rosé with serious body and structure, and an impressive 16% alcohol content.
Tamás Dúzsi even envisions an entire multi-course meal paired exclusively with rosé wines:
- A light salad starter with their Rosé Cuvée
- Pheasant soup with Kékfrankos Rosé
- Grilled meat dishes with Cabernet-based rosés
- Spicy Chinese or Indian cuisine with the Niola Merlot Rosé
- And for dessert: cheesecake with their aged, full-bodied Cabernet Franc Rosé
- He adds from personal experience that this last pairing also works brilliantly with a fine cigar.
The article was originally published on: https://www.boraszportal.hu