In Hungary, we have several really good oenologists but who is the ‘winemaker of the winemakers’ in 2020?
The ‘Winemaker of the winemakers’ award is quite prestigious because the winner is selected every year by the 50 best winemakers of Hungary. In 2020, the jury chose Károly Áts, the owner of the Áts Family Winery in the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region as winemaker of the year.
Who is Károly Áts?
His name is absolutely worth memorising (and of course his wines are worth tasting, too), but you might be interested in some more details about him – let us tell you a little bit more about this winemaker.
For many years, Károly Áts was the chief oenologist of Royal Tokaj. Then in 2012, he won the title of “Winemaker of the Year” and started his own family winery. Since 2013, he has been the chief oenologist of Grand Tokaj.
‘Károly Áts believes that a winemaker’s personality always seeps through the wine, and his wines therefore radiate happiness and joie de vivre. He always thinks positively, as he believes that otherwise joy will not permeate the wine, for good wine can only be made by a happy winemaker. Áts considers himself a happy man, whose work is also his hobby. Born and bred in Tokaj-Hegyalja, grapes and wine always played a part in his life through his father. His aim is to return nature’s gifts through his wines and to bring joy to wine drinkers’ – grandtokaj.com writes.
‘In 2002, Károly Áts created Áts Cuvée, the now legendary late-harvest Tokaj sweet wine that bears his name. In 2006, American magazine Wine & Spirits awarded his 1999 Tokaji Essencia 100 points. In the same year, he was chosen as “Winemaker of the Year” in Tokaj-Hegyalja. In 2009, his 2003 Betsek Aszú wine was an absolute winner and his 2007 dry Furmint a category winner in the “Top 100 Wines” competition of the daily Népszabadság. In 2012, he was awarded the titles “Winemaker of Wineries” and “Winemaker of the Year.” In recognition of his outstanding professional work in the service of development of the Tokaj-Hegyalja Wine Region, Áts received the Civil Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary in 2014’ – they add.
Source: Origo.hu , Grandtokaj.com