Peter Wetzer Ság Olazriesling 2022 white

Peter Wetzer Ság Olazriesling 2022 is a characterful, skin‑fermented Welschriesling that shows just how exciting Hungarian orange wine can be. Sourced from the volcanic slopes around Ság in western Hungary, it combines precision, texture and a quietly wild personality. This is a small‑production wine for curious drinkers who enjoy nuance, minerality and a more gastronomic style of white.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the Ság Olazriesling 2022 typically shows a deep straw to light amber hue, with a gentle haze that hints at minimal intervention in the cellar. Swirl the glass and you’ll notice an inviting mix of stone fruit, citrus peel and floral notes, layered with dried herbs, tea leaves and a distinct stony, volcanic lift. On the palate, expect a dry, structured orange wine with fine tannins from skin contact, bright but well‑integrated acidity and a savory, saline edge. Flavors often echo ripe apple, quince, orange zest and apricot, alongside subtle spice and a long, mineral finish. This style of wine generally drinks beautifully now for its energy and freshness, but it also has the potential to develop additional complexity over the next 3–5 years, gaining more honeyed, nutty and herbal notes with time in bottle.

Production
The fruit for this wine comes from vineyards around Ság, a small volcanic hill in western Hungary not far from the Somló region, known for its basalt soils and distinctive, mineral‑driven wines. The combination of volcanic subsoils, good drainage and a relatively cool climate gives Welschriesling both freshness and a marked sense of place. Grapes are typically harvested by hand to ensure careful selection, then fermented on their skins to create an orange wine style, extracting color, gentle tannin and aromatic complexity. In keeping with Peter Wetzer’s low‑intervention philosophy, the wine is usually fermented with indigenous yeasts and raised in neutral vessels, with minimal additions, to let the terroir and grape variety speak clearly.

Food & Serving
This is a versatile food wine that shines alongside flavorful, textural dishes. Try it with charcuterie and aged cheeses, roasted poultry, pork with herbs, grilled river fish, or vegetable‑driven plates like roasted root vegetables, pumpkin dishes, mushroom risotto and Middle Eastern mezze. The light tannic grip and savory profile also make it an excellent match for fermented or pickled elements and umami‑rich cuisines. Serve lightly chilled, around 12–14 °C (54–57 °F), rather than ice‑cold, so the aromatics and texture can fully express themselves. A short decant of 20–30 minutes is recommended to help the wine open up and soften its initial edge.

Producer
Wetzer Péter (Peter Wetzer) is one of the key names in Hungary’s new wave of artisanal, low‑intervention winemakers. Based in western Hungary, he works primarily with traditional local varieties and distinctive volcanic and hillside terroirs, crafting wines that are precise, expressive and unadorned by heavy cellar technique. His approach focuses on careful vineyard work, hand harvesting and minimal manipulation in the winery, aiming to capture authenticity and a strong sense of place in every bottle. Over the past decade, his wines have helped bring renewed international attention to Hungary’s lesser‑known regions and to varieties like Welschriesling, earning him a loyal following among sommeliers and adventurous wine lovers alike.