Kadarka

Kadarka is a light-bodied, spicy red wine grape of Central Europe and the Balkans, long regarded as one of Hungary's oldest and most characterful varieties. Thin-skinned and pale, it yields gentle, fragrant reds low in tannin and bright in acidity, built around red cherry, redcurrant and a distinctive savoury peppery spice often likened to paprika. It is the historic soul of Hungary's famous red blend Bull's Blood (Egri Bikaver) and of the wines of Szekszard, and it travels the region under other names — Gamza in Bulgaria and Romania, Skadarka in Serbia. Late-ripening and fickle in the vineyard, it makes food-friendly, easy-drinking reds rather than dark blockbusters, and it is a natural partner for the paprika-rich cooking of its homeland.