Somewhere between rosé and red, and better cold
Pale ruby, lighter than most reds. Raspberry, red cherry and a little pepper from the Kadarka. In the mouth it is juicy and fresh, like a berry cordial without the sugar, with just a light touch of tannin at the end.
- raspberry
- red cherry
- redcurrant
- white pepper
- Body
- light
- Acidity
- juicy
- Grip
- gentle
- Fruit
- red berries
Kékfrankos and Kadarka
Piros is a siller, an old Szekszárd style that sits between rosé and red. It is darker than a rosé but much lighter than a normal red, because the juice spends only a short time with the skins. Piros simply means red in Hungarian.
The 2025 is two thirds Kékfrankos, which gives the fresh acidity and cherry, and one third Kadarka, which adds spice and perfume. Zoltán started it in 2022 as his take on a modern, chillable red.
Red grapes, pressed straight away like a rosé
- Picked by handOrganic vines on the loess hills of Szekszárd
- Pressed wholeWhole bunches go straight to the press, like a rosé
- A few berries and stemsKept back in the juice for extra depth
- Fermented like a roséGently settled, then fermented as a pink wine would be
- Bottled youngMade to drink fresh, not to age
Zoltán Heimann Jr, known locally as the Kadarka Man
The Heimann family winery in Szekszárd, southern Hungary, was set up in the early 1990s by Zoltán Heimann and Ágnes Heimanné Kelemen, using vines from the grandparents. Their son Zoltán Jr studied at Geisenheim, Montpellier and Udine, worked on the Mosel, in Tuscany and in Australia's Yarra Valley, then came home. Heimann & Fiai, which means Heimann and Sons, is his label: lighter, fresher, more natural-leaning wines from the two local red grapes, Kadarka and Kékfrankos.
Kadarka is his obsession. It is an old Hungarian grape with thin skins that rots easily and nearly disappeared. The family joined a research project in 2005 with more than 30 old Kadarka clones, kept the best 7, and now picks them in the first weeks of harvest. The vineyards are certified organic, on deep loess soil with cover crops between the rows.
How to serve and pair it
Some pairing ideas
- Chicken paprikashHungary's own dish, and it loves a cool red
- Charcuterie boardFresh acidity cuts through the fat
- Grilled sausagesA barbecue red you can chill
- Tomato and feta saladLight enough for summer food
If you like this one, try...
A pale, chillable red from Bairrada in Portugal. Another wine that sits halfway between rosé and red.
A natural rosé from near Lisbon. If Piros is your summer red, this is your summer pink.
Zoltán's Kadarka on its own. More spice and more depth, still light on its feet.
More from Heimann
Producer: Heimann & Fiai, Iván-völgy 9814/13, 7100 Szekszárd, Hungary