Many wine lovers know at least a few Hungarian wines, such as Egri Bikavér and Tokaj. These wines are still around, and they are better than in a long time. Also, new generation winemakers are introducing other typical Hungarian wines and grape varieties to the world. Time to take notice.
“During my lifetime, the wine industry in Hungary has changed incredibly, from the fall of communism in 1989 to our attempts to make heavy Bordeaux imitations in the early 2000s and the present-day focus on local grape varieties.”
The comment comes from Gábor Bánfalvi, who runs Taste Hungary in the city centre of Budapest, a business that includes wine and food tastings, a well-assorted wine shop and wine exports to the United States. “When communism fell,” he continues, “quality began to improve. The producers became more professional while showcasing local grapes and the local traditions. The young generation has worked abroad, has been well educated, and they want to do something different.”
This is a longer version of an article published on Forbes.com.
Hungary is a small country with a continental climate but still with differences in growing conditions. Vineyards are found almost everywhere except in the far east towards the Romanian border. They cover around 65,000 hectares, spread over 22 wine regions. It is coolest in Sopron in the northwest and warmest, but not overly hot, in Villány in the south. 60% of the vineyard surface is white grapes. Production is about 2.9 million hectolitres.
Important grapes in Hungary
Kékfrankos, a synonym for blaufränkish, is the most widely planted variety in Hungary. It has its roots in the Austro-Hungarian empire, and we find it here and there in Eastern Europe. But also further away. Most recently, it has spread all the way to New Zealand. Kékfrankos is included in many of Hungary’s most famous red wine blends, and it is the main grape in the Bikavér wines. Sometimes the wines are made in a refreshing, fruity style; sometimes, they are more structured and concentrated.
Other red grapes are cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, kékoportó (portugieser), kadarka, zweigelt and others.
Some important white grapes are cserszegi fűszeres, olaszrizling (synonym for graševina/welschriesling), irsai olivér and furmint.
Main red grape varieties
- cabernet franc
- cabernet sauvignon
- kadarka
- kékfrankos/blaufränkisch
- portugieser
- zweigelt
Main white grape varieties
- budai zöld
- chardonnay
- cserszegi fűszeres
- ezerjó
- furmint
- generosa
- hárslevelű
- irsai olivér
- juhfark
- kabar
- kéknyelű
- királyleányka
- korai piros veltelini (frühroter veltliner)
- muscat ottonel / ottonel muskotály
- olaszrizling (welschriesling)
- rózsakő
- rizlingszilváni
- sauvignon blanc
- szürkebarát
- vulcanus
- tramini
- zenit
- zeusz
22 wine regions
Hungary is divided into 22 wine regions encompassing 65,000 hectares. But almost half of all wine in Hungary is made on the great plains south of Budapest. One of the major wine regions here is Kunság, the country’s largest, with 18,500 hectares. Here the Hungarians’ everyday wine is produced. Much of the wine is white, often made from olaszrizling and irsai olives but also cserszegi fűszeres. The wines are often aromatic and easy to drink, but styles differ. Kékfrankos is also grown here and is used for red, rosé and sparkling wine. A lot of wine in Kunság is unpretentious, but the level of ambition is increasing.
Eger
The beautiful city of Eger is situated 100 kilometres east of Budapest. Its baroque churches and the 13 kilometres of magnificent wine cellars make it a pleasant stop. Red wines dominate with 80% of the production. Egri Bikavér – bull’s blood from Eger – is Hungary’s most famous wine, although people’s perception of it differs. It is a wine with a long tradition, at least 150 years, but in the 1970s and 1980s, it was at best mediocre. During the communist era, mass production prevailed, and little consideration was given to quality.
I remember the communist style of Bull’s Blood; the wine was sold in Sweden at the time, and I can understand that producers of today feel the need to dissociate themselves from this style. They are working hard to recreate the wine’s good reputation. Many Egri Bikavér wines today are superb.
Bikavér from Eger is best known, but the region Szekzárd (see below) can also make a Bikavér (but these two regions are the only ones). A bikavér is always a blend of grapes with kékfrankos as the most important one.
And why bull’s blood? The name probably comes from an old legend. When the Ottomans invaded the castle in Eger in 1552, the Hungarians drank red wine to become strong and brave. The wine coloured their beards red, and the Ottomans, not being wine drinkers themselves, thought they had been drinking bull’s blood, enough to scare them to withdraw.
The wine regions of Hungary:
- Balaton:
- Badacsony
- Balatonboglar
- Balaton-Felvidek
- Balaton-Csopak
- Nagy-Somloi
- Zalai
- Duna / Danube / Donau
- Csongrad
- Hajos-Baja
- Kunsag
- Upper Hungary
- Bukk
- Eger
- Matra
- Tokaj
- Tokaj
- North Transdanubia / Upper Pannon
- Etyek-Budai
- Mor
- Neszmely
- Pannonhalma
- Pannon
- Pecs
- Szekszard
- Tolna
- Villany
Villány and Szekszárd
In southwestern Hungary is Villány, the southernmost and warmest region in the country. The landscape is pretty, with vineyards sometimes on slopes. A well-known pioneer here is Attila Gere, who bottled his first wines in 1989. The quality is consistently high in Villány, which has good growing conditions with mountains that protect in the north and warm Mediterranean winds coming in from the south.
The grapes are mainly kékfrankos and kékoportó, but in recent years they have also started growing cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and pinot noir. Cabernet franc has become something of a signature grape. From irsai oliver, some producers make full-bodied and structured wines.
North of Villány is Szekszárd. Here, too, a warmer climate puts its mark on the wines. The region is known for its kékfrankos and kadarka, this latter being an interesting red grape that gives bright, elegant wines. It thrives in Szekszárd.
Lake Balaton
The area around the scenic Lake Balaton makes a variety of different types of wines. Olaszrizling is the most widely planted grape. But you can also find the German riesling, here called rhein riesling, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, muscat ottonel, kékfrankos and many more. Vineyards are located on both the north and south sides of the lake.
Just north of Balaton is the small region of Somló. It is worth mentioning, not least for the white grape juhfark grown here. It is not yet so widespread in Hungary but should be remembered. It differs from many of the local white wines as it is not aromatic. Juhfark gives full-bodied wines, structured and dry.
Sopron is an up-and-coming region of 1,000 hectares, located on the border with Burgenland in Austria. Some exciting wines are made here, especially red. Kékfrankos/blaufränkisch, pinot noir, zweigelt and merlot are the most important grapes.
Tokaj, sweet and dry and sparkling
Tokaj (sometimes spelled Tokay or Tokaji when an adjective), the region that makes one of the world’s greatest sweet wines, is located in the north-eastern part of the country. Tokaj Aszú is made from grapes affected with noble rot; they are basically shriveled when they are picked late autumn. The grapes are mainly furmint and hárslevelű.
Today, however, the dry wines, mostly made from furmint, are an essential part of the production. The wines are often outstanding. Dry wines from hárslevelű are rarer but can be magnificent.
Furmint has very high acidity, a reason why the Tokaj Aszú is never cloying despite being extremely sweet. This acidity also gives the dry wines a superb and refreshing vitality. It is often vinified and aged in stainless steel but is sometimes barrel-aged. Sparkling Tokaj is on the rise, and the high acidity here is a great asset. The traditional method is used, so there is always a second fermentation in the bottle.
“The Hungarian wine industry has a good reputation now”, says Gábor Bánfalvi, “and it has enormous opportunities to grow.” However, domestic consumption is not growing, so it is vital to access export markets. He mentions some important countries such as Poland, Germany, USA. “We should aim at selling some key wines to wine shops and restaurants, wines that are representative of Hungary as a wine country, perhaps a kekfrankos, a dry furmint, a tokaj aszu.”
After that, people surely will want more.
One Response
Jo eloadas!
De mashol is van jo bor Magyarorszagon!