Hungary’s success at Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

The Sweet and Fortified Session of CMB took place in France and the results have just been announced. “Of the 417 wines in competition, 134 received medals, including 9 Grand Gold Medals. Portugal leads the rankings with 62 medals, while Hungary, Greece, Austria, and Romania also distinguished themselves with impressive results.” (Excerpt from the press release.)

A medal with real value

So yes, as the CMB team highlighted in their press release, Hungary has produced impressive results. 7 wines entered the prestigious competition, and all the seven received a medal, 3 of them gold and 4 silver medals. These lines are written by me, Ágnes Németh, owner of Hungarian wines, and I must add that CMB is a very strict, rigorous wine contest, it is hard to get a medal. I have judged at several CMB sessions, most times as a chairman, and I can say that a gold medal here is really precious. What is more, even the judges are tested: every day of the contest one of the wines are repeated to see if the judge gives the same core to the wine in both cases.
More information about CMB Sweet and Fortified Session

Holdvölgy – the superstar

The Tokaj estate has won all the three gold medals, plus two silver medals, being the most successful Hungarian estate of this CMB session. The medal winner wines are:
– Holdvölgy Culture 2017 – gold medal
– Holdvölgy Culture 2021 – gold medal
– Holdvölgy Intuition No1 2017 – gold medal
– Holdvölgy Exaltation 2019 – silver medal
– Holdvölgy Culture 2018 – silver medal
Holdvölgy estate gives a name to each of the wines, the range consists of Intuition, Signature, Meditation and others. Holdvölgy is also unique to offer many vintages of the 6 puttonyos Tokaji Aszú on their webshop, 12 different vintages (!), to be precise. They make only 6 puttonyos Aszú wines and age them for 8 years! This is the reason for having released “only” 12 vintages. However, for keen Aszú lovers, younger vintages are also available en primeur. Holdvölgy Culture 2017 is made of Furmint, Hárslevelű and Zéta with a 100% Furmint base wine. “The nose is clean and precise, dominated by fresh cantaloupe and supported by apricot compote, candied lemon peel and a hint of clove. A lively citrus flavour attack on the palate with the cantaloupe returning on the core. The finish is long led by apricot and fig with persistence and fine complexity.”
Available in the UK, in the Netherlands, in France and other countries
More information about Holdvölgy

The other two silver medal winning wines:

– Patricius Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2021, Tokaj
– Kancellár Szent Ilona Late Harvest 2024, Somló

Our earlier article about Holdvölgy receiving the prestigious Winery of the Year award

Winery of the Year announced!