It happens to every winelover that when he gets information about an event, it is over. Well, that’s not the case with Szeged wine festival, because it takes 10 days! The sunniest city of Hungary awaits visitors on 17–26 May with 160 wineries!

The City of Sunshine

Szeged was deliberated from the Turkish rule exactly 300 years ago. The city has been thriving since then, its cathedral (’Szegedi dóm’) is one of the most beautiful churches in Hungary. Szeged has the most sunny hours (2300 hours a year), thus it is also called The City of Sunshine. It is the third most popolous city, and regarding the sea level, Szeged lies in the deepest part of the country. The name ’Szeged’ is an ancient form of the word ’sziget’ (meaning island), because the city lies where the rivers Tisza and Maros joins, and people used to live in muddy islands in the flood basin of the rivers. Szeged is only 195 kilometres from Budapest, it can be reached on a motorway or by InterCity train.

Free entry for 10 days of joy

The admission is free to the open air festival, visitors can enjoy all the concerts, artisan programs, children’s entertainment. Visitors should only pay for what they eat and drink, and usually visitors stay long and enjoy the wine samples offered from the little wooden houses which serve as exhibitors’ booths. Happy and relaxed students of Szeged University of Sciences having passed their exams are regular visitors as well. Winemakers come from every region of Hungary, for example Dúzsi Family Winery, Lajvér Estate and Vesztergombi Cellar from Szekszárd, Borbély Family Winery from Badacsony, Bock Cellar, Csányi Winery, Vylyan Vineyard and Winery from Villány, Tűzkő Estate from Tolna, Thummerer Winery from Eger, Frittmann Winery from Kunság, Koch Winery from Hajós–Baja or Haraszthy Winery from Etyek.

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3 wines not to miss at Szeged Wine Festival

• Generosa by Frittmann

Szeged is the most important city of the Great Plain of Hungary, and the nearest wine region is Kunság, with the Frittmann brothers, the most important winery of the region. Generosa is an indigenous variety, very rarely used, we do not know any other winery to make wine of it. Fresh, charming, attractive and easy to drink – and it was selected the second best wine in its category at the wine contest of the Hungarian Academy of Science.

• Kővilla Válogatás Villányi Franc by Csányi Winery

Cabernet Franc feels at home inVillány, especially in the vineyards where Kővilla, a stone villa of the winery is situated. This wine has just been selected the Best Hungarian Wine at Les Citadelles du Vin! This wine was matured in 500 l oak barrels for 1.5 years. Deep ruby colour with nose typical of Cabernet Franc varietal, a palate of red berries and serious structure.

• Cuvée Blanc by Lajvér Estate

This blend by Lajvér Estate in Szekszárd wine region is extremely popular in summer and at festivals, no wonder! The bouquet arrives with a rampant intensity, a rendezvous of taste molecules, with elderberry and fresh-cut grass embraced in a bittersweet cloud. It is at once green, fruity, refreshing, crisp and so fresh you could almost bite into it. As if we were walking through the market among crates piled high with fruit. In the mouth, lively acids prance about, the slight sourness of citrus fruits appears, as does nettle cordial. It is a vigorously lively wine, anticipating summer, for which you need a patio, a comfortable chair, good company… one bottle will never be enough.