Wine (and poem) of the Weekend

„The experience is taking shape word by word, sip by sip. Is it the sip that gives an extra shade to the poem or is it the poem that colours the wine?” – says Dóra Budavári, the brain behind the project. The ‘1poem 1wine’ project began last year with 6 wines, while this year 12 wines were dressed in poems by 12 contemporary poets. Plus, Bence Jobbágy musician and song writer created music for all the poems, and those who are interested can listen to all the poetic songs – accompanied with wine tasting – on 19 August in the town of Zánka, on the north shore of Lake Balaton.
Photos: Lili Chripko

Venue: Kisbirtok Kultbázis, Zánka, 15 Rákóczi street, Hungary
Date and time: 19 August, 18.00–20.00
Price: 9000 HUF (for the tasting of the 12 wines, and you donate as much as you feel like for the poetry & music)

Every pair of wine and poem – a different story

In some cases the winemakee chose a poem he liked, but in many cases there had been a realitionship between the poet and the winemaker before the project. This was the case with Tamás Borbély winemaker from Badacsony and Tibor Babiczky poet – Tamás’s wife’s handball coach is the father of the poet Tibor Babiczky.
Borbély Family Winery is located in the volcanic Badacsony wine region, and they are passionate about Olaszrizling variety. We even dubbed Tamás Borbély (who happens to be the youngest Winemaker of the Year in Hungary) as “Mr Olaszrizling”. Bács hegy Olasz rizling 2019 (Borbély family uses the archaic spelling of the variety written in two words: Olasz rizling) is a single vineyard wine harvested from 50 year old vines. The grapes fermented in used Hungarian oak and aged on the fine lees for 6 months. It was released only in March 2022, after long bottle ageing. A complex, full bodied wine with great structure, abundant in fruits and mineral notes.

And the poem…

I am – the author of this post, Ágnes Németh – not a literary translator, thus the poet might be dissatisfied with my translation. I will do my best to somehow convey the meaning…

Dear Tibor, forgive me!

Tibor Babiczky: An average evening

Put on your festive linens tonight, Mausóleusus –
nothing happened, it is not an anniversary, just it seems
we are still alive, and this, apart from its apparent simplicity, is enough to celebrate.

Pour the wine itself, do not delute it with water, neither your spoken words should be deluted,
leave the cheap talks for the jay birds outside.
Sip with a mouth wide open, go to sleep with your festive clothes on.

And awake so! Then disappear again in the dreams, among ornaments, just like the feast itself.
Do not take off and put on clothes, never again:
because it is not linen or silk that you wear from now, but god will be your garment.