Wine of the Weekend: a “Grand” red from Mátra

Dominium is an organic family winery from the mountainous Mátra wine region. At the latest edition of VinAgora wine contest, the estate won two gold medals, one for Dominium Grand Feketeleányka 2022. Feketeleányka (‘Black Maiden’) is the same grape as the Romanian Fetească Neagră.

Two years ago, we reported that Dominium Grand Feketeleányka 2022 had been selected the best red wine of a Hungarian trade magazine, and it had also been chosen “The Wine of Gyöngyös” (the capital city of Mátra). We wrote the following: “The 2022 vintage was an excellent year, the fruit of it is called Grand Feketeleányka, a complex, barrel aged, organic wine with great potential.”
And yes, the tasters were right! Now, two years later, the same vintage got gold medal again at the prestigious VinAgora international wine competition! What is more, Dominium Merlot 2023 was also awarded gold.

Not cheap, not weak – so what?

Dominium Grand Feketeleányka 2022 is made of selected fruit from a vineyard cultivated with organic viticulture. It fermented spontaneously, and matured in new and second use 250 L and 500 L oak barrel for 11 months. Full-bodied, complex, layered wine abundant in forest fruits and spices. The alcohol is 16%, well, do not drive after that, you had better stay in one of the charming rooms of Dominium guest house, and the other day do not miss the sauna with view of the vineyard.
It costs 49 000 HUF / 138.5 EUR – but outstanding wines have their price… The other gold winner wine, Dominium Merlot 2023 costs only 99 000 HUF / 28 EUR.

More about Dominium Winery

Read an interview with Dániel Orbán, the winemaker of Dominium Winery

Organic wines and absolute “recharge” in Mátra

Dominium wines are available in several wine shops in Hungary, like Ab Ovo wine shop or the webshop of Dominium. In case you are interested in importing Dominium wines, contact Dániel Orbán. 

Dominium Guest House – the best place to taste

The well equipped, lovely guest house is ideal base for those, who plan to discover Mátra mountain. Recently the guest house has been equipped with three e-bikes and 2 bikes, thus friends and families have a new way to wander in the neighbourhood.

More about the guest house and booking

5 Hungarian wines dedicated to women

Olívia from Kunság, Hërka from Villány, Adél from Mátra, Gabriella from Badacsony and Katinka from Tokaj – five lovely wines with enchanting stories, from Hungarian winemakers.

Olívia, Irsai Olivér’s bride (Frittmann Winery, Kunság wine region)

The family winery in Kunság wine region has been working with Generosa, a less known variety for a long time. The Hungarian Generosa is a cross between Ezerjó and Piros Tramini (Savagnin Rose). This pink-berried cross was obtained in 1951 by Bíró Károly in Hungary, tested since 1976 by Edit Hajdú at the Kecskemét viticulture research centre, and finally christened Generosa in 2004. In 2020 they blended Irsai Olivér with Generosa, and thus Olívia was born! The wine is charming, intense on the nose but not overwhelming, like a gracious young lady. Refreshing, juicy and the aromas of ripened grape linger on in our mouth. The two varieties work together perfectly, the result is a super balanced, wonderful summer wine made in every vintage.

More about Frittmann Winery

16th edition with estates from ALL the 22 wine regions of Hungary

More than 150 wineries will exhibit at Borjour Magnum, the annual tasting of not only the well-established, famous wineries, but also of the ones yet to be discovered. Literally all the 22 wine regions will be represented including the rarely mentioned Csongrád and Bükk, along with some Hungarian wineries from beyond the borders. Early bird tickets are on sale!

Date and time: 14 February 2026, 15.00–21.00
Venue: Budapest Congress Centre, 1123 Budapest, Jagelló út 1–3.
Tickets: an early bird ticket is 16 900 HUF (instead of 30 000 HUF), it is approximately 44 EUR. The best value ticket is the limited-edition dual ticket (Valentine Ticket) for only 39 900 HUF / 2 people (approximately 103 EUR).
Website of the event

Truffle-seeking demonstration and other extras

Borjour Magnum offers some side programmes, for example a little show with Samok, a dog will demonstrate in every hour how he finds truffles in the forest. Glass test, Coravin show, olive tasting, cheese premier and tasting of delicacies made of plants grown in the wild by Dzsindzsa.

Some of the exhibitors:

Borbély Family Winery (Badacsony), Dominium Winery (Mátra), Feind Winery (Balatonfüred–Csopak), Frittmann Winery (Kunság), Gál Tibor Winery (Eger), Garamvári Vineyard (Balatonlelle), Homola Winery (Balatonfüred), Koch Winery (Hajós–Baja), Kovács Nimród Winery (Eger), Pannonhalma Archabbey Winery (Pannonhalma), Sabar Wine House (Badacsony), Szeleshát (Szekszárd), Taschner Winery (Sopron), Teleki Wines (Villány), Tűzkő Estate (Tolna).

See all the exhibitors here
(Click on ‘KÖVETKEZŐ’ meaning ‘NEXT’ at the bottom of the page to see more)

A place to find new favs

Borjour Magnum is huge indeed and features several relatively or actually unknown and / or new wineries, thus it is the best place to discover new favourites. For example, we have not heard of Rózsa Winery (Tokaj), Katalin Rábai (Neszmély), Neiner Cellar (Szekszárd), just to mention a few.

Dominium Wine Yard “After”

Dominium Winery holds several events throughout the year, the so called ‘Borudvar’, meaning ‘Wine Yard’ is probably the most popular. This year it was so successful, that the winery decided to add an extra evening. Dominium Wine Yard “After” awaits guests with the whole range of Dominium wines, DJ sessions and a live concert.

Borudvar (‘Wine Yeard’ After
Date and time: 27 September 2025, 17.00–until the guests can party…
Venue: Dominium Winery, Farkasmály (near the town of Gyöngyös), Mátra, Hungary
How to get there: Dominium Winery is about 70 minutes by car from Budapest via M3. By public transport take a train to Gyöngyös (Mátra InterRegio), then you can walk, ride a bike or take taxi. Gyöngyös taxi: 36 20 557 7733
Tickets: 2500 HUF / person
Order your ticket and reserve a table here.
More about Dominium Winery

Are you hesitating? Watch this short video!

Fekete Leányka aka Feteasca Neagra by Dominium

Black Maiden from Mátra: Dominium Feketeleányka

Our earlier article about Dominium guest house, and Dániel, the “engine” behind the winery

Organic wines and absolute “recharge” in Mátra

Farkasmály Wine Court

Dog-friendly, kid-friendly, charity, relaxed, picturesque, lively, familiar, affordable – just some of the adjectives that describe the annual wine festival organized by Dominium Winery. Guest wineries, cellar visits, mouth-watering cocktails, street food and live music – come end experience the unique atmosphere of this tiny villagein the volcanic Mátra wine region.

 

What happens: It is a small scale, relaxed, friendly wine event with live music, local wines. Cellar visits are also carried on in the historic cellars, at 7 pm on Friday and at 8 pm on Saturday. The brain behind the event, Dániel Orbán speaks good English, but it is required to contact him in advance to organize a cellar tour in English.
Contact Dániel Orbán here.
Wines from the village: Guests can taste wines from four local wineries – Ákos Cellar, Bárdos Winery, Szőke Mátyás Winery and Dominium Winery.
Entrance ticket: 2500 HUF / day (6.5 EUR) or 4500 HUF / 2 days (12 EUR). Tickets are to be bought on the spot.
Wine glass: You can bring your favourite wine glass or you can get one for 1500 HUF (3.8 EUR).
Getting there: The village of Farkasmály is only 2 km from the town of Gyöngyös and 3 km from Mátrafüred. You can ride a bike on the bike route or take a taxi, but you can walk as well. The town of Gyöngyös is only one hour’s drive on motorway M3 or 1.5 hours by train from Keleti railway station.
Food: At the “Gastro Court” burgers, pulled pork, pies and craft cheeses will be available.
Cocktails: A novelty this year is the cocktail bar with five cocktails: Porn Star Martini, Aperol Spritz, Gin&Tonic, Virgin Gin&Tonic and the creation of the organizer: Muscat Breeze.
Accommodation: The organizer Dominium Winery has 8 stunning guest rooms, it is definitely the most comfortable option.
This year’s charity: The organizers aim to collect money for a talented 11-year-old ballet dancer, Bertalan Máté Vincze, who was admitted to the Royal Ballet School of London, and he needs support to attend the prestigious institute. The price of a bottle of wine can help! Guests can donate during the event.
The website of the event (in Hungarian, but Google can help)

From 2024 barrel sample to the legendary vintage 2014

Syrah is the favourite grape variety of many wine enthusiasts with reason: it impresses us with rich aromas, luscious fruits and invigorating spices, and then it conquers us with a serious body, velvety smoothness and endless aftertaste. At Dominium we can enjoy the tasting of 11 Syrah wines making us fascinated by the uniqueness of each vintage. The winery guest house is the best place to stay after event!

Date and time: 18.00, 24 April 2025
Venue: Dominium Winery, Farkasmály village, Mátra wine region, Hungary
How to get there: From Budapest an hour by car via M3, by public transport by train or bus to the town of Gyöngyös and then walk 1.3 kilometres (17 minutes)
Programme:
– The vertical tasting with 11 wines
– Guided winery tour
– Beef stew cooked in Syrah with “lángos” (a fried, salty flatbread)
– Tasting of barrel samples with some wine bites
– The cigar room of the guest house will be open during the whole evening
– Premium rums will also be available to taste
– The price of the tasting (including the wines, the guided winery tour and the food): 19 000 HUF (approximately 46 EUR)
To book or ask for more information write an email or call 36 30 570 3849

The wines to taste

? Syrah barrel sample 2024 (3 different samples)

? Syrah Ikigai 21/22

? Syrah 2020

? Syrah 2019

? Syrah Grand 2019

? Syrah 2018

? Syrah Grand 2018

? Syrah 2016

? Syrah 2014

A recent article about Dominium Winery

Organic wines and absolute “recharge” in Mátra

Dominium Winery and Guest House

What does it take to make a winery a must-visit destination these days? Excellent wines, friendly hospitality and local accommodation for sure. But what if a place has even more to offer? We looked at one of the most versatile estates in the Mátra wine region, Dominium Winery.
The article was written by Bence Sólyom for hellowine.com.
The original article is available here.

 

“Let’s go to the Mátra!” – that’s what more and more people say today when they think of a weekend getaway or a team-building event for all needs. In addition to the natural features, the wines and the hospitality are at a premium level here without exaggeration. And Gyöngyös, the “gateway to Mátra”, just over an hour from Budapest, is the perfect stop if you want to see Mátra from all sides.

Dominium Winery in particular has done and continues to do a lot to ensure that we talk about Gyöngyös and Mátra wines at the highest possible level. Their wines win gold medals year after year and at the winery they don’t just talk about a sustainable future: they are now officially an organic winery.

From the very beginning, Dani Orbán and his family have built the estate in Mátra so that guests can taste more than “just” excellent wines. More than 10 years since the first steps were taken and as a result of the conscious construction, today you will find yourself in an estate centre that meets all your needs, where you will not only find wine tasting, a cellar visit and a gourmet cold platter, but much more.

Bock, Feind, Taschner and many others at Budapest Congress Centre

1000 wines will be available to taste from 200 wineries in the largest indoor wine event in Hungary, organised by Borjour team. Wineries come from every part of Hungary, for example Babarczi from Pannohalma, Bock from Villány, Borbély from Badacsony, Dominium from Mátra, Eszterbauer from Szekszárd, Etyeki Kúria from Etyek, Fehérvári from Somló, Feind from Balatonfüred–Csopak, Frittmann from Kunság, Homola from Balatonfüred–Csopak,  Jackfall from Villány, Koch from Hajós–Baja, Kovács Nimród from Eger, Pannonhalma Archabbey from Pannonhalma, Patricius from Tokaj, Steigler from Sopron, Szeleshát from Szekszárd, Taschner from Sopron, Tűzkő from Tolna, Vesztergombi from Szekszárd, Vylyan from Villány.
Our cover photo: Bock Marcell bottle fermented sparkling wine from Villány

Date and time: 15 February 2025, 14.00–21.00 (professional hour from 14.00 to 15.00).
Venue: Budapest Congress Centre, Jagelló road 1–3, Budapest, Hungary
Tickets: 14 900 HUF / 36 EUR
To buy your ticket you should click on ‘JEGYVÁSÁRLÁS’ (purchasing ticket) here.
Food will be available to purchase from 25 gastronomic exhibitors.
Exhibitors in alphabetical order
Rent a glass: to rent your tasting glass, 2500 HUF cash is needed, it will be returned upon returning the glass.
Why to participate? Borjour Magnum is one of the most favourite events of the wine enthusiasts. The atmosphere is always casual, relaxed, and to wander around is like gold mining: guests can discover new releases by well know wineries and totally unknown, small wineries with great passion. Borjour Magnum is an event of joy, the joy of having cool winemakers making wines to enjoy, not somewhere in the ivory tower, but here, with us, for us.
More about Borjour Magnum (in Hungarian, but Google can help)

Marcell – dedicated to the first grandson

One of the exhibitors of Borjour Magnum is the multi award winning icon winery from Villány, Bock Winery. József Bock founder has won what a winemaker can win in Hungary: Winemaker of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, the Most Beautiful Vineyard of Hungary and tons of gold and grand gold medals from national and international competitions. Yet, József Bock is not only the founder and leader of a winery, the president of Villány wine region, but also a happy husband, father and grandfather. Marcell is a method traditional sparkling wine made of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Hárslevelű. It is a brut nature bubbly, so no sugar was added. The sparkling wine is named after József Bock’s first grandson. The current vintage is 2021, its retail price in Hungary is around 13 EUR. Certainly, Bock Winery is first and foremost famous for its long aged, complex red wines, so do not miss them!

More about Bock Winery

Hungarian Circle of Winewriters’ Super 12 lists announced

The news of national and international wine competitions are all over the place, and perhaps even the non-wine-geeks have learned that winning a gold medal in a wine competition is not like winning a gold medal in sport. While only one swimmer can win the 200 backstroke, a wine competition can produce more than a hundred gold medals, none of them shines more than the others. By contrast, the Circle of Hungarian Winewriters’ top list each year includes 12 white and 12 red wines – no more, no less – and these are blind-tasted to award the Hungarian Wine Grand Prix in white and red. Plus, the top of the top is called the Kosárka Memorial Award, which goes to Kovács Nimród Winery of Eger this year – their wine in the Super 12 list is the legendary Sky Furmint.
The full list is below, and the awards ceremony will take place at the Grand Fehérvár Tasting on 11 January.

Pannon and Balaton wines take the lead

Hungary’s 22 wine regions are grouped in 6 broader wine regions. This year, the winewriters selected the most wines from the Pannon broader wine region (Villány, Szekszárd, Tolna and Pécs) and the Balaton broader wine region (6 wine regions around Lake Balaton), six from each region. Next is the Upper Pannon wine region (Sopron, Mór, Etyek, Neszmély and Pannonhalma) with 5 wines, followed by Tokaj with 4. The Upper Hungary wine region (Eger, Mátra and Bükk) is represented with 3 wines.

The winners of the 2024 top list, the legends:
– White wine: Bott Pince Csontos 2021, Tokaj
– Red wine: St. Andrea Vineyard Agapé 2019, Eger
Dr. József Kosárka was the founder and president of the Hungarian Wine Writers’ Association until his death in 2022. The prize, established in his memory, is awarded to the winery with the most entries from winewriters. This year there were several wineries with the same number of nominations, so after the blind tasting, the Circle held another vote and the 2024 Kosárka Memorial Award went to the Kovács Nimród Winery from Eger.
This is the third time in the history of the award that a winery from Eger has won the prize, after Thummerer Winery in 2022 and St. Andrea Vineyard in 2023.
More about Kovács Nimród Winery

Super 12 white wines

To see how the wines are selected, scroll down

• Balassa Kakas Furmint 2022, Tokaj
• Bott Csontos 2021, Tokaj
• Cseri VI. Sextus Rajnai Rizling Selection 2022, Pannonhalma
• Dóka Éva Zalai Hárslevelű Késői Szüret 2021, Zalai borvidék
• Figula Sóskút Olaszrizling 2023, Balatonfüred–Csopak
• Gilvesy Tarányi Rajnai Rizling 2020, Badacsony
• Gizella Barát Hárslevelű 2023, Tokaj
• Holdvölgy Vision 2020, Tokaj
• Kovács Nimród Winery Sky Furmint 2021, Eger
• Miklóscsabi Csoda Ezerjó 2023, Mór
• Spiegelberg Nagy-Somlói Hárslevelű 2021, Somló
• Zelna Farkó-kő Olaszrizling 2021, Balatonfüred–Csopak

150 wines from 40 wineries

Székesfehérvár is a historic city of Hungary, and the “Great Fehérvár Wine Tasting” is an important annual event of the city. This year 40 wineries await guests from all over the country, just to mention a few: Babarczi Vineyard and Winery (Pannonhalma), Borbély Family Winery (Badacsony), Dominium Winery (Mátra), Holdvölgy (Tokaj), Koch Winery (Hajós–Baja / Villány), Vylyan Vineyard and Winery (Villány). Székesfehérvár is only a 50-minute drive from Budapest, and the venue is a hotel, so it is more than worth staying for the weekend and discovering the nearby Mór wine region.

Date and time: 11 January 2025, 16.00–23.00
Venue: Mercure Hotel Székesfehérvár
How to get there: By car it takes 50 minutes via M7 motorway. By train it also takes 50 minutes (InterCity trains from Budapest Déli railways station, several times a day).
Tickets cost 11 500 HUF (approximately 28 EUR)
Extras: Hungarian Wine Grand Prix award ceremony at 16.30
Buy your tickets here.
See the full list of exhibitors here.