Tűzkő Estate from Tolna will also participate

Winelovers X is a walk-around tasting for professionals on 9 June, with approximately 50 exhibitors. The venue is the hotel of the wine competition, Ensana Thermal Hotel in the charming Margaret Island. Are you a wine professional? This tasting is worth an escape in the green heart of Budapest! Entrance is free of charge for the members of the wine trade.  The first 15 exhibitors are revealed, Tűzkő Estate, a “daughter estate” of the Tuscan Antinori will also be present.

Date and time: 9 June 2026, 15.00–19.00
Venue: Ensana Thermal Hotel, Margaret Island, Budapest, Hungary
How to register? In case you are a member of the wine trade (wine merchant, importer, buyer, sommelier, restaurant manager etc.), write an email to info@winelovers.hu. Besides your name and profession, please, provide your workplace and your position. Our colleagues will reply shortly.
Exhibitors: 15 names are announced and some more is coming soon, we plan to have 50 exhibitors. See the list here.

Did you know that Antinori estate is Europe’s most admired winery?

Just check out this list! And did you know that Antinori has an estate in Hungary? Tűzkő Estate is located in the hilly Tolna wine region, and they have a wide range of wines from the crispy Grüner Veltliner to the complex red flagship blend, Tűzkő Domb. The winery has won The Best Chardonnay trophy at the first edition of Winelovers Wine Awards international wine competition, while Tűzkő Domb 2023 has just won gold medal at VinAgora, the other international wine contest organised in Hungary..

More about Tűzkő Estate

Visit Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

The so called “Open Cellars” is an annual, nationwide event at Pentecost weekend. On 23 May wine enthusiasts are quite likely to “bump into a cellar”, since almost all of them are open and prepared for the visitors. Pannonhalma wine region is “cool” in many aspects, and Babarczi family winery awaits its guests with delicious food, live music, guided tastings and treat even for the unlucky driver.

Professor Gergely Szolnoki (Geisenheim University, Germany) has recently said in a conference that to be competitive in the market, cellars should offer extras and should think of the non-drinkers as well. The Babarczis have always been doing so, without having heard the professor’s advice.
Transfers are provided by the wine region, but if you prefer going by car, your driver will be well treated.

5 reasons to visit Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

– Pannonhalma wine region is one of the less known wine regions of Hungary, however, its importance is constantly growing. Discover it before others!
– Due to its cooler climate, wines of Pannonhalma are elegant, crispy, refreshing.
– It is a versatile wine region and Babarczi estate represents this versatility perfectly. Aromatic, refreshing Irsai Olivér, majestic Chardonnay and Rhine Riesling, playful aerated sparkling wine and a whole line of remarkable, complex red wines.
– The winery surrounded by a large courtyard and vineyards will make you feel at home. Cosy atmosphere and lovely staff including Zsuzsa Babarczi, the perfect hostess of the house and Ali, the “perpetuum mobile” dog of the estate.
– Events are the core of the winery to create a community of “Babarczi-lovers”, and as a result the team is experienced in these open-door things, they really know what makes guests feel good.
More info below the photos

16–18 May 2026, Vienna

A professional jury has selected 25 Hungarian Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) wines, which will represent the variety at VieVinum Austrian wine expo on 16–18 May 2026 in Vienna.
For the list of 25 wines scroll down.

Selected wines by wine region

9 Szekszárd,
7 Villány,
3 Sopron,
2 Balaton-felvidék,
1 Badacsony,
1 Balatonfüred–Csopak,
1 Eger,
1 Etyek–Buda

Wines from our cover photo

Bock Kékfrankos Selection 2023, Villány

Yield controlled fruit from Fekete-hegy vineyard. Fermentation in stainless steel, ageing in 2nd use barrique. Cherry, sour cherry and chocolate on the nose and palate.
More about the winery

Etyeki Kúria MSV Konkrét Kékfrankos 2023, Sopron

Hand harvest, gentle destemming, fermentation on the skin. Ageing for a year in concrete tank. Pure fruitiness – sour cherry, cherry, redcurrant – complemented by a hint of spiciness and some minerality.
More about the winery

Heimann Bati Kereszt Kékfrankos 2021, Szekszárd

The grape comes from the north-facing Bati Kereszt vineyard. Beautiful aroma with a lighter body, very floral, cool, and playful. The 2021 vintage is particularly young and vibrant.

More about the winery

More than 20 wineries

A. Gere, Bock, Gere Tamás & Zsolt, Jackfall, Koch, Sauska, Teleki and many others will bring their wines to the capital of Hungary, to save wine professionals from a 2.5 hours’ drive. From the light and easy drinking, Portugieser based RedY through the iconic Bordeaux blends to the highly acknowledged Villányi Franc, Villány has a lot to present, not to mention the traditional method sparkling wines and the more and more popular Villány white wines.

Date and time: 28 April 2026, 13.00–18.00
Venue: Castle Garden Bazaar terrace, Budapest
To register write an email to this address, stating your wine professional status.
Wine connoisseurs can also register in limited number.
Exhibiting wineries: Agancsos, Bíbor, Bock, Fontányi, Gere A., Gere Tamás & Zsolt, Jackfall, Jammertal, Koch, Lelovits Tamás, Maczkó Róbert, Matias, Maul Zsolt, Mikeházi, Mokos, Rejiji, Riczu Tamás, Ruppert, Sauska, Streit-Zagonyi, Szemes, Teleki, Vinatus, Wassmann

Read about the top 12 Villányi Franc wines of 2025 here

Top 12 Cabernet Franc from Villány in 2025

A. Gere, Kancellár and Sauska will be there

The most vibrant wine thing today – this is the tasting, where participants can indulge themselves in unknown varieties, fruits of remote, historic terroirs, ancient cultures. From Armenia to Poland, CEE Wine fair showcases novelties even for the seasoned British wine trade. Regarding Hungary, A. Gere from Villány, Kancellár from Somló, Gilvesy from Badacsony, Sauska from Tokaj and Villány have already confirmed their participation along with a Szekszárd regional table. Save the date!

“There’s almost nowhere left in the wine world that hasn’t been fully discovered – apart from the heart of Europe. The central and eastern end of Europe, from the Danube to the Black Sea, is home to a long, authentic wine history; a myriad of unique grapes; amazing personal stories and many dynamic winemakers producing great wines in all sorts of styles.
The Ultimate Central & Eastern European Wine Fair aims to give buyers, merchants, distributors and writers the chance to discover why Central & Eastern European wines should be on the radar of anyone seeking the next big wine story.”

Experts about the 1st edition CEE Wine Fair

The wines from the cover photo

Gere Kopar 2021, Villány
More

Kancellár Nagy-Somlói Juhfark 2021, Somló
More

Sauska Furmint 2025, Tokaj
More

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TO PARTICIPATE AS AN EXHIBITOR, CONTACT US!

“It can’t be easy representing Putin’s pal Viktor Orbán in Europe, but the Hungarian ambassador to the UK…” – started Jancis Robinson her last article about Furmint. I really know this feeling: wherever I conduct a tasting or speak about Hungarian wines, I start with apologising and claiming that Hungarian winemakers are not equal with the Hungarian government. I hope that the election of Sunday will bring a new era and our wines will not be subject of common despise due to a power we do not want.
Cover photo: Nadeem Ahmad

It is important to note that this is my opinion, that of Ágnes Németh, owner and editor-in-chief of Hungarianwines.eu, and not that of the wineries I represent.

“I will not be supporting your government with my presence”

In October 2022, I participated in the Blue of the Danube event in London, where countries along the Danube presented their red wines, primarily Kékfrankos. Also present was wine writer Wink Lorch, whom I greatly admire and who is, among other things, the author of the groundbreaking book *Jura*. “A great tasting, and how wonderful that so many countries are presenting their wines together. If there were only Hungarian wines, I wouldn’t be here,” he said, and his opinion wasn’t directed at me—he just told me because we’ve known each other for a long time. This wasn’t the first time he’d made such a harsh remark; earlier, in early 2022, I’d been hit with such a heavy dose of his contempt that I’d grown thick-skinned. I’d been involved in organising the first Hungarian Wine Summit, and I’d invited most of the foreign guests and arranged their travel—from buying plane tickets to personally escorting them. There were still a few plane tickets left when Russia “launched a special operation” in Ukraine, and Hungary quickly made global headlines by refusing to allow shipments aiding Ukrainians to pass through its territory. Polish wine writers began canceling their participation in the Wine Summit one after another, and some even stated in open letters that they would not participate in a state-sponsored event in a country that was complicit in the massacre taking place in a neighbouring country. The most offensive letter was the one from the editor-in-chief of an influential German publication, because he wrote to me and insulted me for being Hungarian, claiming I am complicit in the collective guilt my country bears.

The numbers don’t lie

FIDESZ voters will surely dismiss this, viewing it as liberal hypersensitivity, and of course they’ll repeat what’s being broadcast on the government-controlled TV and radio: this isn’t our war; our government is doing everything in the interest of peace to keep our sons, husbands, and fathers from being sent to war. The Poles, who share a much longer border with Ukraine, do not see it this way, and no one else’s arguments—including this one and many others—penetrate the country’s bubble.

The numbers, however, do, and Hungarian winemakers feel it in their bones that somehow everything is getting worse. Hungarian society has become severely impoverished, wine sales are steadily declining, and while exports could be a lifeline, they too are falling. Exports of Hungarian quality wines to the United Kingdom were 45,896 hl in 2021, while in 2025 this figure will be 5,623.97 hl!

(To be fair, it should be noted that, due to Brexit, a significant portion of Hungarian wine enters the United Kingdom via Belgium, and this is reflected in the statistics. In 2021, 9,706 hl of wine went to Belgium, while in 2025, the figure was 36,373 hl. If we assume that the entire surplus—that is, 26,667 hl—went to the UK (which it clearly did not), then the total volume of Hungarian wine in the UK would be 32,290 hl, but this still represents a significant decline compared to 45,896 hl. And I also have information that sales of Hungarian wines have fallen to 10% at one of the largest British wine retailers.)

Pasi Ketolainen MW, a Finnish importer of Hungarian wines, also reported a sharp decline across the entire Scandinavian region. Things really went south for them when the Hungarian government blocked Sweden’s NATO membership—our government dragged its feet for 649 days before finally voting in favour, but by then the Scandinavians had already lost interest in us. In 2021, we shipped 2,236 hl of wine to Finland; by 2025, that figure had dropped to just 1,366 hl. A few days ago, I spoke with a Swiss merchant who deals in more than just Hungarian wines. He says that if he brings wines from two different countries to a restaurant, 90% of the time, the Hungarian wine isn’t chosen.
According to statistics, exports of high-quality Hungarian wine have increased overall; with a total of 338,688 hl of wine leaving the country in 2021, compared to 402,710 hl in 2025; however, this growth is largely due to Slovakia, as 76,010 hl went there in 2021, compared to 109,244 hl in 2025. And no, it’s not that Hungarian wine has become increasingly popular in neighbouring Slovakia; the growth is most likely due to the prevalence of VAT fraud, since no VAT is required between EU countries, meaning that those who purchase the same wine from a Slovak retailer can get Hungarian wine at a lower price. Of course, this is merely a hypothesis based on informal information.

“Hungary is moving forward, not backward”

That was FIDESZ’s slogan in 2022. Well, even our grapes are growing better, at least according to the Ministry of Agriculture. At the end of 2024, I received an email from a journalist at the British publication Drinks Business, who asked what miracle had occurred in Hungary that, out of 17 EU countries, Hungary was the only one where the volume of wine produced had increased by 2024. He cited the then-recent OIV report. It turned out that this was not the case; the figures provided to the OIV were simply incorrect. I notified the relevant authorities, yet the 2025 report still contains incorrect figures. But that’s just a minor detail.

Wine culture lacks culture

As the leader goes, so goes the people; setting an example is an indispensable factor not only within the family but also in the country. Viktor Orbán doesn’t concern himself with wine; he doesn’t particularly like it when he drinks, preferring to consume pálinka instead (fruit spirit of Hungary). But for anyone to think that quality pálinka producers are happy about this—far from it. With the stroke of a pen, he ruined the entire industry when he legalised home distilling. The shoddy but cheap stuff ruined the hard-won market for high-quality pálinka, and now it’s gone—many distilleries have closed, a few are barely hanging on, and some are trying to stay afloat by making gin or other spirits.

For the wine industry, the abolition of the “zero tolerance” policy—one of the 12 points of the Winemakers’ Manifesto that was never implemented—remains a sore spot. Viktor Orbán personally promised József Bock that this would change, but the rule remained in place. When zero tolerance was introduced, wine sales in restaurants dropped drastically and have remained low ever since; yet restaurants would profit more from serving wine, but Hungarian diners are forced to drink soda with their steak. Society isn’t treated like adults in this regard, just as it isn’t in so many others.

I hope that more and more people are getting their news from the handful of remaining independent media outlets, that real news is breaking through the walls of our bubbles, and I hope that by the night of April 12, the only bubbles left will be in our glasses as we celebrate the end of a sad era.

Ágnes Németh
9 March 2026

Koch Winery has its main estate in Hajós–Baja wine region, but they have a vineyard in Villány wine region with more and more importance. Pálma Koch, the founder’s daughter is in charge of the wines here, and in June the first large event of the estate will take place. Live music, white, rosé and sparkling wines, relaxed atmosphere, dinner and dance await guests.

Friss & Jazz

The name Friss (‘Fresh’ in English) refers to a range of wines of Koch Winery. Koch Frisch (with German spelling) wines are easy drinking, refreshing wines with reasonable price.
Date and time of the event: 6 June 2026, 15.30–24.00
Venue: Koch Winery, Diósviszló
Tickets cost not more than 40 000 HUF – or even less, if you buy it in pair – for a whole day of sunshine, wines and great food experience!
Buy your ticket here (in Hungarian)
Bus tickets are available from several villages.
Guest winemakers: Tamás Riczu and István Ipacs Szabó
Detailed programme below the photos

Natural, organic and biodynamic wines

Confetti claims to be the largest natural wine festival in Poland, but actually it is one of the largest in Europe for sure with more than 100 wineries from 16 countries, including Hungary. Csetvei Cellar (Mór / Somló) and Kristinus (South Balaton) will also be present at the 6th edition of Confetti. The event looks so awesome, that it might be worth converting to organic to be able to participate!

“Being precise does not mean standardizing” – it is an important sentence from Mirtha, an Italian winemaker. She means that natural wines are not accepted to be unclean, the era of the “funky” wines is over, natural wine lovers want great terroir wines without faults. You can listen to Mirtha and others talk about “that cool thing in wine that everybody loves and she does not” here, within the Confetti Questionnaire.

Date and time: 19 Apr 2026, 12.00–19.00 (from 12.00 for trade members and from 14.00 for all guests). There is an afterparty from 19.00 to 22.00!
Venue: Stara Zajezdnia, Św. Wawrzyńca 12, 31-060 Kraków, Poland
Tickets: trade: 129 PLN / person (approximately 30 EUR), 199 PLN / person (approximately 47 EUR)
More information

The wines from our cover photo

Csetvei Juhfark 2024, Somló

Csetvei Cellar is located in Mór wine region, but they own a vineyard in the volcanic Somló wine region as well. This wine is made of Juhfark, the emblematic grape of Somló. Gentle pressing, spontaneous fermentation on the skins, aged in stone clay amphora, unclarified, unfiltered, bottled without adding sulphur. Spiciness and dried southern fruits, raisins in the sip. A total of 340 bottles were made.
More about Csetvei Cellar

Kristinus Liquid Sundwoner 2022, Balatonboglár

An orange wine made of 40% Gewürztraminer, 20% Pinot Gris, 20% Welschriesling and 20% Chardonnay. Fermented spontaneously, long skin contact (30–90 days), aged in several vessels: amphora, used oak barrel, stainless steel. Unclarified, unfiltered, bottled with a small amount of sulphur (33 mg/L). “Sundowner means a drink that you enjoy in the late afternoon, around those few minutes when the sun disappears behind the horizon – a feeling that reminds us of this complex and structured orange wine.” (Movin Agency)

More about Kristinus

5 great wines and a superb speaker

Béres Vineyards is situated in the most picturesque village of Tokaj wine region, their wines are impeccable and have their own personality. And now they make wine lovers life easier by offering many concrete dates in the near future. The speaker has witty style of speech paired with very high skills of the English language and deep knowledge of Tokaj history and styles.

Available dates of the masterclass:
March 20., Friday 15.00
March 21. Saturday 11:00
March 26. Thursday 15:00
March 28. Saturday 11:00
April 03.  Friday 15:00
April 04.  Saturday 15:00
April 08.  Wednesday 15:00
April 16.  Thursday 15:00
April 18.  Saturday 15:00
April 23.  Thursday 15:00
April 25.  Saturday 15:00
May 01.  Friday 15:00
May 02.  Saturday 15:00
Booking: call Gergely Somogyi at +3620/218-1848 (alternative dates might be available as well).
Price: 7990 HUF / person (approximately 20 EUR)
Recommended eatery before or after the masterclass: Mondoha, a brand new “bakery bistro” in the village of Erdőbénye.
More about Béres Vineyards

Gergely Somogyi was shortlisted in Jancis Robinson’s wine writers competition with an article about the reconstruction of historic vineyards. 

Tokaj vineyards before and after

Wine & Painting at Tornai Winery

Zsuzsanna Kővári artist will share her passion of creation with joy at Tornai Winery on 11 April. Wine, wine bites and paint will be provided, guests only need to bring their heart. Plus: do not miss the chance to stock some of the 4 recent gold medal winner Tornai wines!

Date and time: 11 April 2026, 13.00
Venue: Tornai Winery, Somló hegy 1242., Somlojeno, Hungary, 8478
Participation fee: 12 000 HUF (approximately 30 EUR)
It includes: refreshing wines from Tornai, some wine bites, guided painting
Booking: +36 70 663 6641 / rendezveny@tornaipince.hu
More about Tornai Winery

Tornai Winery celebrates its 80th anniversary this year with several events all year long.

Painting with heart

Vivid colours, different techniques, several styles – Zsuzsanna “Zsanna” Kővári does not want to stay in her comfort zone, she wants to try herself in new techniques and genres to evolve. She grew up in Balaton Uplands, her love of the lake district is reflected in many of her paintings.
11 April is the Day of Poetry in Hungary, commemorating one of our most famous poets, Attila József, who was born on this day. Then why a painter? First of all, why not, secondly, Zsanna’s painting is poetry. She often reads poems for inspiration, because, as she says: “good things inspire me the most”. She “paints with heart”, and she can transfer this passion through a workshop like the one at Tornai Winery.

More about Zsuzsanna Kővári