Venue: Corinthia Hotel Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 63–67, Hungary
Date and time: 1st April 2023, 11.00–22.00
Tickets until 19 February: 13 900 HUF (about 36 euro) instead of 16 900 HUF
Double ticket (for 2 people) – ideal as Valentine’s Day present – with further discount: 25 800 HUF (about 66 euro)
International extra tasting ticket (for wines featured in a special hall): 7900 HUF (about 20 euro) instead of 9900 HUF
Buy tickets here (in Hungarian, but Google can help)
Halls of Top Hungarian Wines: with a normal entrance tickets all the wines are avaiable to taste, except for the international wines (as mentioned above) and the “top Hungarian Wines”. These wines can be tasted by paying on the spot.
Price list of top wine samples

 

Exhibitors from all over the country

At the moment 96 Hungarian wineries are listed among the exhibitors and the list will be continuously updated. There are 22 wine regions in Hungary, and almost all of them are represented! A few suggestions: Bock Cellar, Csányi Winery / Teleki Wines, A. Gere Winery, Heumann Winery, Jammertal Wine Estate and Vylyan Vineyard and Winery from Villány, Borbély Family Winery and Villa Sandahl from Badacsony, Feind Winery from Balatonfüred–Csopak), Frittmann Winery from Kunság, Hilltop from Neszmély, Holdvölgy from Tokaj, Koch Winery from Hajós–Baja, Lajver Wine House from Szekszárd, Steigler Cellar and Taschner Winery and Sparkling Wine Cellar from Sopron, Tornai Winery from Somló, Tűzkő Estate from Tolna.

See the current list of exhibitors here

The Reason by Feind Winery

This red blend will available to taste in the Hall of Top Hungarian Wines. The wines is made of 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and 10% Syrah – this latter grape is very important at Feind Winery, their 100% Syrah wines are among the top ones in Hungary in every vintage. The wine aged in barrique for 18 months. And why name? Because, as they say, “When we open this bottle, itself is a reason the celebrate…”

• More about Feind Winery
• Some Feind wines are available at The Wine Society, United Kingdom
• Feind wines are available on Winelovers Webshop. They ship to every European country!

Winemakers of the Year so far

2021 Beáta Nyúlné Dr. Pühra, Etyek-Buda

2020 Tamás Borbély, Badacsony

2019 Csaba Koch, Hajós-Baja

2018 Géza Balla, Arad (Romania)

2017 † Mátyás Szőke, Mátra

2016 Pál Mészáros, Szekszárd

2015 † Mihály Szöllősi, Neszmély

2014 Tamás Dúzsi, Szekszárd

2013 Éva Gálné Dignisz, Kunság

2012 Károly Áts, Tokaj

2011 Péter Vida, Szekszárd

2010 Ottó Légli, Balatonboglár

2009 Dr. György Lőrincz, Eger

2008 † János Konyári, Balatonboglár

2007 János Frittmann, Kunság

2006 Vencel Garamvári, Balatonboglár

2005 Béla Vincze, Eger

2004 Ferenc Takler, Szekszárd

2003 János Árvay, Tokaj

2002 † Ernő Malya, Etyek-Buda

2001 István Szepsy, Tokaj

2000 † Mihály Figula, Balatonfüred-Csopak

1999 Ákos Kamocsay, Ászár-Neszmély

1998 † Tibor Gál, Eger

1997 József Bock, Villány

1996 Zoltán Polgár, Villány

1995 † Vilmos Thummerer, Eger

1994 Attila Gere, Villány

1993 Ferenc Vesztergombi, Szekszárd

1992 † Tibor Báthori, Etyek-Buda

1991 Ede Tiffán, Villány

Holdvölgy Culture – with the highest score

Only 4 wineries received 93 points, all for natural sweet wines, one of them is Holdvölgy with its Culture 2017. Culture is a 6 puttonyos Tokaji Aszú made of Furmint, Hárslevelű and Zéta grapes. The amount of the residual sugar may sound enormous with its 200.4 g/l, but it is perfectly balanced by the 7.31 acidity and the fresh aromas of sun ripened apricot, citrus fruits and gentle flowers. Apart from the success of the sweet wine, Holdvölgy can boast with the highest dry white score as well: Intuition No3 2018 received 91 points. Intuition No3 is a 100% Furmint wine. As Holdvölgy team commented, Intuition No3 is the third vineyard selection from Holdvölgy vineyard, a wine made by inspiration. The nose is abundant in tropical fruits, jasmine, vanilla and sugar melon, while the palate reveals tangerine, persimmon, apricot and a hint of citrus. Moderate barrel ageing makes it more complex. Firm sugar-acid balance, great structure, spicy aftertaste. Only 2300 bottles were made, you had better hurry to stock some!

More information about Holdvölgy

Frittmann Olívia – a silver beauty

Wine contest are not only for flagship wines and expensive specialties. In fact, on the contrary: most consumers spend less than 10 euros on their every day wines, therefore they are eager to know which wine gives the best value for their money. The second vintage of Frittmann Olívia is definitely a good example of great value for money. The wine is “the marriage” of two grape varieties Irsai Olivér with Generosa. 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 wine! At the rigorous, extremely strict Winelovers Wine Awards Frittmann Olívia received silver medal with 87 points.
Frittmann Winery is located in Kunság wine region, and the family estate is the proof that the sandy, huge region has the potential of lovely an also for outstanding wines. János Frittmann was the first from Kunság wine region, who won the two most prestious title in Hungary: The Winemaker of the Year in 2007.

More about Frittmann Winery

Hilltop Neszmély – 5 medals to one estate

Though this time Hilltop did not win gold, the winery received 4 silver and one bronze medal, which is a great success at this super strict contest in itself. The highest scored Hilltop wine is Kamocsay Premium Pinot Gris 2016 with 89 points. Ákos Kamocsay is the chief winemaker of Hilltop and the premium line is named after him. Pinot Gris – in Hungarian ‘Szürkebarát’ – is an important grape in our country. It is made in several wine regions in significant quantity. Kamocsay Pinot Gris is a full bodied, complex wine with notes of apricot, honey, white flowers with subtle minerality. A wine for thought! At the moment the current vintage available is 2018, but if you are interested in the winner 2016, contact the winery here. Only 250 bottles are available!

More about Hilltop wines

Winelovers 100 grand tasting

Date and time: 17 September 2022, 14.00–22.00
Venue: Corinthia Hotel Budapest, Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 47–49., Hungary
Tickets (in Hungarian, but google can help)
List of exhibitors at Winlovers 100 grand tasting
Find the full list of medal winners here
More about Winelovers Wine Awards

The clever label

Among the 12 wine exhibitors we can find Hilltop Neszmély with its refreshing wines with award winning labels. When you try a Hilltop wine, don’t forget to check the aroma profile of the given wine on the label. Try the top line as well, Kamocsay Ákos Premium wines are among the top wines of Hungary, their Chardonnay for example was selected the best white wine by the Hungarian Circle of Wine Writers.

More about Hilltop Neszmély

The cover girl

Lajver Wine Estate is located in the picturesque village of Szálka, their modern estate is worth a visit itself (with guest rooms and superb bistro restaurant). A latest release of Lajver is Lajver Sauvignon Blanc 2021, which has been chosen the Wine of the Month in VinCE Magazine’s latest issue and it decorates the cover of the print magazine. “Pale yellow with greenish tones. Intense nose typical of the variety with elderflower, ripe citrus, tropical fruits and fresh cut grass. The palate is similarly rich and fruity with ripe pomelo, lemon flesh, star fruit and some pleasant herbal tartness.”

More about Lajver Wine Estate

Pink Panther

Jammertal Wine Estate has recently joined Hungarianwines and we are happy to have this outstanding Villány winery in our family. The estate owns 85 hectares of vineyards on finest terroir of Villány (South Hungary). The winery uses state-of-the-art technology combined with a long lasting winemaking tradition. The greatest merit of the estate is consistency on highest level. At Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2021 the highest score in the red wine overall category (Grand Gold Medal Revelation Red Wine Award) was received by the estate’s Cassiopeia Merlot 2015.

Pink Panther is their rosé wine, dry, refreshing and fruity made of 100% Kékfrankos – ideal for the river cruise.

More about Jammertal Wine Estate

Unfiltered? ‘Un-disgorged’ Chardonnay

We all know well that sparkling wines receive their unique aromas from the lees, so the ever experimenting Koch Winery has released a bottle fermented sparkling wine made of 100% Chardonnay without disgorging! Csaba Koch, the father of the “happy grape” concept, the Winemaker of the Year 2019 makes organic wines as well. This ‘unfiltered Chardonnay’ is one of the topic of this year’s WebWineWriting competition. See more info here.

Koch makes lovely aromatic wines as well, the Frisch family of wines is something we can really enjoy in a summer evening…

More about Koch Winery

Signum – The Best Bikavér of Szekszárd, Lajver, H11 / D20

Lajver Wine Estate in Szekszárd has a large portfolio from the affordable, great value wines to the “signature” wines – like Signum 2019, the emblematic Bikavér blend of the estate, which. has been selected The Best Bikavér of Szekszárd!(Szekszárd regional wine competition 2022). The blend is made of 55% Kékfrankos, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 6% Kadarka and 1% Cabernet Franc. After careful manual bunch and berry selection the grapes fermented in stainless steel, and then each varietal wine matured separately in oak barrel for 10–12 months. The blending was followed by 12 months of bottle ageing. “The nose captures the taster immediately with the scent of freshly made espresso and grated chocolate. Fruitiness comes with blackcurrant, blackberry and sun ripened raspberry. Oak notes appear on the palate: the sweet spices, the masculine tannin and the toasted notes make it clear that Signum is a massive wine. A mediterranean style, powerful red wine with firm structure, ample alcohol and tannin, spice and fruit, and long lasting flavours. The ‘Zen’ harmony has not developed yet, but it definitely has the potential. At the moment we recommend only with hearty meals, but it is also wise to lay it in the cellar and taste it again in some years’ time.” And the price? Around 9 euros in retail – indeed it is a steal. If you visit Lajver booth, do not miss their latest release, Lajver Premium Sauvignon Blanc, another gold medal winner wine of the estate.

More about Lajver and its wines

“Real beauty” – Csányi / Chateau Teleki – H11 / E30

Csányi Winery was founded by the renowned viticulturist, Zsigmond Teleki, the saviour of many vineyards during the phylloxera plague. Therefore some lines of the winery bear the name Teleki, like the one we are recommending now. Chateau Teleki Villányi Franc 2017 won gold medals at Challenge International du Vin 2021, Berliner Wein Trophy 2021 and China Wine & Spirits Award 2021. Lately Tamlyn Currin evaluated the wine and gave it 17 points on JancisRobinson.com. “ This is so peppery and with such ripe, yet elegant, dark-red fruit that I might be forgiven for calling it northern Rhône Syrah-like. Villány really does produce a totally unique Cab Franc. There is a fine underscore of pencil-shavings and green capsicum, green peppercorns. The spice is fine-ground, refined, folded in and pressed into the folds of the fruit. This has real beauty, understated stature.“ And it costs only 6.60 euros in retail!

More about Csányi Winery

Pannon Imperial – not luxury any more, Garamvári, H11 / D20

Garamvári Vineyard is a renowned Hungarian winery with several prestgious titles like Winemaker of the Year (for the founder, Vencel Garamvári) or Winery of the Year. The quality work is constant: last year the winemaker, Péter Baranyai was selected The Most Successful Winemaker of VinAgora, and at the latest edition of VinAgora international wine contest Garamvári Vineyard won 5 gold medals and one silver medal.Garamvári Imperial Extra Dry and Imperial Rose Extra Dry are sparkling wines made for Lidl supermarket chain – amazing examples of good price-value products. At the moment the white version is available at Lidl in Hungary for a retail price of only 5.7 euros! If you visit Garamvári booth, taste the whole range of sparkling wines, among others Garamvári Brut Nature 2018, our favourite, a highly elegant blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

More about Garamvári Vineyard

Wine of the Kings and their people – Dereszla, H11 / D20

Tokaji Aszú is one of the most expensive wines of the worlds, and not because of the immense marketing cost, but because it is exteremely labour consuming. Experienced women can do the picking of the rare and hidden botrytised berries, berry by berry, but these women are not easy to find, and that is only the beginning of the process. So if you are offered a cheap Tokaji Aszú, do not accept it. However Chateau Dereszla can lower the margine due to volume, thus their Tokaji Aszú 5 pttonyos 2017 is not cheap, but more affordable.The wine has a great balance with 139.8 g/l sugar and 9.71 g/l acidity. “Bright golden colour. The nose features charming citrus notes, honey and the botrytised berries themselves. The palate continues with honey and citrus complemented by dried apricot. Harmony, complexity, balance.” It costs 9000 HUF in retail, which makes approximately 23 euros.

More about Dereszla Winery

Winewriters’ Choice – Kamocsay / Hilltop, H11 / D20

The Circle of Wine Writers have selected the so called Super 12 white and red wines for the 6th time this year. Being on the list is prestige in itself, but to be selected the best of the best ones is a serious accolade. The Hungarian Wine Grand Prix 2021 goes to Neszmély wine region for the first time, since Hilltop Kamocsay Prémium Chardonnay 2019 collected the most points at the blind tasting.

Kamocsay wines are the premium line of Hilltop estate in Neszmély wine region. Ákos Kamocsay chief winemaker has won several awards, among others he is Winemaker of the Year 1999. Hilltop Kamocsay Premium Chardonnay 2019 is an estate wine, the blend of Chardonnay wines from different vineyards. Fermented and matured in stainless steel with 3 months of batonnage. Bottled after 14 months. Concentrated, layered, elegant wine with typical Chardonnay notes, mainly white flesh and tropical fruits like pineapple and sugar melon. Due to the batonnage we can discover fine buttery notes and creamy texture. The only problem is that the wine is sold out – no wonder. Vintage 2020 is available now, but you can trust Ákos Kamocsay, the quality is outstanding again – and the price is only around 8 euros in retail!

More about Hilltop Neszmély

Hungarian exhibitors at ProWein 2022

– Haraszthy Vineyards – the winery from Etyek makes a small range of wines, but with their Argentinian and Californian sister wineries the portfolio is more than exciting. Haraszthy Sauvignon Blanc is among the best examples of Hungary.

– Hilltop – the estate is situated in Neszmély wine region and has been the favourite of many winelovers for three decades. A recent success: Kamocsay Premium Chardonnay was selected the best white wine of Hungary by the Circle of Hungarian Wine Writers.

– Lajver Wine Estate – a state-of-the-art winery in Szekszárd wine region with several exciting experimental wines. Do not miss Incogn’to, a Kékfrankos vinified into white wine!

– Holdvölgy – the estate is located in Mád, in the iconic village within Tokaj wine region. Holdvölgy makes fabulous varietal wines made of the Tokaj varieties, including Kabar named Intuition.

– Sauska – one estate with vineyards in two wine regions, Tokaj and Villány, plus a brand new sparkling wine cellar in Budafok. The sparkling wine consultant is Regis Camus, the legend from Champagne.

– Steigler Cellar – an organic winery from Sopron wine region, the west of Hungary. Lovely, crispy Zöldveltelini (Grüner Veltliner) and Kékfrankos (Blaufrankisch) wines typical of the region, plus an exciting Furmint wine, it is more than worth trying!

– Tornai Winery – the leading winery of volcanic Somló wine region with high quality varietal wines made of Juhfark, Hárslevelű, Olaszrizling and many more. A collector of International Wine Challenge Trophies…

– Tűzkő Estate – Tolna wine region is not as well known as it should be, but Tűzkő is definitely a good ambassador of the wine region. Marchese Piero Antinori’s Hungarian estate makes easy going white and rosé wines, a top Chardonnay and they also have a multi award winner red blend called Tűzkő Domb Cuvée.

– Zsirai Winery – the young, enthusiastic and talented sisters, Petra and Kata have vineyards in Tokaj (Mád), Somló and Villány, but the headquarter is in Mád. Their Szamorodni wine is among the best ones in Hungary.

List of Hungarian exhibitors