Tony Jordan Rising Star: Sauska

Australian winemaker and judge Tony Jordan was a key member of the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC) from its very beginning (2014) until his health allowed (2018). The influential wine expert died a year later and was replaced by a Hungarian Champagne-expert, György Márkus. With the founder Tom Stevenson and Essi Avellan MW, the other key judge of CSWWC they created a special prize to honour Tony Jordan. This prize is given every year to a relatively young, but outstanding sparkling wine producer.
“… we are thrilled to be recognised as one of the most promising emerging wineries in the international sparkling wine world. In Tokaj, we have long been curious about the possibilities this remarkable wine regionholds for sparkling wine. We experiment, learn and refine our craft, discovering more about its potential along the way. These awards make that journey all the more rewarding.” – commented Sauska.

The superstar magnum from Tokaj

Sauska Blanc de Blancs Magnum 2020 received a gold medal at CSWWC, and at the gala dinner the magnum was named the Best Hungarian Sparkling Wine.
It is a blend of Chardonnay and Furmint, aged on the lees for minimum 48 months, and the dosage is 4 g/l.
“Quince and Sicilian lemon zest drive the aromas next to biscuit and subtle toasty aromas coming from the long lees ageing. Vibrant and juicy palate with crisp acidity, thanks to the blend of Furmint and Chardonnay. Sea breeze and wet rock minerality enhances the refreshing lemon zest and lime-juice citruses. Refreshingly dry, pure and very, very long – the emblematic minerality of Tokaj break-through in the aftertaste. Creamy and elegant, the ideal aperitive.”
And what does RC on the neck of the bottle stand for? “Each bottle is marked the monogram RC, announcing the decades-long expertise of Régis Camus, our consultant from Champagne, and the inspiring power of Tokaj.”
See the magnum on Sauska webshop
More about Sauska

All Hungarian medal winners

Anonym
– Anonym Pince 2020 Brut Etyeki Pezsgő (Magnum), Etyek-Buda
Etyeki Kúria
– GOLD Etyeki Kúria NV Méthode Traditionnelle Blanc de Noirs, Etyek-Buda
– SILVER Etyeki Kúria NV Méthode Traditionnelle Brut, Etyek-Buda
Kreinbacher
– GOLD Kreinbacher Birtok 2018 Égoïste (Magnum), Balaton & Upper Pannon
– SILVER Kreinbacher Birtok 2019 Prestige Brut (Magnum), Balaton & Upper Pannon
– SILVER Kreinbacher Birtok NV Brut Classic (Magnum), Balaton & Upper Pannon
Sauska
– GOLD Sauska 2020 Blanc de Blancs (Magnum), Tokaj
– SILVER Sauska 2018 Furmint Brut, Tokaj
– SILVER Sauska 2020 Blanc de Noirs (Magnum), Tokaj
– SILVER Sauska NV Brut, Tokaj
– SILVER Sauska NV Brut (Magnum), Tokaj
– SILVER Sauska NV Rosé Brut (Magnum), Tokaj
Szentpéteri
– SILVER Szentpéteri Borpince 2021 Cuvée Brut, Kunság
– SILVER Szentpéteri Borpince 2022 Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs, Csábor, Kunság
– SILVER Szentpéteri Borpince NV Cuvée Brut (Magnum), Kunság
Törley
– SILVER Törley NV François President Brut, Etyek-Buda

See all 2026 results here

Would you fancy a Bikavér from the “double” Winemaker of the Year?

Thummerer Winery is the only estate in Hungary receiving the prestigious Winemaker of the Year award twice. In 1995 the award went to the founder, the late Vilmos Thummerer, while last year the winner was József Lamport, chief winemaker of the winery. Thummerer is one of the most trustworthy Hungarian wineries with constant high quality, elegant wines and reasonable prices. Bikavér is a true Hungarian wine, a red blend with strict regulations. A Superior Bikavér has to be made of at least 5 grape varieties, the majority must be Kékfrankos. The minimum ageing is one year in oak barrel and 6 months in bottle.
Thummerer Superior Bikavér 2022, Eger, airport price: 16.99 EUR
Webshop price of the winery: 15.46 EUR

The “Tokaj trick”

Tokaji Aszú is undoubtedly the “king of the wines” and the “wine of the kings”. The hand-picked botrytised berries turn the Furmint and Hárslevelű wines into liquid gold with unparallel rich and complex flavours and aromas. And yes, the hard work and the fruit of the unique terroir has its price. If you cannot afford a Tokaji Aszú at the moment, you can still enjoy Tokaj buying a more affordable Tokaji Szamorodni. This wine style is also traditional and strictly regulated, and the lower price is due to the less labour consuming harvest method: for Szamorodni wines the intact and the botrytised berries are harvested together. (Read more about the different Tokaj styles here.) And you can also try Katinka, it is also a noble sweet wine, and it is “just” a late harvest wine, so there are no botrytised berries at all, yet the brilliant acidity and the typical Tokaj grapes make it a stunning wine. No wonder Katinka has been the most sold wine of the airport shop several times!
Patricius Tokaji Aszú 5 puttonyos 2018, Tokaj, airport price: 34.99 EUR, winery webshop price: 32.84 EUR (12 000 HUF)
Patricius Stilla Aurea Tokaiensis Tokaji Szamorodni 2021, Tokaj, airport price: 17.99 EUR, winery webshop price: 19.16 EUR (7000 HUF).
Patricius Katinka, Tokaj, airport price: 14.99 EUR, winery webshop price: 16.42 EUR (6000 HUF)

Look for the coolest offers!

I found this wine at champion price in June, of course I grabbed the last bottle. Zenit is a crossing between Bouvier and Ezerjó grapes created in Pécs Research centre in Hungary by Ferenc Király in 1951, but it was officially recognized only in 1976. Thanks to its good abilities („usefully early ripening”, as it is written in Wine Grapes) Zenit is getting more and more popular. It gives slightly aromatic wines with pleasant, refreshing but not too high acidity. With low yield it can give elegant, subtle wines, and MSP Zenit is a beautiful proof of that made by Sándor Mérész chief winemaker of Etyeki Kúria (hence the name MSP, now MSV, “p” stood for project and now “v” stands for vision).
Etyeki Kúria MSP Zenit 2023, Etyek, airport price: 9.99 EUR
Webshop price of the winery: 12.45 EUR (4550 HUF)

Kékfrankos, Villányi Franc and Duennium for the eternity

Kékfrankos is the most important black grape variety of Hungary with a potential to become sexy and trendy. It is fruit driven, juicy, enjoyable and truly Hungarian – though it is also famous in our neighbouring countries in other names like Blaufränkisch and Frankovka Modra. Vylyan Kékfrankos is a “cool” wine and not just because the label features Dr House.
(Read the story of the label here.) Villányi Franc is an appellation in Villány, our southernmost wine region, with strict regulation, made of 100% Cabernet Franc wines. Super Premium Villányi Franc wines have to be aged for at least one year in oak barrel and one year in bottle, and the maximum yield is 35 hl/hectare. Vylyan Super Premium Villányi Franc has this label only for the airport, the “normal” name is Mandulás, referring to one of their most important vineyards. And Duennium, the flagship wine of the estate is a great choice if you want to give a very special wine for a very special person. The little plant on the label is Ginkgo biloba, the symbol of eternity. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (30%) and Syrah (10%) wines are aged separately in Hungarian oak (80% new) barrels for 18 months, and after the blending of the best barrels, the wine rests in stainless steel tank for 6 more months.
Vylyan Kékfrankos 2023, Villány, airport price: 11.49 EUR, winery webhop price: 8.18 EUR (2990 HUF)
Vylyan Super Premium Villányi Franc 2021, Villány, airport price: 31.99 EUR, webshop price: 25.68 EUR (9390 HUF)
Vylyan Duennium 2017, Villány, airport price: 38.99 EUR, winery webshop price: 35.28 EUR (12 900 HUF)

Half bottle, full pleasure

Did you know that Hungary has a long tradition of sparkling wine production? Hungarians made sparkling wine earlier than the Spanish. (The first Spanish bubbly was made in 1872, whereas the first Hungarian sparkling company was founded in 1834, and the second in 1859.) Nowadays many wineries have one sparkling wine in the portfolio, while Sauska produces a whole range in their own state-of-the-art sparkling cellar, under the guidance of the world-famous Régis Camus from Champagne. Sauska Brut is made of Furmint, Hárslevelű and Chardonnay, the dosage is only 8 g/L, and it is aged on the lees for at least 18 months. This little gem is a lovely gift to your friends, to each of them. I wonder if it were available chilled as well! Though then it would never reach those friends…
Sauska Brut NV, Tokaj (half bottle), airport price: 9.99 EUR
Winery webshop price: 10.92 EUR (3950 HUF)

Why are the prices so good?

(Information received from the representative of Heinemann)
Heinemann has fundamentally redefined the concept of Travel Value and Duty Free shops. Anyone with a valid boarding pass can shop at Heinemann Duty Free. Heinemann applies a uniform pricing policy regardless of the passenger’s destination, meaning travellers pay the same price whether flying within the EU or to an international destination.

• Duty Free: Available for passengers traveling to non-EU destinations, offering products exempt from local taxes and duties.
• Travel Value: Available for intra-EU travellers where taxes apply, though Heinemann still offers competitive airport pricing through the uniform pricing.

Beyond the advantages of the consistent pricing, the retail developed further permanent and seasonal offers and services such as:
– Year-round best prices in Spirits, Wines, Chocolate, Beauty in Special Offer and PriceHighlight concepts.
– Member Pricing: Special discounts and reduced Member Prices are available exclusively through the Heinemann x ME loyalty program.
– Click & Collect: Items reserved online prior to departure are non-binding until paid at pickup, and the final price is determined by the register price at the physical airport shop.
– Collect on Arrivals.

Special awards

– Chef of the Year: Márton Tatai (Hoppá! Bistro)
– Young Culinary Talent of the Year: Ádám Berecz (Sulyom Tájétterem)
– Most Promising Restaurant: Cova Budapest
– Most Innovative Cuisine: Alkimista Kulináris Műhely
– Sommelier of the Year: Krisztián Juhász (Borkonyha and Textúra)
– Service Staff Member of the Year: Zsolt Király (Rumour by Rácz Jenő)
– Pizza of the Year: Anyukám Mondta

Our earlier article about Hoppá! Bistro offering Babarczi wines

Wine of the Weekend: Babarczi Sirius

Grand gold and gold for Sauska

Statistics: As we wrote above, all the 10 Hungarian grand gold winners are noble sweet wines from Tokaj.
One of them is Sauska Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2017, what is more, Sauska won two more gold medals, one for Sauska Brut traditional method sparkling wine, and one for Sauska Cuvée 7 from the Villány estate. The grand gold winner 6 puttonyos Tokaji Aszú is made of 100% Furmint, and it has 208 g/L residual sugar, balanced by 7.9 g/L acidity.
More about Sauska

“Quadriplets” by Vesztergombi

Statistics: Altogether 7 Hungarian rose wines won gold medals at this session of the Trophy.
If Csaba Vesztergombi wins gold medals, he usually wins 4 gold medals, as if it was the minimum. It was the case at the 2025 winter tasting of Berliner Wine Trophy, when Vesztergombi Cellar from Szekszárd was the Most Successful Hungarian Winery of the Trophy. This year the gold winner team is: Turul 2021 (Merlot and Cabernet Franc red blend), Csaba 2022 (Merlot), Rose 2025 (Kadarka and Kékfrankos rose blend) and Kerékhegy Shiraz 2022. The novelty is probably the gold medal for the rose, made of indigenous grapes, and it costs only 1890 HUF (approximately 5 EUR).
More about Vesztergombi

The name Teleki shines again

Statistics: 36 of the 78 Hungarian gold winner wines are red.
The name Teleki can be familiar for anyone in the wine trade, since Zsigmond Teleki was a renowned viticulturist all over Europe, one of the most efficient fighters against phylloxera. The winery following his path in Villány collects several medals when they enter, this time the inventory is 4 gold medals, 3 red wines and 1 sparkling: Kővilla Cuvée 2020 (Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc red blend), Teleki Tradíció Super Premium Villányi Franc 2020 (Cabernet Franc), Teleki Tradíció Vesper 2024 (Syrah, Merlot, Kékfrankos red blend), Teleki Tradíció Chardonnay Brut 2022 (bottle fermented sparkling wine).
More about Teleki wines

Tóth Ferenc Egri Csillag – a wine worth waiting

Statistics: 35 of the Hungarian gold winners are white wines.
Tóth Ferenc Winery from Eger has collected 2 gold medals at this Trophy, one of them is Tóth Ferenc Egri Csillag Superior 2025 white blend, while the other is a a red blend, Tóth Ferenc Egri Kékfrankos Grand Superior Nagy-Eged-dűlő 2024. As the team of the winery shared, the Egri Csillag Superior 2025 white blend has just been bottled, but not released yet, they prefer to let it age in the bottle for a year more. But they revealed that in vintage, 2025 the Hárslevelű was well ripened, even shrivelled, thus the wine is thicker, full bodied, complex, layered and elegant. Maybe it is worth buying “en primeur”!
More about Tóth Ferenc Winery

A Lidl sparkling by Garamvári – great value gold

Statistics: 7 of the gold winner Hungarian wines are sparkling wines.
Pannon Imperial Sekt Extra Dry is a bottle fermented sparkling wine made by Garamvári Vineyard, exclusively for Lidl supermarkets. The wine is available in Hungary and through Lidl in many other countries, quite likely in Germany as well. Therefore, it is good to know that this 100% Chardonnay sparkling from the south shore of Balaton is a good value sparkling wine for only 2599 HUF (approximately 7 EUR) in the Hungarian Lidl stores.

More about Garamvári Vineyard

Nils Bernstein about Padi

“Padi is a contemporary ode to Hungarian wine and Tokaj culinary tradition. Try salt-baked celery with Hungarian sturgeon caviar alongside a brisk Furmint, or Mangalitsa pork neck with cottage cheese dumplings and paprika sauce, paired with a surprisingly fresh and complex Pinot Noir. Save time for a cellar tour and a leisurely glass on the terrace.

BEST RESTAURANT DESIGN: Two intersecting lens-shaped discs, each 120 feet across, hover above a panorama of some of Hungary’s most exalted vineyards. Like a watchman’s eyes, the structure evokes the 24/7 guards who protect Hungary’s famed Holy Crown. Architect Péter Bordás of Hungary’s BORD Architectural Studio sought not to integrate the structure with nature but to stand in reverence of it. “What I create should not touch the untouchable,” he says. Built as much to accommodate Padi restaurant and bar as the winery itself, it’s a sublime ode to the great wine, hospitality, and dry humor that epitomize modern Hungary.”
See the whole Wine Enthusiast article here

We celebrated Hungarianwines.eu at Padi!

For seven years we organised Hungarian Gettogether, a wine event dedicated to quality wine writers and of course, to quality wines. 7 is a magic number, thus for the 7th edition we decided to choose Sauska Tokaj with Padi restaurant. It was fabulous, the staff was more than helpful, the food (including staff food) was gorgeous, and our guests loved the breath-taking surroundings.
Browse the photos from the 7th Hungarian Gettogether here