Have you never heard of Portugieser?

Zoltán Győrffy wine writer, habitant of Pécs and his team work enthusiastically to direct limelight on this grape variety. When they invented the contest in 2013, only 61 samples arrived from 4 countries. The numbers increase gradually, last year 101 wines were entered from 9 countries. Winemakers can enter their young, single varietal Portugieser wines, but the older vintages are also welcome. In 2016 a new category was launched: wine specialities made of Portugieser can also participate, such as sparkling wine, white wine made of the black grape or rosé wines. The international jury has 18 members this year with professionals from Sweden to Spain. The contest is backed by the mayor of Pécs, and sponsored by Board of Villány Wine Communities.  So whether it is called Portugieser, Purtugizac, Portugalka, Blauer Portugieser or Modrý Portugal, you can taste them all in one place on 7th April!

Are you ready for RedY?

A new feature will make this year event even more exciting: neighbouring Villány wine region has just launched a new category of wine dedicated to young consumers, the so called  Y generation. The new wine is a blend based on Portugieser and meant to be a perfect party wine: easy to drink, lovely, frutiy, labelled with a youngish, fancy label and sold at reasonable, good price. The official premier is planned to be in May at Gorumet Festival, Budapest, but you will have the chance to taste RedY wines from the 9 Villány producers at this event. The nine wineries offering RedY: Bock, Csányi, Gere Tamás és Zsolt, Maczkó, Mokos, Ősi, Polgár, Szemes, Tiffán Ede és Zsolt and Vylyan wineries.

More about Portugieser (from our Grape Dictionary)

Regions: In Hungary this grape variety is restricted to Villány wine region, rarely made elsewhere, if it is, in Eger and Kunság. Portugieser is grown in other countries in Central Europe: in Germany (more than 4000 hectares), in Austria (more than 2000 hectares), in Hungary (more than 1000 hectares, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Portugal, France.

Character: This productive grape ripens early and gives ruby red, fruity, velvety, easy to drink wines with sufficient acidity. Portugieser is to be consumed when fresh and young, it cannot be kept for long time.

Story: The grape variety is likely to be of Austrian origin, and despite the name it is not likely to derive from Portugal. In Hungary Kékoportó was the common name, but due to European Union regulations this name cannot be used any more, because it would refer to (mistakenly) the city and wine region of Port (Oporto) in Portugal.