Wines of the latest 3 winners – shipped to every European country

The winner of the prestigious award “Winemaker of the Year” has just been announced: the winner is Dr. Beáta Pühra Nyúlné from Nyakas Winery. She is the second female winner in the 30 year old history of the award. The award winners are all successful winemakers both in Hungary and at their export markets, all have a long history of quality winemaking, a large number of medals at wine competitions, and the personality of the winemaker is also taken into account.

The process of the award

The award belongs to the Hungarian Wine Academy. In the first round the members of the Academy plus renowned wine experts nominate winemakers. The list of the 5 nominees consists of the 4 winemakers getting the most nominations, plus 1 winemaker nominated by the previous Winemakers of the Year.

Then comes the voting period: the members of the Academy vote for the 5 nominees. The award is the guarantee of quality – if you order from them, you won’t get disappointed.

Dr. Beáta Pühra Nyúlné, Winemaker of the Year 2021

Beáta arrived at Nyakas Winery in the year 2000, where her duty is to manage the winery, control quality and run the bottling plant. She loves her position at Nyakas, since she has the chance to grow in her profession and she has the support of the team to fulfil her ideas. The winery cultivates 188 hectares at the moment producing more than 1 million bottles. Under the management of Beáta in the past 20 years the winery has received more than 100 medals at national and international competitions. Beáta’s personal favourite variety is Rhine Riesling, she believes it is the “queen of the grapes”, which is a real challenge for the winemakers.

Wine recommendation: Nyakas Menádok Rhine Riesling 2017

Harvest took place late in October, 30% of the berries were shrivelled, thus there is some residual sugar – in perfect harmony with the elegant acidity. Typical notes of the variety, creamy texture, long finish. The wine was kept on fine lees for wine month, which gives extra complexity. Berliner Wine Trophy gold winner in 2020 8among other medals).

Order Nyakas Menádok Rhine Riesling 2017 from Winelovers Webshop

Tamás Borbély, Winemaker of the Year 2020

Tamás Borbély is an important player of Badacsony wine region. His family planted the first vines in Badacsonytomaj in 1981. Borbély Family Winery was “re-founded” in 1996 with the history and tradition of several generations growing grape and making wine. The vineyards are situated in Badacsony wine region on the mountains and hills of Badacsony, Gulács, Csobánc, Bács and Tóti, near Lake Balaton. The 23 hectare family estate is the home of indigenous and traditional varieties grown on outstanding parcels. The winery is keen on making both fresh wines with crispy minerality and complex, aged wines using traditional and modern technologies. Following the tradition, most Borbély wines age in large wooden barrels.

Wine recommendation: Borbély Bács-hegy Olaszrizling 2017 

The gift of Bács hill fermented in new oak barrel and fermented for 6 months, followed by 2 years of bottle ageing. Thanks to the basalt base soil with clay, the wine is most complex with high potassium content and bitter almond aftertaste.

Order Borbély Bács-hegy Olaszrizling 2017 from Winelovers Webshop

Csaba Koch, Winemaker of the Year 2019

Csaba Koch was born into a winemaker family for 10 generations, and he fell in love with the vineyards, the scent and the atmosphere of the cellar. His grandfather taught him the basics of grape growing, and it was also him, who granted Csaba the first vineyard in 1991. Nowadays Koch Winery has two estates. The first is a 150 hectare vineyard in Hajós–Baja wine region with the centre in the village of Borota. The vineyards are young planted by Csaba Koch, with grape varieties like Kadarka, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Kékfrankos, Merlot, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel, Rhine Riesling, Cserszegi Fűszeres and Irsai Olivér. The second is located in Villány wine region: 10 hectares planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. Csaba Koch believes that with the properly selected varieties and with quality oriented winemaking Hajós–Baja wine region has the potential to give outstanding wines, since this part of Hungary can boast with the largest number of sunny hours.

Wine recommendation: Koch Csaba Csanád Cuvée 2015 

The rich and complex nose is dominated by black currant, blackberry and sour cherry in perfect harmony with notes of blue flowers, herbs and chocolate. The winemaker chose and used barrel precisely, with great knowledge, thus the notes of barrel ageing give an elegant frame to the wine, enhancing the fruity character of the wine

Order Koch Csaba Csanád Cuvée 2015 from Winelovers Webshop