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

Teleki Tradíció Malbec 2023, Villány – grand gold

Obviously, Malbec is not a usual variety in Hungary, only a few wineries grow it. Csányi Winery tries to adapt to the climatic changes, and Malbec proves to be a good solution even in Villány, the southernmost wine region of Hungary. The grand gold medal is a huge acknowledgement, and keep in mind that this super premium wine costs only about 24 EUR in retail. “A lush, Mediterranean-style aroma, with notes of sun-dried forest fruits, and piquant oriental spices. Full-bodied, richly textured, harmonious wine, with vitality and appealing fruitiness.” Another accolade: Teleki Kővilla Syrah 2024 received gold medal.
More about Teleki Wines

Vesztergombi Cellar, Szekszárd – 4 gold and 1 silver medal

Vesztergombi winery was the most successful winery of the previous edition of Berliner Wine Trophy winter tasting, and probably he is the most successful again (we are still counting). So, Ferenc and Csaba Vesztergombi are “regular winners”, but this is the first time that they win gold medal with a white wine. Szekszárd is more focused on red and rosé wines, thus this acknowledgement has special importance. Királylány, the white wine is the blend of Cserszegi Fűszeres and Királyleányka, and the retail price is around 5000 HUF! More about the grape varieties here. And the winners are:
Vesztergombi Királylány 2025 – gold
Vesztergombi Vintage 2021 – gold
Vesztergombi Kerékhegy Shiraz 2022 – gold
Vesztergombi Porkolábvölgy Kékfrankos 2022 – gold
Vesztergombi Csaba 2022 – silver

More about Vesztergombi Cellar

Thummerer Winery, Eger – 4 gold medals

József Lamport head winemaker is the latest Winemaker of the Year, a well-deserved title, as it is proved again at the winter edition of Berliner Wine Trophy. (The founder, Vilmos Thummerer was chosen Winemaker of the Year in 1995.) The winery celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and these medals fit well on the birthday cake. The Bikavér wines and the Chardonnay are obvious, but Rébus may need some explanation. Rébus is a superior wine of the estate from two precious vineyards (Noszvaj Tekenőhát and Szomolya Nagyvölgy). Selected fruit, a blend of Merlot, Syrah és Cabernet Sauvignon, long barrel ageing. The result is a complex, soft textured, full bodied, yet elegant wine with long finish. It is only around 17 EUR in retail! And the winners are:
Thummerer Egri Bikavér Classicus 2022
Thummerer Egri Bikavér Superior 2022
Rébus Egri Cuvée Superior 2021
Thummerer Chardonnay Batonnage 2024

More about Thummerer Winery

Life among the vines: the challenges of a grapegrower

Kadarka demands attention right from the pruning stage: with cordon training, we use short-spur pruning. To ensure a good harvest, special attention must be paid to green work. Shoot thinning from late April to mid-May, followed by cluster thinning in mid-summer, are essential steps. The greatest challenge is the variety’s famously thin skin. Because of this, it is highly susceptible to powdery mildew and botrytis (moderately susceptible to downy mildew), so plant protection must be carried out with great precision. The thin skin also reacts poorly to rainfall: during a heavy autumn downpour, the harvest can practically “wash off” the vine. For this very reason, to preserve the fruit’s health and purity, we sometimes have to harvest earlier than planned.
Did you know that the berries within a Kadarka cluster ripen unevenly? Imagine a single cluster where you’ll find pale pink berries with piercingly bright acidity alongside almost raisin-like, sweetly overripe berries. The wine must ultimately shape this duality into a well-rounded, harmonious flavour profile—this is what truly puts the winemaker to the test.

In the silence of the cellar: the winemaker’s decisions

In the vineyard, Tamás cultivates and harvests the grapes at the plot level, in accordance with his pre-set goals. If the raw material is beautiful and healthy, the degree of ripeness determines the path it will take deep within the cellar:
Siller: This is our most reliable wine, as Siller can be made from Kadarka in almost every vintage.
Classic: If the raw material is sufficiently ripe, we ferment it in tanks, followed by a gentle, short aging in oak barrels. This gives rise to the “little Kadarka” or the “little Bikavér.”
Superior: When nature is kind to us and the raw material is exceptional, we ferment it in open vats or tanks. This is followed by rest: we age the wine in 500-liter wooden barrels. Later, tasting each barrel with great care, we decide whether it will become the base for Superior Kadarka, Superior Bikavér, or our flagship wine, the Grand Superior Várvédő Bikavér.

Fine-tuning the style

Due to the Kadarka’s thin skin, the wine is more modest in color, tannins, and even body and length than a red variety with thicker skin. In an average vintage, we turn this into a virtue: we craft a likable, modern, low-alcohol, light, and fruity wine from it. However, crafting a truly substantial, full-bodied Superior wine from it is a real challenge, one that is largely decided out in the vineyard. Since the wine’s structure is inherently elegant and airy, barrel use must be handled with extreme care—excessive oak aging would easily overwhelm this delicate wonder and compromise its quality.

More about Tóth Ferenc Winery

Sebestyén Nagy about Gloria

“When tasting Titi Gál’s wines, I increasingly feel that they are perfectly crafted. Not only flawlessly, but with a superb sense of proportion and meticulous care. The raw material of the 2022 Soli Deo Gloria Bikavér is perfectly ripe, with hints of dried fruit in the aroma here and there, but not yet overripe. The barrel adds a subtle spiciness, but it is barely present. The acidity is lively, lifting the whole wine and the taster, but not too much. Somehow, all the components give their best, and their combination creates a harmonious and pleasantly long composition. A blend of Kékfrankos, Kadarka, Franc, Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot from three great vineyards in Eger. The overall picture is coloured by a slightly cool, mysteriously beautiful tone, which is increasingly characteristic of Titi wines. So not only do you make wines that are like works of art, you also have your own style – that’s cool, Titi, I envy you.”

Fruit of three vineyards

“A serious yet sensitive Bikavér that proudly carries the spiritual banner of the winery.”
Tibor Gál makes several Bikavér wines: a Superior Bikavér called Labrintus, two single vineyard Grand Superior wines – Síkhegy and Pajados –, and S. D. Gloria, a barrel selection. The grape for Gloria came from three iconic Eger vineyards: Nagy-Eged, Pajados, and Síkhegy. The skin contact lasted for 20–30 days. After pressing, the wines were aged for 18 months in 500-litre oak barrels. It costs 11000 HUF on the webshop of the winery (approximately 29 EUR).
More information about the wine and the winery

Tibor Gál wines are available in several countries, for example in the US at Palinkerie, and also in many countries of Europe, for example in Belgium at Global Wineries.

Nagy Sebestyén Top 10 from 2025

The full blogpost is available here (1 February).

10. Vida: Bonsai Öregtőkés Kadarka, Szekszárd, 2024, Score: 9.2
9. A. Gere: Solus, Villány, 2022, 9.2
8. Figula: Köves, Balatonfüred-Csopak, 2022, 9.2
7. Bukolyi Marcell: Eger Nagy-Eged Grand Superior Reserve, Eger, 2021, 9.2
6. Sebestyén: Szekszárd Iván, Szekszárd, 2022, 9.2
5. Gál Tibor: S. D. Gloria, Eger, 2022, 9.3
4. Barcza: Nagy-Somló Kékfrankos, Somló, 2023, 9.3
3. Kovacs Nimrod Winery: Grand Bleu, Eger, 2018, 9.3, 9.5
2. St. Andrea Nagy-Eged, Eger, 2021, 9.5
1. Centurio: Liberty, Mátra, 2024, 9.5

An earlier article of ours about Tibor Gál being the engine of innovation in Eger wine region

The Star of Eger – the wine and the visioner

Getting better every year

– What wines/wine regions in the world do you admire, which have had an impact on you?
– I think every major and famous wine region has its own beauty, advantages, and disadvantages. What captivates me about them is always different, whether it is something that inspires me or perhaps shows progress in technology. Tuscany’s variety-focused approach, Burgundy’s emphasis on the vineyards, New Zealand’s marketing and style building, Tokaj’s uniqueness, California’s market building, brand emphasis and precision. These are just a few examples, but I believe that you can learn and develop from anything. It is important to remain true to ourselves and to always continue to develop and adapt.
– What is your greatest desire, your goal, when you think about the next 5-10 years?
– To develop, to get better every year. If that works, then I’ll be satisfied with that for now.

More about Kovács Nimród Winery

Kovács Nimród wines are available in many countries, see the partners around the world here

A recent success

Worthy of the great jazz drummer

Tóth Ferenc Kadarka Superior 2023, Eger

“Ruby red coloured Kadarka, quickly opening, but deep in aromas. It opens with a spicy character of clove, cinnamon, slightly vanilla with a hint of sweetness on the palate. Then shows more the fruity side, reminiscent of cherry brandy, blackberry jam. The first sip is vibrant, with moderate acidity, and finally the mature tannins gently show up. Oaky spices, little anise, tobacco, aroma comes on the nose and the palate as well.“ (Description by Adél Bernáth-Ulcz wine and chocolate expert.)
Retail price is around 15 EUR:

More information about the wine and the estate

Stay in Kadarka!

“I stayed in Kadarka and drank it, too”

It was not desecration!

Probably many wine enthusiasts are shocked now and despise us. What? Blending wines from different countries? Desecrating the sacred terroirs and the hard work of the winemakers?

1. Well, first of all, the blended amount was just a small portion, for a symbolic tasting, guests had the chance to taste the unblended wines themselves, they could see the labels and we explained a little about the wineries to each inquiring guest.
2. We are not the first to do cross-country blending, there are famous examples, like a “Two Worlds” blend of Napa (USA) Cabernet Sauvignon and Barossa (Australia) Shiraz and another Two Worlds project (though unfinished due to bureaucracy), including Ernest Loosen from Pfalz, Germany, who blended his Pinot Noir with another one from Oregon. Read more here.
3. The blend worked! We blended Spanish Tempranillo wine (the most planted black grape of Spain) with three Kékfrankos wines (Kékfrankos is the most planted black grape of Hungary). The smooth, fruity, velvety Tempranillo really benefited from the vibrant, lively and definitely more acidic Kékfrankos wines. Kékfrankos elevated Tempranillo, and the blend was a truly enjoyable, elegant red wine.

As I emphasized, guests could taste the wines themselves, without blending, the blended amount was only half a bottle of each wine, and we had some more bottles, thanks to the generosity of the wineries. It was a funny extra to the wedding, but also the introduction of Kékfrankos wines to the Spanish and other non-Hungarian guests.

So once again, Vesztergombi, Tóth Ferenc, Thummerer wineries, thank you for making a happy day even happier, and thank you for adding some “Hungarian spices and excitement” to the Spanish wine.

Read about the three wines below

Vesztergombi Porkolábvölgy Kékfrankos 2019, Szekszárd

The grape came from Porkoláb vineyard and was aged in 300–500 L barrels for 24 months. Only 2000 bottles were made. “An excellent selection of Kékfrankos from Szekszárd. Well structured, intense fruit and barrel spice, elegant acid backbone, integrated tannin structure. Concentrated fruit on the nose and palate. Red and black cherries, sour cherries, strawberries, blueberries and cranberries. A persistent finish with the enticing notes of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.”

More about Vesztergombi Cellar

Tóth Ferenc Egri Kékfrankos Superior 2018, Eger

The grape was harvested on Síkhegy, one of the most prestigious vineyards of Tóth Ferenc Winery. The wine aged in aged in 5 and 20 hl oak barrels for 2 years. “A deep-coloured wine with intense nose. The aromas are still slow to open but manifold. Blue fruits, cherries and cocoa powder blossom out on the nose. A hint of exciting amaretto character emerges in the mid-palate thanks to oak aging. Firm but ripe tannins. Th long, cherry finish combined with lively acids and a slightly chocolatey finish shows the wine has great potential.”

More about Tóth Ferenc Winery

Kékfrankos Superior Selection 2021, Eger

“A dense and layered red wine, bursting with black berries, silky tannins, and excellent aging potential. A bold, dynamic yet graceful red wine that proudly represents this classic grape variety of the Eger wine region. Its deep ruby colour with violet hues, multi-layered bouquet, and velvety tannin structure immediately reveal its impressive inner depth. The nose is dominated by notes of sour cherry, plum, and blueberry, elegantly wrapped in spicy (cinnamon, clove) and dark chocolate oak aromas. This harmony is echoed on the palate, where the long finish leaves behind a rich aftertaste of cherry and chocolate.”

More about Thummerer Winery

The Spanish wine: Sabate i Coca Castellroig So Negre 2020, Penedés

The wine is made of 100% Tempranillo in the Catalan Penedés wine region, where the grape has its Catalan name: Ull de Llebre. The grapes came from three different vineyards, fermented in American oak with skin contact and aged for 5 months. “Intense raspberry notes, liquorice, coffee, rosemary and preserved cherries. Fleshy, balanced and elegant, its gentleness is maintained through the long-lasting finish in the mouth.”

More about Sabate i Coca Winery