Vince Gála grand tasting on 7 November in Budapest

Vince wine magazine has announced its nominees for Vince Award. The award debuted in 2021, and this year again renowned wine experts have put together 3 nominees in each category. The voting period lasts until the 1st of November. The award-winning wines will be available for tasting at Vince Gála on 7 November in Budapest at one of the most spectacular venues, at the Museum of Fine Arts at Heroes’ Square.

Vince Gála tasting event
Date and time: 18.00–23.00, 7 November 2026
Venue: Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary
Tickets: the normal tickets are sold out, but ALL IN tickets are still available (tasting + a masterclass + Paul Gauguin exhibition): 49 900 HUF / person
Buy tickets here (in Hungarian) or at the venue

Three of the nominated wines (from our cover photo)

– Pannonhalmi Archabbey Prior Rhine Riesling 2024, Pannonhalma (category No1)
More info (though it is about vintage 2025)
– Vylyan Csóka 2023, Villány (category No11)
More info (though it is about vintage 2019)
– Gál Tibor Pinot Noir 2025, Eger (category No9)
More info
(See some related articles below the list of categories)

Vote for your favourite

You can see the nominees here in each of the 20 categories. The voting platform is in Hungarian, but we help you with the translation of the categories. The voting is very easy, just click on the squares at the bottom. Obviously, you have to tick the “acceptance of the terms and conditions” at the beginning. To get to the next page, click on the bottom ‘KÖVETKEZŐ’ (meaning ‘next’).

1. Varietal white wine made of international variety
2. Varietal white wine made of local variety (Carpathian Basin)
3. Other varietal white wine
4. White blend
5. Barrel aged white varietal wine made of international variety
6. Barrel aged white varietal wine made of local variety (Carpathian Basin)
7. Other barrel aged white varietal wine
8. Barrel aged white blend
9. Varietal red wine made of international variety
10. Varietal red wine made of local variety (Carpathian Basin)
11. Other varietal red wine 
12. Red blend
13. Barrel aged red wine made of international variety
14. Barrel aged red varietal wine made of local variety (Carpathian Basin)
15. Other barrel aged red varietal wine
16. Other barrel aged red blend
17. Rosé, Siller
18. Natural wine or sparkling wine
19. Method Charmat / Pet Nat / Aerated sparkling wine
20. Traditional method sparkling wine 
21. Late harvest sweet wine
22. Sweet Tokaji Szamorodni and Tokaji Aszú

Some articles related to the wines of our cover photo

– Pannonhalmi Archabbey Prior Rhine Riesling 2024, Pannonhalma (category No1)

Cover star: Prior Rhine Riesling by Pannonhalma Archabbey

– Vylyan Csóka 2023, Villány (category No11)

Vylyan White Variation 2023 – I could survive on it!

– Gál Tibor Pinot Noir 2025, Eger (category No9)

8+1 stories of Pinot Noir in Hungary

Taste Hungarian wines at Hundert Weinhaus booth

More than a dozen Hungarian wineries will be represented at this Swiss wine expo in cooperation with Hundert Weinhaus importer company. Villány, the southernmost Hungarian wine region will have the most estates, like A. Gere, Bock, Koch, Heumann and Vylyan – and a masterclass will also be conducted with Villány wines. Apart from Villány, other wine regions will also be represented, like Mátra by Dominium Winery and Eger by Thummerer Winery.
Photo of the Basel cathedral: Basel.com
More information about the Basel wine event

Thummerer Winery – there are many reasons to go for it!

The wine from our cover photo is made by the iconic Eger family winery, the Thummerer Winery. Time has proven them because since the foundation of the winery they have collected some of the most prestigious awards in our country:
– 1995: Vilmos Thummerer „Wine Producer of the Year in Hungary”
– 1994 and 1996: The Most Successful Family Winery in Hungary
– 2011: „Winery of the Year in Hungary”
– 2013 and 2017: The Most Successful Winery of Hungary
– 2018: The Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit
– 2025: József Lamport chief winemaker of Thummerer “Wine Producer of the Year in Hungary”.
Do not miss Thummerer Egri Bikavér Grand Superior 2021 (from our cover photo). It is a wine from the prestigious Nagy-Eged mountain and it is a blend of Kékfrankos, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Kadarka. The grape varieties were fermented and aged together for 18 months. This method resulted a concentrated and complex palate.
“Our highest quality Egri Bikavér wine, with every step of the process planned well in advance: in 2008 we planted the grapes in one of our best vineyards, with the actual proportion of the components. The vineyard of the southern slopes of Nagy-Eged is the best option to achieve the desired complexity, and due to the mixed plantation, we can harvest all the necessary ingredients of the blend at the same time.”
The wine is a superb partner of sophisticated pork and beef dishes.
More information about Thummerer Winery

Read our earlier article about Hundert Weinhaus

The couple who sell a pallet or two of wine at an exhibition

Hungarian wineries at Warsaw Wine Experience – more than ever!

The friendship between the Polish and Hungarian peoples has a long history, but this legendary relationship was overshadowed by the former Hungarian regime. Those dark days are over; Hungary has a new government, and hopefully our Polish friends will once again welcome us with open arms. Polish importers 2Bratanki, Kociolek i Vino and WinaWulkaniczne have joined forces and will be presenting the widest selection of Hungarian wines to date at the Warsaw Wine Experience on 22 and 23 November 2026. Let’s introduce seven of the confirmed participating wineries!

The wines featured in the cover photo – made by 7 of the confirmed wineries

– Tóth Ferenc Winery, Eger: Egri Csillag Superior 2025 – gold winner at the latest edition of Berliner Wine Trophy
More about Tóth Ferenc Winery

– Etyeki Kúria, Etyek: Blanc de Noirs and Brut NV bottle fermented sparkling wines – gold and silver from the latest edition of Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships
More about Etyeki Kúria

– Tornai Winery, Somló: Orange Wine – a new release of the 80-year-old winery, an orange wine made of Hárslevelű
More about Tornai Winery

– Fehérvári Wine Estate, Somló: Blanc de Blanc Grand Reserve 2020 – a stunning new release, traditional method sparkling wine from the volcanic Somló
More about Fehérvári Wine Estate

– A.Gere Winery, Villány: Gere Solus 2023 – the icon Villány Merlot has just received 100 points from Stuart Pigott independent wine expert, former wine writer of James Suckling
More about A.Gere Winery

– Steigler Cellar, Sopron: Fusion 2023 – a gold winner white blend at Berliner Wine Trophy 2026 winter tasting, made of Zöldveltelini (Grüner Veltliner), Furmint and Muscat Ottonel
More about Steigler Cellar

– Sauska, Tokaj: Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2017 – grand gold winner at the latest edition of Berliner Wine Trophy
More about Sauska

The list is still growing, we will update our readers soon, and see you, Polish friends in Warsaw!

More about Warsaw Wine Experience

More about 2Bratanki

More about Kociolek i Vino

More about WinaWulkaniczne

Sauska, Vesztergombi, Teleki, Tóth Ferenc, Garamvári

Altogether 1032 medals were given at this session of the German international wine contest, out of which 96 medals are for Hungarian wines. There are 10 grand gold, 78 gold and 8 silver medals. Let us highlight some gold medal winner wines and reveal some statistics.
More about Berliner Wine Trophy

Statistics: medal chart

1. Germany with 233 medals
2. Italy with 193 medals
3. Spain with 111 medals
4. Hungary with 96 medals
5. France with 70 medals

…and some statistics from Decanter World Wine Award

Among the Central Eastern European countries, it was Croatia, that gained the most medals (412) at the latest edition of DWWA (results announced a month ago), including 34 gold medals. With over all medals Slovenia is the second (202) and Serbia is the third (146), however, in terms of gold medals, Hungary and Austria are the 2nd with 15-15 gold medals and 144 medals over all. Tóth Ferenc Várvédő Egri Bikavér is one of the Hungarian medal winners – congratulations to all of our producers!

Country                       All medals       Gold medals
Austria                                    144                  15
Bulgaria                                   51                     5
Croatia                                    412                  34
Bosnia& Herzegovina              45                     5
Czech Republic                       81                     6
Hungary                                 144                   15
Kosovo                                     1                       0
Moldova                                   97                     6
Montenegro                             17                     2
Poland                                      6                      0
Romania                                 112                    8
Serbia                                     146                    7
Slovakia                                  10                      0
Slovenia                                  202                  12
Ukraine                                    73                     0

See all Decanter results here

Tóth Ferenc Várvédő Egri Bikavér Sík-Hegy-dűlő, 2022

Egri Bikavér is the flagship red blend of Eger wine region. Read the regulation here. Tóth Ferenc Várvédő Bikavér is made of 36% Kékfrankos, 33% Cabernet Franc, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Syrah.
Decanter tasting note:
“Refined and elegant style, with aromas of black and red berries, vanilla and violets. Spicy palate.” 87 points, bronze medal
How was it made
The different grape varieties were harvested separately at their ripening times. Fermentation took place in a mixture of steel tanks and, due to the low yields, in smaller quantities in vats. After fermentation and malolactic fermentation, ageing took place in younger and completely new Hungarian and French oak barrels with capacities of 500 and 225 liters. After two years, the team decided on the final blend, then left the wine to rest in stainless steel tanks for a few months before bottling.
Food pairings
Roast beef, game dishes, smoked cheese and roast lamb.
More about the wine and the winery
See Decanter fact sheet

Tóth Ferenc Winery loves Kadarka grape a lot!

Every Friday is Kadarka Friday – especially next Friday in Eger

Another article about the winery and Kadarka grape

The secrets of a defiant yet wonderful variety

The German international wine contest has always been popular among Hungarian winemakers, but this winter edition is the record so far: Hungary ranks 3rd in the medal contest with 178 medals after Italy (337 medals) and Spain (245). Even the organizer Germany has less medals (169). Hungary has collected 8 grand gold, 147 gold and 23 silver medals. Let us introduce some highlights of the award winners.

The grapegrower and the winemaker share insights

The article below was written by Tóth Ferenc Winery team.
See the original here.

When we talk about Kadarka, we must picture a true prima donna. There is no doubt that it shows its finest side in Hungary’s Eger and Szekszárd wine regions. It is an elegant grape variety with immense potential, yet it is extremely delicate: it demands the utmost professional care from the vineyard to the cellar. In the right terroir and in careful hands, it offers an unparalleled experience, but it punishes even the slightest negligence immediately. Let’s take a peek behind the scenes and see what makes making Kadarka such an exciting—and at the same time, challenging—task.

Sebestyén Nagy Top 10 published

Sebestyén Nagy is one of the most influential Hungarian wine writers. His unique style of writing is unmistakable and style luckily meets a sophisticated and – most of all – unbiased palate. He has recently published the list of his top 10 wines from 2025. Tibor (for friends Titi) Gál’s S. D. Gloria 2022 Egri Bikavér is No5 on the list.
To see all the 10 wines scroll down.

More than 60 exhibitors

Taste Furmint wines from at least 60 wineries in one place, with one ticket. Certainly, Tokaj wine region will be represented with the most wineries, like Béres Vineyards in our cover photo, but participants can taste Furmint wines from other regions as well. Steigler Cellar will be there from Sopron, Kovács Nimród Winery from Eger,Borbély Family Winery from Badacsony and Tornai Winery from Somló.

Date and time: 26 February 2026 (Thursday), 16.00–21.00
Venue: Hungarian Heritage House, 1011 Budapest, Corvin tér 8
Tickets purchased in advance: 21 900 HUF / approximately 58 EUR
Tickets on the spot: 25 000 HUF / approximately 66 EUR
For the full list of exhibitors scroll down
Get your ticket here (at the bottom, page is in Hungarian, but google can help or you can contact the organiser here)

Furmint in a nutshell

– Furmint is one of the few grapes allowed to use under the appellation of Tokaj, it is the main grape of aszú wines along with Hárslevelű.
– Tokaj winemakers answered with stunning dry Furmint wines to the decrease of sweet wine consumption.
– Furmint is grown all over Hungary, marvellous Furmint wines are made in Somló, Badacsony, Balatonfüred–Csopak, Mátra and Eger.
– It ripens late and has a nose of fresh fruits, often compared to ripe pear. Its significant acidity and alcohol produce characterful wines sometimes with a touch of tartness.
– Furmint originates from Tokaj, and there are several evidences to prove that, one of them is the mention of the variety as early as 1611 in a document from Erdőbénye, Tokaj region.

The latest discovery about furmint, announced yesterday:

Turkish Kolorko grape variety is identified as Hungary’s Furmint

A Turkish grape is actually Furmint!

Béres Lőcse Furmint is available in magnum format!

“This wine was made from the selected harvest of Furmint vines from the Lőcse vineyard. The must, gently pressed with a maximum pressure of 1 bar, was settled for one night. The clarified must was fermented in new wooden barrels. After fermentation, it was aged for 6 months in barrels of various sizes (2 and 5 hectolitres) with different toasts. During aging, the wine developed its harmonious, rounded, mineral character due to constant lees stirring and micro-oxygenation processes. After the aging process, we crafted the final blend by skilfully marrying the best barrels.”
More about the wine and Béres Tokaj

Exhibitors of Furmint February Grand Tasting 2026

Angyal (Tokaj)
ÁTS (Tokaj)
Babits (Tokaj)
Bardon (Tokaj)
Béres (Tokaj)
Bodrog Borműhely  (Tokaj)
Boldog Balaton (Balaton)
Borbély (Badacsony)
Bott (Tokaj)
Dénes (Somló)
Dereszla (Tokaj)
Disznókő (Tokaj)
Dobogó (Tokaj)
Dorogi (Tokaj)
Emerencia (Tokaj)
Erzsébet (Tokaj)
Eskol (Tokaj)
Espák (Tokaj)
Frikker (Tokaj)
Füleky (Tokaj)
Gapa (Tokaj)
Gizella (Tokaj)
Grand Tokaj (Tokaj)
Gróf Degenfeld (Tokaj)
H-négyzet (Mátra)
Heidrich (Tokaj)
Holdvölgy (Tokaj)
IN Borok
Kálvária (the organiser’s own cellar in Budakalász, near Budapest)
Kikelet (Tokaj)
Kolonics (Somló)
Kovács Nimród Winery (Eger)
Kvaszinger (Tokaj)
Lenkey (Tokaj)
Mádi A (Tokaj)
Maison aux Pois (Tokaj)
Mariasy (Tokaj)
Montium (Tokaj)
Naár (Tokaj)
Napvirág (Badacsony)
P.A.N.K. (Badacsony)
Pálffy (Balaton Uplands)
Patricius (Tokaj)
Paunoch (Tokaj)
Pelle (Tokaj)
Pendits (Tokaj)
Préselő (Tokaj)
Rózsa (Tokaj)
Samuel Tinon (Tokaj)
Sanzon Tokaj (Tokaj)
Sauska (Tokaj)
Serpens Wine (Tokaj)
Somlói Vándor (Somló)
Steigler Pince (Sopron)
Szűcs (Tokaj)
T3 (Tokaj)
Tokaj Drei (Tokaj)
Tokaj-Hétszőlő Organic Vineyards (Tokaj)
Tokaj-Oremus  (Tokaj)
Tokajicum (Tokaj)
Tornai (Somló)
TóthBorbirtok (Pannonhalma)

Trifecta Wines (Tokaj)
Wine Mission

Zsirai (Tokaj)

 

Kovács Nimród Winery

Noel Bíró has been the head winemaker of Kovács Nimród Winery for about two years. Now he is telling us how he grew up in Eger wine region and what the atmosphere is like at the winery.

“Born into wine”

– You are from Eger, you grew up in the wine region, and you studied winemaking in Eger. Are there winemakers in your family, were there grape growers among your ancestors?
– I was born in Eger, grew up here, and graduated from university here as a viticulture and winemaking engineer. My family has always had ties to the profession. My grandfather was vice president of the Eger Wine Route Association and was closely involved in the development of local wine and gastronomy. My father has also worked in several branches of the profession, from gastronomy to viticulture.
– Where did you work after university?
– Before I started university, I worked at the St. Andrea Vineyard to gain some professional insight. During and immediately after university, I started my career at the Nap-völgy Winery, then worked at the Gál Tibor Winery for two years, and finally, almost two years ago, I moved to the Kovács Nimród Winery as head winemaker. These wineries are all located in a historic row of cellars in Eger, where I often visited as a child with my father, as he also worked there, so I was familiar with the area and the wineries.

Being independent in a team

– What is it like to work there? Nimród is proud of the low fluctuation and the good atmosphere. Can you tell us a little about why it’s good to work there?
– The atmosphere in the company is friendly, there aren’t many arguments, so we deal with everyday challenges cheerfully and celebrate our successes together. The team on the viticulture side is also good, and my colleagues always strive to get the most out of each vintage in terms of quality from all of our vineyards.
– How much independence do you have? Surely you have your own ideas, and there are disagreements? Have you ever made a wine that is your own style, based on your own ideas?
– I think Nimród and I understand each other well, we have similar opinions on many things, and our tastes are similar, so it’s easy to work together. We decide on the batches mostly based on joint decisions, and then I make them. There are batches that I shape based on market demand, and there are others that Nimród comes up with based on his own insights. Most of our items are based on a shared vision, but I am largely responsible for maintaining the appropriate style until the final result is achieved, so I feel that every wine is a little bit mine, as I can assert myself professionally in every vintage while maintaining the agreed style.