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

Gál Tibor Grill Wine Pack & Grilled Apricot with green spices

The laziest summer afternoon-evening is undoubtedly a relaxed grill party with friends, especially if the friends are willing to help with the grill, so it’s not only the host who stands in the heat all the time. Gál Tibor Winery now offers a special pack of 6 bottles, ideal for summer grill parties, including Egri Csillag 2025 with 92 points from Stuart Pigott. And we share the recipe of an easy, cheap and exciting grilled dish, refreshing and thrilling.
Also, Gál Tibor Winery awaits you with chill or invigorating mood–choose yours–at Fuzio terrace in Eger all the summer.

Though Hungarian is the most well-known for its sweet wines from Tokaj, while in other wine regions producers like placing emphasis on blockbuster red wines, our country is first and foremost a white wine country. Let us introduce three great white wines, all gold winners of the latest edition of Berliner Wine Trophy.

 

The results of the Berliner Wine Trophy Summer Tasting are available. At this session Hungary is the 5th on the medal ranking with 81 medals after Italy (327 medals), Germany (286 medals), Spain (17) and France (107). Our country collected 3 Grand Gold medals – all for Tokaji Aszú wines –, 54 gold medals and 24 silver medals.

See all Hungarian medal winners here

Thummerer Egri Csillag Superior 2024, Eger

Egri Csillag is a white blend, a relatively new phenomenon in Eger wine region, the homeland of Egri Bikavér (Bull’s Blood), the famous red blend. Egri Csillag Classicus is an approachable, easy-drinking category, while Egri Csillag Superior is a “wine for thought”, more complexity, more pleasure.
This Thummerer wine is made of Tramini, Zenit, Királyleányka and Chardonnay. After harvesting the fully ripened grapes, the must fermented in barrique, 10% of it was new oak. Ageing took 6 months, also in the barrels. A full-bodied wine abundant in aromas and flavours, with long ageing potential. Ideal partner of fish dishes, cured ham and cheeses.

More about Thummerer Winery
The BWT info sheet of the wine

Holdvölgy Hold and Hollo Dry 2024, Tokaj

Holdvölgy estate makes outstanding Tokaji Aszú wines and stunning dry wines, but they also have a playful range, the Hold and Hollo wines along with Uppp aerated sparkling wine.. “A cool and bold Tokaji that offers a fresh interpretation of the Tokaj tradition. It’s all about pleasure—no mysteries! This stylish partner is ready for all your adventures, but only if you have enough bottles…” The wine is a blend of Furmint, Hárslevelű, Zéta and Muscat à petits grains. “Hold and Hollo Dry is all about freshness. The nose is full of exotic fruits like mango, coconut, and pink grapefruit. The sip is quite vibrant with a blend of maracuja, papaya, lime, and citrus. No mystery, just pleasure.”

More about Holdvölgy
The BWT info sheet of the wine

Tóth Ferenc Rhine Riesling Superior 2024, Eger

The family winery focuses on indigenous grapes like, but Rhine Riesling also works very well at the estate, as it has been proved through several vintages. “With its golden colour, the wine has a mature character in its appearance. The nose is rich and worth allowing to open up, as it gradually sheds tropical fruit-pineapple, lime-ginger mottled, baked pear notes. If you wait, even a hint of linden blossom and even popcorn will come through. Creamy on the palate. Toasty notes, toasted almonds and buttery character reflect the careful use of oak, as the wine’s acidity also comes through and leads the citrus flavours nicely. This fruit tends to dominate on the medium-long finish. A complex yet light wine.”

More about Tóth Ferenc Winery
The BWT info sheet of the wine

Thummerer Egri Csillag Grand Superior at Mystery Hotel Budapest rooftop bar

Egri Csillag means Star of Eger, a white blend, the white counterpart of the famous red blend called Egri Bikavér. Sky Garden, the rooftop bar of Mystery Hotel in Budapest offers a wide selection of cocktails, but wine enthusiasts can also get exciting stuff. The Grand Superior Egri Csillag is sold out at the winery, but you can still taste it at Mystery Hotel, and it is worth it!

Why is it mysterious?

The name Mystery was not chosen by accident: the predecessor of the hotel was built by the Hungarian Grand Lodge of Freemasons in 1896. The mystic elements referring to freemasonry appear in several ways in the architecture and interior of the hotel. Now let us recommendsome wines from the menu of the bar.
More about Mystery Hotel Budapest
See Sky Garden menu here

Watch a recent video about the hotel by ILoveThisPlace

Thummerer Egri Csillag Grand Superior 2018

Thummerer estate has won both of the two most prestigious titles in Hungary: Winemaker of the Year (1995), and Winery of the Year (2011). The chief winemaker, József Lamport has been working in the winery since 2004, and he has a great role in the continuous success of the winery.
Egri Csillag wines have to contain at least four grape varieties, in case of this this wine, the blend is 25% Tramini, 25% Chardonnay, 20% Olaszrizling, 15% Királyleányka and 15% Leányka. The must fermented in barrique (10% first use barrel) and aged on the fine lees for more than 6 months. Full bodied, complex wine with great balance, abundant in ripened fruit and has a stunning, long finish.
More about Thummerer Winery
More about the birth and the regulations of Egri Csillag

DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE BOOK HERE

This little collection of 12 recipes is not a serious cook book and it does not want to be one. Some of the recipes are not described in details with the accurate amount of the ingredients, since this is how I received them from the winemakers. But they have the extra value, that winemakers shared their own favourites, plates they often cook, and they are sure about the wine pair as well, since they have had many opportunities to try. We hope you will enjoy booth cooking and eating these dishes, plus you may try them with the recommended wines.

I like wine and despite some celebrity doctors with the No Alcohol-mantra, I drink wine with all my dinners. I also like using wine while I am cooking, the exciting taste of a good wine gives an extra touch to most meals. Let me share a simple recipe myself, from yesterday. We had some leftover pan-seared chicken liver from the day before, so I fried them in a little butter, added some rosemary and thyme (but you can use other green herbs to your liking), and I added just a dash of sweet Tokaj wine. With a hand mixer I made a smooth paté and, in five minutes the leftover, boring chicken liver was upgraded into a delicacy, my kids liked it a lot! It is a Christmas recipe, in a sense that it takes minutes to make, and it lets you enjoy the festive season without stress, as it is meant to be.

Have a peaceful Christmas!
Ágnes Németh
Hungarianwines.eu

DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE BOOK HERE

Tóth Ferenc Winery

It has become an annual tradition of Tóth Ferenc Winery to gather around on “Síkhegy” (‘Flat Mountain’) around the huge poplar tree. Fire jogglers, chilled wines, delicious street food, relaxed atmosphere, stunning view of the city of Eger. Unforgettable.

Tóth Ferenc Egri Csillag 2023 – the Ladies’ Choice

Actually, the weekend has already begun in Eger, wine connoisseurs can run there today, as winemakers await guests in the outskirt of the city of Eger, in the pretty Szépasszonyvölgy (‘Valley of the Pretty Woman’). On Thursday a wine dinner is held with 5 Egri Csillag wines at Macok Bistro, while the peak is the open air wine festival in the main square of Eger, where not only Egri Csillag blends, but also the red blends, the Egri Bikavér wines will be available to taste.

Egri Csillag tasting on 3-4 May

Opening hours: on Friday 15.00–23.00, on Saturday 14.00–23.00
Venue: Dobó square, Eger, Hungary
Entrance: Entrance and all stage programs are free, wine and food is to be paid upon purchase. Tasting glasses will be available to buy.
Exhibitors: Academia, Besenyei, Bolyki, Demeter, EgerSoul, Egri Csillag Borpatika, Egri Korona, Gál Lajos, Gál Tibor Winery, Juhász, Juhász Testvérek, Korózs, Ostoros, Petrény, Rege, St.Andrea, Thummerer, Torma, Tóth Ferenc Winery, Varsányi, Villa Völgy
“Interstellar” tour: Guests can collect stars by tasting Egri Csillag wines and participate in a prize draw.
Children zone awaits the smallest ones, while a “Chill” zone will be available for the adults.

Star of the Ladies of Eger

The wine in our cover photo has just been selected the Wine of the Association of the Wine Patron Ladies. 14 wines were tasted blind, and Tóth Ferenc Egri Csillag 2023. For the wine 4 grape varieties were blended: Leányka, Olaszrizling, Hárslevelű and Muscat Ottonel muskotály (this latter one in a very small amount). Refreshing, juicy wine with citrusynotes.
Recommended to pair with fish dishes, soups, salads, mead dishes with fruit ingredient.
Alcohol: 12.5% v/v; Sugar: 0,0 g/l; Sugar free extract: 18.8 g/l; Acidity: 5.0 g/l
Photo of the wine: György Szántó

More about Tóth Ferenc Winery

Titi Gál, the young father of Egri Csillag

Spring has come and so has the new vintage of Egri Csillag (literally the ‘Star of Eger’), the white blend of Eger wine region. Titi Gál, the winemaker of Gál Tibor Winery was the visioner, who realized 13 years ago that Eger needed a white blend. With the approval and enthusiasm of the fellow winemakers, the new blend was created. A blend that lightens up every day, charming and refreshing, crispy and vibrant. Also, it is the symbol of a community, a child, protected by the “parents”, the winemakers of Eger.

Fun fact: did you know that Eger is the most well known wine region within Hungary? Even the non-wine drinker Hungarians have some information about Eger. However, the winemakers of Eger realized that this knowledge was not enough, even though they were in the minds, they did not have an attractive image. Titi Gál was a leader in the project to renew the wine region, to rebrand and to do more than some “facelifting”. Eger Wine Workshop was born, a new Eger bottle was created, several new annual events were launched and Egri Csillag started to twinkle.

Life of a winemaker’s wife

Most wineries post a lot on social media during the harvest, no wonder, this is a period when too much is at stake, there is so much emotion. We came across this somehow unusual harvest post on the Facebook page of Gál Tibor Winery, the speaker is Gréti, Tibor Gál’s wife. The text below is the translation of her beautiful confession – we thought it was appropriate for the end of the year.

 

What’s life like in the family of a winemaker? Not boring, you bet!
Hi, I’m Gréti, the wife of a winemaker, and we’re just in time for this blog post, as we’re about to enter the most important, most adventurous and – and the most complicated period requiring a lot of flexibility –, the HARVEST.

Years ago, I mostly met wines and winemakers at posh or cozy tastings in Budapest, I mostly read about harvest in my hardcover books, and who the hell thought that in a few years I’d be taking a leap into the middle of winemaking?

Well, since I did and became the wife of an amazing, absolutely wonderful winemaker, I’ll tell you how I’m experiencing my life in a winemaking family.

Tickets are still available

Live piano music to recall the golden era of Great Gatsby and Don Corleone, when people danced charleston – the last society event of the year in Eger awaits last minute ticket buyers. Gál Tibor Winery, Juhász Brothers, Tóth Ferenc Winery – altogether 9 wineries pour their wines all night in Eger at Broadway Event Hall.

Date and time: 29 December 2023, 18.00–22.00 wine tasting, from 22.00 “AfterSaloon”
Venue: BROADWAY Events Hall, Eger, Kőlyuk út 2, 3300, Hungary
Tickets for unlimited wine tasting: 9900 HUF / 26 euros, for wine tasting and buffet dinner: 19 900 HUF / 52 euros
Buy your ticket here