If you enter a house in Hungary, the first piece of food you are offered is a salty, round cake called pogácsa. The texture is quite similar to that of the English scones, but pogácsa is always salty. Kadarka, a lighter bodied, easy drinking, fairly spicy wine is a perfect match with pogácsa, two things that have been consumed million times together at simple tables covered with red and white checked table cloth. Try the combination, and enjoy the simplicity, which will give you the pleasure of perfection.
See the recipe below the wine info.

Taste Vesztergombi wines at PROWEIN at the Hungarian community booth! Vesztergombi wines will be represented by CABOLO at D102/HALL 9.

Vesztergombi Kadarka, Szekszárd, 2021

Szekszárd is famous for Kadarka variety, and Ferenc Vesztergombi, who was awarded the prestigious Winemaker of the Year in 1993, is an enthusiastic producer of the variety along with his son, Csaba Vesztergombi. They were the first to organize a vertical tasting of their Kadarka wines to prove that yes, Kadarka has an ageing potential, and with time the notes become more complex, deeper. Their Kadarka wine comes from a 100-year-old plantation, fermented in stainless steel and aged in large casks. „When we blend it with other varieties, we always keep the dominant characteristics of Kadarka in mind. We believe that good Kadarka wines need about 10% botrytised berries to achieve the unmistakable aromas of Szekszárd Kadarka.” Currently 2021 vintage of Vesztergombi Kadarka is on sale.

More information about the wine and the winery

My mother’s pogácsa recipe

– Mix 500 grams of flour with 250 grams of cold butter.
– Heat 55 ml milk and when it is lukewarm, add a teaspoon of sugar and 25 grams of yeast.
– When the yeast has risen, mix it with the flour and add 2 egg yolks, 2-3 pinches of salt and 150 ml sour cream.
– Mix it well and then place it in the fridge for half an hour. Spread the dough with a rolling pin and fold it like you would fold a piece wrapping paper together.
– Place it in the fridge again for 20 minutes.
– Spread it again, fold it again, let it rest in the fridge again.
– After 20 minutes spread it again and with a glass cut little circles
– Spread them with beaten egg, place them on baking paper and put them into a preheated oven.
– Bake them until they are golden (in about 25-30 minutes at 180 C)
The basic ingredients can alter, cottage cheese, cheese, yoghurt, pork cracklings can also serve as the base of the dough.

More about Vesztergombi Cellar

Vesztergombi Cellar

Wine of the Weekend – especially with “pogácsa”

Kadarka is an indigenous grape variety in Hungary (and in some other countries). It gives light coloured, easy drinking, fruity and spicy red wine. Frittmann family winery in Kunság makes a true Kadarka with all its typical characteristics: “The light garnet red colour is typical to the Kadarka grape variety. In the nose, it evokes cherry, sour cherry and spices. The fresh and medium acidity contributes to the loose and dynamic feeling of the sip. Alcohol content is low, tannic acid level is slightly moderate. Spicy aromas on the palate, together with red berries in the background. A vigorouswine, which can be matched in many ways to such typical Hungarian meals like different stews, paprika or lecsó.” The wine fermented in tank and aged in large wooden barrels for 5 months. At the 2021 issue of Decanter World Wine Award it received bronze medal.
It is also worth trying with “pogácsa” (in the cover photo above), a traditional Hungarian salty cake, a typical wine bite.It is easy to make, this my favourite recipe from my mother.

St Martin Day dinner, 12 November

Taste Frittmann Kadarka and all the new vintage wines of Frittmann Winery on 12 November at their St Martin Day dinner. The winery is situated in Soltvartkert, a small town about 90 minutes’ drive from Budapest. The estate has a comfortable guest house accommodating 12 people. St Martin Day dinner will feature traditional courses made of goose and certainly each plate will have its own wine pairing.

Date and time: 18.00–22.00, 12 November
Venue: Frittmann Winery, Soltvadkert. Eötvös u. 6., Hungary
Price: 15 000 HUF / person
Booking: borhaz@soltvadkert

Celebrate International Kadarka Day on 20 November, wherever you are.

More information about Kadarka on the website of Kadarka Day

Frittmann wines are available in several countries, for example in the United Kingdom (Malux, Best of Hungary). If you cannot find Frittmann wines near you, order them from Winelovers Webshop, they ship to every European country.