The Best Furmint

Tornai Top Selection Apátsági Furmint 2021, Somló (92 points)
(Out of 35 Furmint wines from 6 wine regions)
Crystal clear golden colour. Nose with ripened fruits–summer pear–and also with almonds, citrus fruit, vanilla and white flowers. Mineral notes, creamy texture, crispy acidity. Juicy, lovely palate and long finish.
The retail price is 6200 HUF / 15 EUR on the webshop of the winery.
More about the wine and Tornai Winery

The Best Kékfrankos

Etyeki Kúria Kékfrankos 2019, Sopron (92 points)
(Out of 22 Kékfrankos wines from 11 wine regions)
Lovely ruby colour. Ripened red fruits on the nose, mainly sour cherry and cranberries with some blackberries and dried leaves. Lighter body, velvety tannins. Soft, rounded, juicy, fruit driven wine. Long aftertaste. Well-done, great job!
The retail price on the webshop of the winery is only 4450 HUF and now with special offer only 3340 HUF / 8 EUR!
More about the wine and Etyeki Kúria

The Best Pinot Noir

(Pinot Noir, Kadarka and Syrah varietal wines were tasted in one panel tasting)
Garamvári Pinot Noir Premium Selection 2021, Boglárlelle (92 points)
(Out of 29 wines from 12 wine regions)
Clear, dark ruby colour with brownish tone. Attractive nose with a fruit basket: sour cherry, rose hip, cranberry. Also spices with some dried leaves. Crispy acidity, creamy texture, juicy, fruit driven, elegant wine with quite long aftertaste.
The retail price of the wine on the webshop of the winery is only 4200 HUF / 10 EUR.
More about Garamvári Vineyard

The Best Bordeaux Blend

Heumann Lagona 2018, Villány (93 points)
(Out of 66 wines from 12 wine regions)
Clear, shiny ruby colour. Intense nose with ripened blueberry, sour cherry, some tobacco, spices, chocolate and dried leaves along with a touch of wood. Exciting, charming palate, serious body, subtle tannins. Fruity and spice. Long aftertaste abundant in chocolate. Right at its peak.
The retail price of the wine at the winery is only 3900 HUF / 9.5 EUR.
More about the wine
More about and Heumann Winery

The Best Bikavér

Thummerer Egri Bikavér Grand Superior Nagy-Eged 2021 (93 points)
(Out of 18 wines from the two Bikavér wine regions, Eger and Szekszárd)
Very dark ruby colour. Intense, matured nose with black berry fruits, spices, coffee, chocolate, a pinch of wood, dried leaves and some buttery tones. Oily texture, velvety tannins, juicy-fruity palate. Very long fruity and spicy finish.
The retail price on the webshop of the winery is 6299 HUF / 15 EUR.
More about the wine and Thummerer Winery

The Best Tokaj Noble Sweet Wine

Balassa Villő Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2019, Tokaj (96 points)
(Out of 27 wines from Tokaj wine region)
Dark golden colour. Complex nose with countless aromas: summer pear, raisins, apricot, mint, honey, butter. Mineral notes, creamy texture, vibrant acidity. Very well-balanced sugar–acidity, a lot of tropical fruits on the palate with minerality and buttery notes. A very long finish.
The retail price of the wine at the winery is 43 000 HUF / 104 EUR.
More about the wine and Balassa estate

Taschner – a one-man-show from the west

Kurt István Taschner followed his father’s path, who was a grape grower in Sopron wine region, near the Austrian border, and he made his winery well-known all over Hungary. His Irsai Olivér is usually not only the first to be released in every vintage, but it is also among the best new wines. He works with rare grapes as well, his ‘Korai Piros Veltelini’ is one of the best thirst-quenching wines. Apart from Kékfrankos, the flagship grape of Sopron, he makes red wine from Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is more than interesting to compare his Sauvignon–Franc blend with a similar blend from the south of Hungary. He is one of the very few winemakers, who bottles wines in small bottles.

More about Taschner Winery and Sparkling Wine Cellar

Lajver – extravaganza from Szekszárd

Lajver Wine House has a wide portfolio with labels from the affordable, easy to drink wines through the exciting experimental projects (like the white Incognito from the black Kékfrankos) to the blockbuster red wines. For wine tourists the state-of-the-art winery with rooms with view of the vineyards is a must-go, and certainly the estate is the best place to taste the whole portfolio. Lajver Bordeaux blend is called Infinity, and the name reveals the rich personality of the wine: “Berries and ripe raspberries are present in a sip; elegant barrel notes, sweet spices, roasted notes, a pleasant tannin feel make it meaningful. It has strength, firmness, fruit and spice, and long-lasting flavours. Hardcover, the potential is very much in it.” Vintage 2020 received silver medal at Decanter World Wine Awards.

More about Lajver Wine House

Tűzkő – majestic blend from the hills of Tolna

Marchese Piori Antinori’s Hungarian estate is situated in a lesser known, picturesque wine region called Tolna. The soul healing scenery is ideal from crispy white wines, fruity rosé wines and also for great red wines. The winery has recently redesigned its labels, the new labels reflect the elegance of the wines perfectly – only the label with the hoopoe bird remained unchanged for reason. The Bordeaux blend of the estate is called Tűzkő Domb (‘domb’ stands for ‘hill’, while ‘tűzkő’, the name of the estate means ‘flintstone’) a true icon. “Tűzkő Domb was crafted from a careful selection of grapes from the best vineyard parcels on the estate and is made only in exceptional vintages.“

More about Tűzkő Estate

A. Gere Attila Cuvée 2017, Villány

One of the 2 grand gold winners along with Gróf Degenfeld 5 puttonyos Tokaji Aszú 2017. Attila is named after the founder, and it is the most prestigious Bordeaux blend of the estate. The winery won another gold with the iconic Solus Merlot.

More about Attila Cuvée

Lajver Syrah–Pinot Noir Rosé 2022, Szekszárd

Rosés do not often make it to the top of the chart, however, this rosé blend is a premium wine made with careful manual cluster selection. Apart from being a great rosé, Lajver wine looks gorgeous as well in its distinct shape bottle, with the elaborate label and lovely colour.

More about Lajver Syrah–Pinot Noir Rosé

Eszterbauer Nagyapám Kadarka 2022, Szekszárd

Kadarka is an indigenous grape variety of the Carpathian basin, with special importance in Szekszárd. János Eszterbauer and his team makes several Kadarka wines, Nagyapám (My Grandfather) is one of the two premium Kadarka wines.

More about Eszterbauer Winery

More about Nagyapám Kadarka

Vylyan Fehér Variáció 2022, Villány 

Vylyan Vineyard and Winery won another gold medal with Montenuovo 2021, the most popular red blend of the estate, however, the success of ‘Fehér Variáció’ meaning ‘White Variation’ is probably more interesting – a white gold winner from the southernmost, red wine dominated wine region of Hungary!

More about Vylyan

More about Fehér Variáció

Vesztergombi St László Bikavér 2019, Szekszárd

Vesztergombi Cellar won not one, not two, but three gold medals! St László Bikavér 2019 proves that the excellent terroir and careful winemaking can maintain high quality – after the “golden rain” of the vintage 2017 the glorious march cannot stop. The other gold winners are Turul 2019 and Csaba 2020.

More about Vesztergombi Cellar

More about St László Bikavér

Le Tour de Dúzsi Szekszárdi Merlot Rosé 2022, Szekszárd 

Another rosé among the gold winners, this time a playful one from Dúzsi Family Winery lead by Tamás Dúzsi senior, “The Rosé King”. They have a whole portfolio of rosé wines with several varietal wines. The bicycle on the label refers to the passion of Tamás Dúzsi, while the number of people on the bicycle represent his big family.

More about Dúzsi Family Winery

More about Le Tour de Dúzsi

Feind Aliga 2022, Balatonfüred–Csopak

This white blend of Zenit, Cserszegi Fűszeres, Chardonnay and Olaszrizling is probably the cheapest gold winner of Hungary with a retail price of less than 5 euro! Feind Winery also won a gold with Berekszél Rhine Riesling 2022. The renewed, family run estate is more and more important not only in terms of quantity but in quality as well.

More about Feind Aliga

Steigler Premium Bio Kékfrankos 2020, Sopron

Though on the website of Berliner Wine Trophy the Austrian name of the grape variety is used (Blaufränkisch), we insist on the Hungarian format: Kékfrankos. Sopron wine region near the Austrian border is one of the best growing areas of the grape and Steigler with its organic grape growing is an estate to watch (and to import until all the wines of them are taken).

More about Steigler Cellar

More about Steigler Kékfrankos

Csányi Chateau Teleki Villányi Cabernet Franc 2019

Another evidence of the potential of varietal Cabernet Franc wines in Villány. The cellar door on the label opens the “treasury” of the cellar with the oldest wines of the estate. The underground cellar labyrinth is worth a visit – the longest one in Villány.

More about Teleki Villányi Franc

 

See all Hungarian medal winners here

Visit Steigler Cellar

The cellar has an ideal location: it is situated in the centre of Sopron thus a visit can be combined with a sightseeing tour. Sopron is only an hour by train from Vienna! Certainly, you can travel from Budapest, by train it is 2 hours, by car it is a bit longer. So, travel by train, save the planet and taste wines!
Steigler Cellar awaits small and large groups up to 45 people. The visit is available in English and in German as well.
If you are interested, contact the cellar here.

More about Steigler Cellar

“Burgenland-like quality”

Rob Smyth is a UK born wine writer based in Budapest, Hungary. He recently participated in a study tour organized by Sopron wine marketing board. “Sopron has long been in the shadow of its Austrian neighbour, but finally, and I never thought I’d say it, some of the Kékfrankos (Blaufränkish) wines it is now making are of Burgenland-like quality” – wrote in his article on Budapest Business Journal. His thorough summary is a must if you plan wine tastings in Sopron. Steigler is an organic winery with stunning Kékfrankos wines. It is one of the cellars Rob Smyth mentions, proving that Sopron has a much wider portfolio than many thinks: “Heading down the steps into the winery’s several-hundred-year-old cellar on Balfi utca in Sopron’s old town to taste layered and textured wines from grapes such as Furmint, Zöldveltelini, Kékfrankos, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah is a great experience. Steigler’s superbly spicy Syrah 2021 (HUF 5,900 from steigler.wineshop.hu) claimed 51st place in this year’s Winelovers 100 legjobb Magyar Bor (100 Best Hungarian Wines).”

Read Rob Smyth’s full article with many wine recommendations 

Taste the Best Summer Wine at Steigler’s

The Best Summer Wine: Steigler BIO Siller from Sopron

Available outside Hungary

Sopron Steigler wines in the UK and the US

Meet Steigler team on 17 August at Hungarian Gettogeher

Hungarianwines Gettogether 2023

And who is in our cover photo?

Steigler Kaméleon white blend 2019

As we reported earlier, the panel tasting was about easygoing summer wines from vintage 2022 between 1500–2500 HUF / 4–7 euros. Around 50 wines were evaluated, all vinified in stainless steel and contain relatively low alcohol.
László Romsics‘s (consultant editor of Vince) description: “Light, greenish yellow colour. Intense, fresh, slightly vegetal, picante and spicy nose with some citrus fruits. Refreshing, feather light on the palate with crispy acidityand some carbon dioxide. Ideal for the summer!”
More about Taschner wines

About the rare Frühroter Veltliner and its father

Korai Piros Veltelini (Frühroter Veltliner) is a grape variety you can find in Kurt Taschner’s portfolio, but nowhere else in Hungary. Frühroter Veltliner is a natural cross between Roter Veltliner and Silvaner. Roter Veltliner’s origin has not been uncovered yet, but it is confirmed that surprisingly enough it is not related to Grüner Veltliner. In Austria 605 ha, in Slovakia 363, in Czech Republic 251 ha, in France only 5 ha, in Italy a few, in Germany only 4 hectares and in Hungary also only a few hectares are grown – and it is restricted to Sopron wine region. “Early budding and early ripening, as its name suggests, susceptible to downy and powdery mildews and to botrytis bunch rot. Vigorous and best pruned long. Small bunches and berries.”

Excerpt From: Robinson, Jancis; Harding, Julia; Vouillamoz, Jose. “Wine Grapes (9780062325518).” iBooks.

Madrigal melody every hour

A few weeks later I met Marina Karakonova, one of the participants, a Bulgarian journalist. We had dinner at Marina’s flat, delicious chili con carne with Bulgarian pickles, and certainly I asked Marina about the trip. Her eyes started to shineand she began to explain how much she had been enchanted by the “Monarchy-like” charm of Sopron. As she wrote in here article: “We are at the foot of the Alps and the mountain is felt. “In Sopron, it’s either windy, or raining, or bells are ringing,” everyone will tell you. That’s right. In addition to the ringing of the bell, a beautiful madrigal melody is played from the fire tower every hour. It has been so since the 16th century. It used to be performed on a trumpet, today it is in some kind of electronic version, which does not take away from the poetry of the hour. Only the communists did not like it and only they managed to break the centuries-old tradition. But even without her, music is in the air of the city.” I love Marina’ style, and special thanks for this sentence: “The city is bilingual, people travel more often to Vienna than to Budapest, and somehow many of the older men look like Franz-Joseph.”
Read the whole article by Marina Karakonova (in Bulgarian, but google can help)

Finally “Burgenland-like quality”

Rob Smyth is a UK born wine writer based in Budapest, Hungary. He was happy to join the trip, since like many others, he was curious if Sopron could finally wake up and be more active, and certainly he was keen on tasting wines of lesser known newcomers. “Sopron has long been in the shadow of its Austrian neighbor, but finally, and I never thought I’d say it, some of the Kékfrankos (Blaufränkish) wines it is now making are of Burgenland-like quality” – wrote in his article on Budapest Business Journal. His thorough summary is a must if you plan wine tastings in Sopron. Steigler is an organic winery with stunning Kékfrankos wines. It is one of the cellars Rob Smyth mentions, proving that Sopron has a muchwider portfolio than many thinks: “Heading down the steps into the winery’s several-hundred-year-old cellar on Balfi utca in Sopron’s old town to taste layered and textured wines from grapes such as Furmint, Zöldveltelini, Kékfrankos, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah is a great experience. Steigler’s superbly spicy Syrah 2021 (HUF 5,900 from steigler.wineshop.hu) claimed 51st place in this year’s Winelovers 100 legjobb Magyar Bor (100 Best Hungarian Wines).”
Read Rob Smyth’s full article with many wine recommendations 

 

Fire Tower and other “must visits”

Borcsa Fiala is a journalist of one of my favourite online publications called wmn.hu. She visited Sopron and her personal report recalls many good memories but it is also full of new features of Sopron. As she reassures, the Fire Tower is an obligatory spot – I had the chance to visit the tower recently with Kurt István Taschner, walking up the countless steps and enjoying a glass of Taschner Chardonnay Brut on the top. Borcsa mentions a vegan restaurant as well called Bojtorina Vegan Kitchen, she recommends Harrer Chocolate Manufacture and “babsterc”, a local dish made of beans.

Read Borcsa Fiala’s full article (in Hungarian, but google can help)

Our earlier article with the recipe of bean dish

The “Beangrower” grapegrowers’ everyday meal

‘1 Drop of Pálinka’ – Turán and other rarities

‘1 csepp pálinka’ (‘1 Drop of Pálinka’) was born from a hobby: some friends were keen on high quality pálinka (the Hungarian national, origin protected spirit made of 100% fruit picked within Hungary), so they decided to establish their own pálinka manufacture. The distillery is located in the village of Hegykő, near Sopron, and the restored old building is now a spectatular distillery with visitor centre. In 2014 the manufacture received the award “The Most Beautiful House of Fertő District”.

It is worth taking a lok at their webshop, they create rarities like distilled beer with craft breweries Mad Scientist and Monyó, pálinkas from local fruit (from the very same village) and pálinkas from several grape varieties from Irsai Olivér to Turán. Turán is a Hungarian black grape variety, the result of several crossings, mostly grown in Eger. It has a typical nose of flowers and honey (from Csabagyöngye white grape, one of the parents). These floral-honeyed notes are successfully conveyed into the spirit – keen wine enthusiasts can even recognize the variety. Pleasant tartness with a drop of raisin-like sweetness. A lovery pálinka that we enjoyed after dinner in Sopron!

If you want to participate in a tasting, contact Balázs Dömötör, the master of distillery, who is also in charge of tastings. You can choose between “Small drops” or “Large drops”, the former includes the visit of the distillery and 5 award winning pálinkas (4500 HUF = 12 euros), while the latter includes the visit and 10 award winner pálinkas (7000 HUF = 18 euros).

More about the distillery (in Hungarian, but google translate can help…)

New wave of Sopron producers

The above mentioned Hungarian Wine Summit study tour to Sopron ended with a wine dinner at Erhardt restaurant. Splendid local plates (like ‘lángos’, a fried salty pastry with porcini and wild onions) with local wines, each introduced by the producer itself. Though Kékfrankos red wine is the most important wine of Sopron (even a local currency was introduced with the same name to boost local commerce), winemakers love to have a wider portfolio. We had a chance to taste several Kékfrankos red wines the following day at Steigler Cellar – a quite new winery with amazing organic wines, a must-visit place! –, but at the dinner producers decided to show another face of Sopron.

After the welcome drink – Taschner Irsai Olivér 2021, the first new vintage wine of Hungary, which won great gold and was selected The Best New Wine of Hungary – we tasted Zachár Chardonnay 2018, a natural wine made by a young artizan winemaker, Ágnes Zachár. The wine impressed the guests with its character and purity. The wine and the local bread with butter would be sufficicient for a meal…

The following wine came from Stubenvoll winery, a new venture by an experienced winemaker. Csaba Oroszhas been making wines for a long time, but Stubenvoll is the family estate and it started a few years ago. Stubenvoll Kékfrankos Rosé 2021 featured all the fruitiness of the variety, a crispy and refreshing basket of berry fruits. The rosé paired well with the above mentioned lángos, and helped to digest to grease of the food.

The main course – duck leg with cabbage – paired perfectly with Luka Zweigelt 2019, the only red wine of the dinner. Enikő Luka could not participate in the dinner, thus Mátyás Szik sommelier champion introduced the wine. Mátyás is a keen follower of Enikő’s wines, thus he gave a passionate introduction explaining that yes, feminine wine exists, if you taste this wine without knowing the producer, you can still guess that it was made by a woman even though the wine has a firm structure. Zweigelt is a grape variety most known in Austria, but it is the flagship variety of Enikő. No wonder: one of the most beautiful Zweigelt wines we have ever tasted.

The dessert – chocolate mousse – came with a late harvest wine made of Zenit, an indigenous Hungarian grape variety, favoured in Sopron. Vincellér Late Harvest Zenit is a nicely balanced sweet wine with enough acidity and lovely floral and grapey flavours.

If you visited Sopron long time ago, you have at least 3 reasons to go back, but we can simply find much more. If you need help, do not hesitate to contact us!

More about Steigler Cellar

More about Zachár winery

More about Stubenvoll winery

More about Luka winery

More about Vincellér Wine Estate