Pre-selected wines to taste

The most important annual tasting of the wine region in the capital is held on 14 April this year, the venue is the usual one: the glamorous New York Palace, an iconic building of Budapest (now an exclusive hotel maintaned by an Italian company, but in the 19th century New York Café was the meeting place of Hungary’s revolting souls, the most talented authors and poets). However, because of the popularity of the event, this year a new hall will host the event called Róma on 400 nm². Following the tasting of last year an article was published on one of the leading online wine journal with a rather critical point of view. The author blamed the event because he could taste some faulty wines. The article resulted an outrage on the part of the exhibitors, blaming the author claiming him to be unprofessional and generalizing, and claiming that he should have expressed his opinion on the spot and should have asked for another sample in case of faults. Probably it was the reason behind this years concept: all the wines are blind tasted before the event to guarantee that faulty wines cannot appear in New York Palace.

150 wines and more

35 wineries will pour more than 150 wines, plus two masterclasses await visitors: one about Kéknyelű with 7 totally different wines, held by Zoltán Sánta WSET CE, Dip WSET (AIWS), Weinakademiker, and another one by András Wolf, Bocuse d’Or Academy member and chef of Salon (the exclusive restaurant of New York Palace) about food pairing. Besides wineries, hotels and tourist companies will also exhibit offering their services and promoting Badacsony according to the new concept: Badacsony – and the whole region of Balaton – can offer attractions throughout the year. 

Two great examples

If the introduction was not enough to water your mouth, here you are two examples from Badacsony wine region – both wineries will exhibit at the event.

• Sabar ‘Kőmagas’ Kéknyelű
  

  A lovely example of the indigenous Kéknyelű. Flowery nose with clean and fresh appearance. On the palate it is zesty with vivid, crispy acidity. On the palate we can discover the notes we have found on the nose: flowery, fruity. A most enjoyable, elegant wine with perfect balance.

• Szászi Rózsakő

Another grape variety that can be found only in Badacsony. Light, golden yellow colour. Intense floral notes typical of Rózsakő on the nose with some hints of citrus fruits. Acidity is slightly more moderate then that of its sister variety, Kéknyelű.

More more information about the grapes, visit our Grape Dictionary.

When, where and how much

Date: 14 April, 14.00–21.00
Location: New York Palace, Erzsébet krt 9–11., Budapest, Hungary, 1073 

Tickets in advance: 6900 HUF (22 euros), at the venue (25.4 euros) in limited quantity
Tickets: https://kostolo.badacsony.com

The page is in Hungarian, if you need help, write to https://kostolo.badacsony.com

It started with love, passion, Balaton

• How did you become a wine professional?

Well, at the end of the 90s I fell in love with wines. I tasted many German, Italian, French and Austrian wines. I was participated in many wine tastings in Germany. Moreover once I was invited as a jury to a German Riesling tasting. I decided to take part in a professional wine seminar in Wien, Austria. Somehow I was convinced I would like to work with wines.

• How did you become a specialist of Hungarian wines? Do you have any Hungarian relatives?

As I already had deeper knowledge on wines of the international market I travelled to Hungary for a holiday in the summer of 2004. In Balaton region I was with my acquaintances and they advised me to taste Hungarian wines. First I was a little sceptic, I must say…  but after some particularly interesting samples I was very surprised at the quality and the style of the wines. I was wondering about launching a small wine firm and if I start, why not with Hungarian wines? Hungarian wines were at that time really unknown in Germany and in Western Europe so it was quite a big challenge for me. But somehow I have started and now I am a Hungarian wine specialist! Moreover I am very happy married with a Hungarian wife and I have a son (6), who speaks Hungarian already very well! Thanks to my wife and son, Hungarian culture and love of Hungary stays with our family.

Long lasting relationships and quality oriented attitude

• Do you remember your first experience of tasting a Hungarian wine?

Yes, I do. My first experience was with Konyári, Garamvári and Takler wines. They were also my first partners. I am very proud of these long lasting relationships and cooperations.

• You have a really wide selection with smaller wineries and icon names as well, how do you pick a winery? What was your last discovery?

I am always very curious about new vintages, new wines and new smaller wineries. I think in the last 5-8 years a very significant innovation took place in Hungary. New small startups and new winemakers with international knowledge, experience and brand new ideas appeared on the market. Sometimes it is really difficult to follow the new trends, but I regularly take part in thematic wine tastings in Budapest and I visit the wineries personally. Thanks to my wife I get also information and news from the social media as Facebook, Blogs etc. So I am very up-to-date. Unfortunately almost all information is in Hungarian… So alone it would be a little bit difficult. I am always searching for wines of the best quality and for interesting notes. Of course the price should be also ok, but quality has priority. If I bought cheap wines of low quality, I could not sell them to my customers. We and I as specialists must stand for quality. My last big interesting discovery was in February and this is a Pinot Noir from the Tokaj wine region!

You should know your customers to make them happy

• Who are your clients?

Through our online webshop we sell Hungarian wines all over Europe and sometimes wines go also overseas. But of course our main market is in Germany. We have a lot of regular customers. In the last 13 years we tried to maintain their trust and we are always happy to get their order. Of course we are very interested in gaining new customers as well. Thanks to our wine tastings we reach open minded people interested in new styles and new wine countries as Hungary. We have also reseller partners in Germany and Austria such as other wine stores, supermarkets, hotels, smaller wine seminars and other companies. It is very important to know your customers and their tastes moreover to have the overview about your assortment. We would like to make our customers happy with our recommendations.

• What are your plans for the future? What will be the next new item in your portfolio?

I could say we are very satisfied and would like to continue our work on the same basics in the near future. Of course, with the same enthusiasm. I am personally dreaming about a small wine bar in Munich but it is only for the remote future. And I eagerly look forward to wines of the new vintage 2017!

Super 12 White Wines

• Bencze Családi Birtok Venus 2015, Badacsony
• Csetvei Pince Kő-Papir-Olló/Kő 2013, Mór
• Demeter Zoltán Szerelmi Hárslevelű 2015, Tokaj
• Gizella Pince Szil-völgy Cuvée 2015, Tokaj
• Györgykovács Imre Nagy-Somlói Furmint 2015, Somló
• Holdvölgy Vision 2015, Tokaj
• Kamocsay Ákos Ihlet Cuvée 2015, Neszmély
• Kolonics Pincészet  Somlói Juhfark 2015, Somló
• Kovács Nimród Monopole Battonage Chardonnay 2015, Eger
• Pálffy Pince Káli Királyi Fekete-hegy Olaszrizling 2015, Balaton-felvidék (Upper Balaton)
• Andrea Mária 2015, Eger
• Szászi Endre Badacsonyi Rózsakő 2015, Badacsony

Super 12 Red Wines

• Balla Géza Sziklabor Feketeleányka 2013, Ménes (Transylvania)
• Eszterbauer Borászat Nagyapám Szekszárdi Kadarka 2016, Szekszárd
• Günzer Tamás Bocor Grandior Merlot 2012, Villány
• Heumann Pincészet Terra Tartaro 2012, Villány
• Ikon Borászat Evangelista Cabernet Franc 2012, South Balaton
• Koch Csaba Villányi Csanád Cuvée 2012, Villány
• Kovács Nimród Monopole Soul Syrah 2013, Eger
• Thummerer Pince Cabernet Sauvignon Superior Selection 2012, Eger
• Tiffán’s A Régimódi 2015, Villány
• Sauska Cabernet Franc 2012, Villány
• Sebestyén Pince Grádus Cuvée 2013, Szekszárd
• Andrea Merengő Egri Bikavér Grand Superior 2013, Eger

The best of the best ones

These 12 + 12 wines are all exceptional, they are selected by competent wine experts, and the list is a result of a consensus. We warmly recommend any of them.

And after tasting all the wines, the wine writers decided who deserves the so called Great Hungarian Award as well, here they are!

• Györgykovács Imre Nagy-Somlói Furmint 2015, Somló
• Koch Csaba Villányi Csanád Cuvée 2012, Villány

Hall 15 – the thousand faces of a small Hungary

Hungary is a small country, but its legendary wine culture and the its revival place it among the top wine countries of the world. If there is something againts its nation, it is the versatility: there is a constant dispute over „what to put on t e flag”. Should it be Furmint, the famous grape of Tokaj which gives amazing dry and sweet wines all over the country? Should it be the young but powerful brand Villányi Franc from or iconic red wine region, Villány? Or maybe Olaszrizling, the most planted white grape, which can be found literally everywhere and can give wines from the fresh summerwine BalatonBor to the matured, oaked ones? Or Bikavér, the red blend, which has a rennessaince in Eger and Szekszárd wine regions? Should it be the group of aromatic wines made of indigenous grapes like Cserszegi Fűszeres or Irsai Olivér? And how about the rosé wines, which are produced in better and better quality by almost all the producers? The question is still hanging in the air above our small country in the middle of Europe. If you want to get to know us, you must taste all – we are sorry, but this is the only solution.

Organic, indigenous, sparkling, botritysed, single vineyard – wine for every palate

Altogether 22 Hungarian exhibitors await visitors in Düsseldorf, some of them represent several wineries (e. g. Tenkes Kft. represent Villányi Franc), so the versatility of Hungary will be well demonstrated. Some exhibitors we recommend:

Szászi Winery, Badacsony

Endre Szászi has a miraculous organic vineyard on volcanic Szent György mountain, north of Lake Balaton. He has a portfolio of indigenous wines typical of only his wine region (Badacsony) with grapes like the super elegant, unique Kéknyelű, the charming Zeus, the son of volcanos called Vulcanus. His single vineyard Olaszrizling called Kabócás is one of the best white wines of Hungary.

Grand Tokaj, Tokaj

The only state owned winery in Hungary has gone through a huge change in the recent years regarding both personnel and vineyard&winery. Their Tokaji Aszú wines are precise and represent stunning Tokaj very well, their single vineyard dry Furmint from Kővágó vineyard is a great white wine, what’s more, its price is also tempting.

Haraszthy Winery, Etyek–Buda

This winery is the one you must watch: the ever improving, well equipped, modern winery makes exceptional wines of the aromatic Irsai Olivér grape, lovely, crispy rosé wine, and their Sauvignon Blanc from the cooler Etyek–Buda region is among the best ones. The winery can boast with a beautiful restaurant, and from this summer music events will widen the repertoire.

Garamvári Winery, Buda & South Balaton

Vencel Garamvári, owner of the family winery was the first in Hungary to make méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine of Furmint. He is constantly working on increasing the quality of his bottle fermented sparkling wines, the results are shown by several international ackowledgements, like CSWWC silver for his Optimum Brut. Garamvári makes excellent quality still wines as well on the south of Balaton.

Tornai Winery, Somló

Somló, the smallest wine region of Hungary lies on a tiny volcanic mountain, and Tornai is one of the best wineries of Somló with constantly great quality. They have won International Wine Challenge Trophy in three consecutive years (!), and these are just three of their top results. Taste their Juhfark wine, made of indigenous Somló Juhfark!

Bock Cellar, Villány

József Bock is an iconic winemaker of Villány, one of the pioneers of Hungarian wine revival started in the 90s. His personality, his taste, his love of hunting is reflected in the wines. It is worth tasting his iconic Bock Cuvée from earlier vintages as well!

Kristinus Estate, South Balaton

The modern winery has gained even stronger momentum since Florian Zaruba became the executive manager. The sommelier line of the winery is full of pearls from the South Balaton wine region, more precisely from Kéthely vineyards.

Find all the Hungarian exhibitors

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Szászi Szent György-hegyi Zeusz, 2013 

Golden yellow colour. An obviously great wine made from fully ripened grape. It was harvested manually, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, then aged in big barrel for 6 months, and it was released after 2 years of bottle ageing. Both high acidity and high alcohol content have been nicely integrated during bottle ageing. The salty mineral tones run parallel with the sweetish flavours of dried fruits. Only 1500 bottles were made and the ex cellar price is only 8–9 euros.

Wine with a view

Szent György mountain is not the Olympos, it does not belong to the highest mountains in Europe with dramatic slopes, but it has volcanic soil, and from Szászi winery you can get an amazing view of Lake Balaton, the largest lake of Europe. The winery has a restaurant as well with great local food – an ideal place to eat if you are on holiday at the lake!

How we make Szürkebarát

Just like all over the world, also in Hungary you will find pinkish and white wines made of the variety. Since the berry has a pink colour, longer maceration can result a pale pink wine. It is worth reducing yield, because it can give full bodied, aromatic, rich wines. The acidity is medium or even lower. It likes volcanic soil and tends to be rich, oily with a nose like perfume. It often has some residual sugar.

Three wonderful examples of Szürkebarát from Hungary

’SZ’ Csetvei Szürkebarát, 2015

Bright, golden colour. On the nose an exciting mixture of freshly sliced fruits (peach, grapefruit, pineapple, pear) and spiciness. Complex, luscious on the palate. Full bodied wine with very long, juicy finish. More information about Csetvei Szürkebarát:

Szent György-hegyi Szürkebarát, 2015, Szászi Winery

A full bodied, rich wine from the volcanic soil of Szent György hill, Badacsony wine region, made from organically cultivated grape. More information about Szászi Winery

Tornai Szürkebarát, Somló, 2013

Ripe, pronounced varietal character on the nose, showing fine fruit, followed by spicy and floral character. Compact, complex wine, with a mix of ripe apricot, fig and almond in an exciting combination, accompanied by a creamy finish. The aftertaste recalls notes of oak ageing as well. An international variety, which appreciates Somló, produces year after year steady, balanced quality. Well-suited to oak ageing, as this prime example shows as well.

More about Tornai winery

The sparkling wines showed a great evolution, there were just a few, but all of them méthode traditionelle, beautifully made, and the majority were made of Hungarian grape – namely Furmint. And as the good scores prove: Furmint is an ideal base for sparkling.

Regarding the white wines, we can say that the aged, complex whites are mostly really great, however in the category with the highest number of samples, in the light, easy drinking, fresh white wine category unfortunately still some samples were found faulty. Regarding the red wines, we have experienced much less overoaked and much less high alcohol or jammy wines then in the earlier years. And as for the sweet wines – well, we know that the world consumes less and less sweet wines, they are definitely full of sugar, but that lovely acidity balances the sugar! Marvellous ‘Szamorodni’ wines, suberb late harvest wines and stunning Tokaji Aszú wines – you can expect the best, if you are invited to any event of a Hungarian embassy or cultural institute around the globe.