Life among the vines: the challenges of a grapegrower

Kadarka demands attention right from the pruning stage: with cordon training, we use short-spur pruning. To ensure a good harvest, special attention must be paid to green work. Shoot thinning from late April to mid-May, followed by cluster thinning in mid-summer, are essential steps. The greatest challenge is the variety’s famously thin skin. Because of this, it is highly susceptible to powdery mildew and botrytis (moderately susceptible to downy mildew), so plant protection must be carried out with great precision. The thin skin also reacts poorly to rainfall: during a heavy autumn downpour, the harvest can practically “wash off” the vine. For this very reason, to preserve the fruit’s health and purity, we sometimes have to harvest earlier than planned.
Did you know that the berries within a Kadarka cluster ripen unevenly? Imagine a single cluster where you’ll find pale pink berries with piercingly bright acidity alongside almost raisin-like, sweetly overripe berries. The wine must ultimately shape this duality into a well-rounded, harmonious flavour profile—this is what truly puts the winemaker to the test.

In the silence of the cellar: the winemaker’s decisions

In the vineyard, Tamás cultivates and harvests the grapes at the plot level, in accordance with his pre-set goals. If the raw material is beautiful and healthy, the degree of ripeness determines the path it will take deep within the cellar:
Siller: This is our most reliable wine, as Siller can be made from Kadarka in almost every vintage.
Classic: If the raw material is sufficiently ripe, we ferment it in tanks, followed by a gentle, short aging in oak barrels. This gives rise to the “little Kadarka” or the “little Bikavér.”
Superior: When nature is kind to us and the raw material is exceptional, we ferment it in open vats or tanks. This is followed by rest: we age the wine in 500-liter wooden barrels. Later, tasting each barrel with great care, we decide whether it will become the base for Superior Kadarka, Superior Bikavér, or our flagship wine, the Grand Superior Várvédő Bikavér.

Fine-tuning the style

Due to the Kadarka’s thin skin, the wine is more modest in color, tannins, and even body and length than a red variety with thicker skin. In an average vintage, we turn this into a virtue: we craft a likable, modern, low-alcohol, light, and fruity wine from it. However, crafting a truly substantial, full-bodied Superior wine from it is a real challenge, one that is largely decided out in the vineyard. Since the wine’s structure is inherently elegant and airy, barrel use must be handled with extreme care—excessive oak aging would easily overwhelm this delicate wonder and compromise its quality.

More about Tóth Ferenc Winery

Tóth Ferenc Kadarka Superior 2023, Eger

“Ruby red coloured Kadarka, quickly opening, but deep in aromas. It opens with a spicy character of clove, cinnamon, slightly vanilla with a hint of sweetness on the palate. Then shows more the fruity side, reminiscent of cherry brandy, blackberry jam. The first sip is vibrant, with moderate acidity, and finally the mature tannins gently show up. Oaky spices, little anise, tobacco, aroma comes on the nose and the palate as well.“ (Description by Adél Bernáth-Ulcz wine and chocolate expert.)
Retail price is around 15 EUR:

More information about the wine and the estate

Stay in Kadarka!

“I stayed in Kadarka and drank it, too”

Etyeki Kúria, Homola, Hétszőlő, Tóth Ferenc Winery, Vida

“Heroes of Local Wine”, the five members of Fine Wines Association of Hungary will present their wines in Berlin next Tuesday at a tasting event organised by BorStore.de, a wine shop specialised in Hungarian wines. A few tickets are still available, if you happen to be in Berlin, don’t miss the opportunity!

The organizer’s message

“This November, we’re bringing the best of Hungarian winemaking to Berlin! Five wineries from five regions, all members of the Fine Wines Association of Hungary, will be joining us for an afternoon and evening of tasting, stories, and good company at bock, a colourful atelier and event space in Kreuzberg.” As BorStore owner, Máté Szedlacskó commented, many fans and keen wine enthusiasts have already bought tickets, but the venue is quite big, so still there is chance to join. What’s more, as Máté says, there will be some “pogácsa” as well! (See a great pogácsa recipe here.)

Date and time: 15.00–20.00, 25 November 2025
Venue: bock atalier, Urbanstraße 125, 10967 Berlin, Germany
More information and tickets
More information about Fine Wines Association of Hungary (FWA)

A recent article about FWA member Etyeki Kúria MSV Pinot Gris Orange Wine

Orange Wine Festival in Vienna on 18 November

A recent article about FWA member Homola Winery and its wines presented in the US

Balaton in New York on 11 November

A recent article about FWA member Tóth Ferenc Winery and its event venue

Dreamlike event spot in Eger wine region

It was not desecration!

Probably many wine enthusiasts are shocked now and despise us. What? Blending wines from different countries? Desecrating the sacred terroirs and the hard work of the winemakers?

1. Well, first of all, the blended amount was just a small portion, for a symbolic tasting, guests had the chance to taste the unblended wines themselves, they could see the labels and we explained a little about the wineries to each inquiring guest.
2. We are not the first to do cross-country blending, there are famous examples, like a “Two Worlds” blend of Napa (USA) Cabernet Sauvignon and Barossa (Australia) Shiraz and another Two Worlds project (though unfinished due to bureaucracy), including Ernest Loosen from Pfalz, Germany, who blended his Pinot Noir with another one from Oregon. Read more here.
3. The blend worked! We blended Spanish Tempranillo wine (the most planted black grape of Spain) with three Kékfrankos wines (Kékfrankos is the most planted black grape of Hungary). The smooth, fruity, velvety Tempranillo really benefited from the vibrant, lively and definitely more acidic Kékfrankos wines. Kékfrankos elevated Tempranillo, and the blend was a truly enjoyable, elegant red wine.

As I emphasized, guests could taste the wines themselves, without blending, the blended amount was only half a bottle of each wine, and we had some more bottles, thanks to the generosity of the wineries. It was a funny extra to the wedding, but also the introduction of Kékfrankos wines to the Spanish and other non-Hungarian guests.

So once again, Vesztergombi, Tóth Ferenc, Thummerer wineries, thank you for making a happy day even happier, and thank you for adding some “Hungarian spices and excitement” to the Spanish wine.

Read about the three wines below

Vesztergombi Porkolábvölgy Kékfrankos 2019, Szekszárd

The grape came from Porkoláb vineyard and was aged in 300–500 L barrels for 24 months. Only 2000 bottles were made. “An excellent selection of Kékfrankos from Szekszárd. Well structured, intense fruit and barrel spice, elegant acid backbone, integrated tannin structure. Concentrated fruit on the nose and palate. Red and black cherries, sour cherries, strawberries, blueberries and cranberries. A persistent finish with the enticing notes of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.”

More about Vesztergombi Cellar

Tóth Ferenc Egri Kékfrankos Superior 2018, Eger

The grape was harvested on Síkhegy, one of the most prestigious vineyards of Tóth Ferenc Winery. The wine aged in aged in 5 and 20 hl oak barrels for 2 years. “A deep-coloured wine with intense nose. The aromas are still slow to open but manifold. Blue fruits, cherries and cocoa powder blossom out on the nose. A hint of exciting amaretto character emerges in the mid-palate thanks to oak aging. Firm but ripe tannins. Th long, cherry finish combined with lively acids and a slightly chocolatey finish shows the wine has great potential.”

More about Tóth Ferenc Winery

Kékfrankos Superior Selection 2021, Eger

“A dense and layered red wine, bursting with black berries, silky tannins, and excellent aging potential. A bold, dynamic yet graceful red wine that proudly represents this classic grape variety of the Eger wine region. Its deep ruby colour with violet hues, multi-layered bouquet, and velvety tannin structure immediately reveal its impressive inner depth. The nose is dominated by notes of sour cherry, plum, and blueberry, elegantly wrapped in spicy (cinnamon, clove) and dark chocolate oak aromas. This harmony is echoed on the palate, where the long finish leaves behind a rich aftertaste of cherry and chocolate.”

More about Thummerer Winery

The Spanish wine: Sabate i Coca Castellroig So Negre 2020, Penedés

The wine is made of 100% Tempranillo in the Catalan Penedés wine region, where the grape has its Catalan name: Ull de Llebre. The grapes came from three different vineyards, fermented in American oak with skin contact and aged for 5 months. “Intense raspberry notes, liquorice, coffee, rosemary and preserved cherries. Fleshy, balanced and elegant, its gentleness is maintained through the long-lasting finish in the mouth.”

More about Sabate i Coca Winery

What is offered on Síkhegy?

– Shades and sheds in case of rain
– Free parking
– Sustainable toilets
– A wide range of drink packages
– Stylish furniture and decoration
– Help with trustworthy service providers (photographer, transfer, musician, catering)
– Vineyard tour, cellar visit
– Professional tutored tastings
– Unparallel view, cleanliness, neat vines

Drink Bikavér, then sleep in Bikavér!

Tóth Ferenc Winery has an enchanting guest house in the centre of Eger, by the feet of the medieval castle.

You can be the lord by the castle!

From the castle to the picnic

Watch this video to imagine the guest house and Síkhegy Picnic

Are you interested? Contact Katalin Tóth!

Did you know that there is a thing called “Korean wine”?

Though there are evidences of winemaking in Korea from the Middle Ages, these earlier mentions refer to Christian missionaries. The first authentic Korean wine made of domestically grown grapes was created in 1969 in Daejeon – it was called Sunry Port Wine.
Nowadays there are about 150 South Korean wineries.

Date and time: 1–3 November, 2024, 11.00–18.00
Venue: Daejeon Convention Center (DCC) Exhibition Halls 1 and 2, Yuseong District, South Korea
Entrance is free for members of the trade
More information about getting at the expo

Hungarian wineries at the expo: 2HA Winery (Badacsony), Barta Winery (Tokaj), Bock Winery (Villány),  Bussay Winery (Zala), Dubicz Vineyard and Winery (Mátra), Etyeki Kúria (Etyek), Filep Wines (Tokaj), Füleky Estate (Tokaj), Grand Tokaj (Tokaj), Harsányi Winery (Tokaj), Heimann & Fiai (Szekszárd), Hétszőlő-Tokaj (Tokaj), Homola – Paloznak (Balatonfüred–Csopak), Juliet Victor Vineyards (Tokaj), Kancellár Estate (Somló), Lajver Wine House (Szekszárd), Laposa Winery (Badacsony), Rejiji Wines (Villány), Royal Tokaji (Tokaj), Sanzon Tokaj (Tokaj), Somlói Vándor (Somló), St Donat (Balatonfüred–Csopak), Tóth Ferenc Winery (Eger), Tűzkő Estate (Tolna), Vida (Szekszárd), Villa Sandahl (Badacsony), Zsirai Winery (Tokaj)

Hungarian masterclasses at the expo in two topics:
– Stories about Hungary told through typical grape varieties from five wine regions
– Presenting Furmint and Aszú: the most important wine styles of Tokaj

More information about the programs: coming soon!

– Being a winelover does not make one a wine merchant automatically…
– It is true, but when we moved here, we missed Hungarian wines so much! Why would I drink South American wines, which travelled through the world with huge ships to get to my table?

– Do you have any business background?
– Well, I do have marketing experience, since earlier I spent 20 years with marketing of culture, I was also member of the Ministry of Culture. My wife got her degree in music and choir conducting, but instead she spent 15 years at a large Japanese multinational company.

– Did you get any help?
– Yes, the team of the Embassy of Hungary has been very supportive from the beginning. The webshop works, we have already had some orders – everything functions properly. As for the delivery, the shipments are in good hands: we have a contract with the Dutch Post.

– How did you choose your suppliers?
– We were looking for wines that are made of grapes grown only in the Carpathian basin. What would be the point to present another Chardonnay? We aim to introduce wines that are unique and made exclusively in Hungary. Rózsakő, Kéknyelű, Irsai Olivér – only we cultivate these grapes and they are more than worth tasting.

– What is your plan for the marketing of the webshop launch?
– We have already started to post actively on social media, especially on Instagram. Considering the fact that Hungarian wines are not known in the Netherlands and there are grape varieties that are exclusively available in the country, we wanted to use our social media channels not just to promote our wines but to drop some educational content, too. We also plan to hold events, conduct tasting, present wines for wine influencers.

– Is there a headquarters of Wijndruppels?
– No, at the moment there isn’t. However, we have good connection with the Amsterdam Wine Academy, and we plan to hold events in their building.

– I was surprised to see that you offer sushi and wine pairings on your webshop. Meanwhile I have found out the reason: your wife, Aki is Japanese, isn’t she?
– Yes, indeed, she was born in Japan. She had lived in Hungary for 30 years, she speaks perfect Hungarian, just like you and me.

– When it comes to oriental food, usually aromatic wines are mentioned – though oriental is too broad, of course. What are the best matches according to your experiences?
– Well, the bottle fermented brut sparkling from Balaton works really well! Surprising, but a slightly chilled Kadarka is also a perfect partner of sushi.

– Do the Dutch wine drinkers know Hungary?
– Not really, and this opinion is shared by the professionals of the Amsterdam Wine Academy. Hungary is very under-represented in the wine market of The Netherlands. Even though they are open, they mostly drink wines from the well-known wine countries, and the cheap options from the above-mentioned New World countries. They mostly drink white wine, red is also consumed, but less than white. Rosé is not popular – strangely enough, and sweet wines are hardly known.

– So, you have a lot of work ahead. Yet, if things go well, will you widen your selection?
– Certainly, since there are several wine regions missing from our range at the moment. Later we would be glad to present wines from Sopron, and lesser-known Hungarian wine regions, like Mór, Pannonhalma or Zala.