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

7 facts about this not-so-easy-to-pronounce grape variety

Why does Tűzkő Estate use the German name on the label, even though it is so hard to pronounce? Well, we were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, German language is close to us. And, do you think the Hungarian word would be easier to say?

1) Gewürtztraminer is Fűszeres Tramini in Hungarian, meaning “Spicy Tramini”. We also use the term Piros Tramini or we call it simply Tramini.

2) Gewürztraminer was first mentioned under this name by the German university gardener Johann Christian Metzger in 1827 as a rare variety from the Rheingau (source: Wein.Plus).

3) Traminer and Gewürztraminer are close relatives, but they are not identical. The main difference is that Gewürztraminer has more of the spicy musk note (musqué). “One of the most headily and distinctively aromatic varietals of all with strong lychee flavours and high alcohol levels.” (Excerpt from Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz.)

4) Gewürztraminer is the most planted variant of Traminer. It is grown in France (mostly in Alsace), Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Austria, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and obviously in Hungary. And it is also grown as far as some states of the US (California, Oregon, Washington. Michigan, New York), and also in Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa – and guess what, in Japan and Israel.

5) Rose petals, lychees, bitter orange, marzipan and the above-mentioned musk are the most typical notes of a Gewürtztraminer. Usually, it is full bodied and quite high in alcohol. In good years with proper yield-control it has a significant ageing potential.

6) Tűzkő Estate is located in Tolna wine region, owned by the Italian Antonori and Mazzei families. It is one of the few recommended wineries under the title Gewürztraminer in the book called Wine Grapes. The grape for their Tűzkő Gewürtztraminer 2023 came from Bátaapáti and Mőcsény vinayards. The carefully selected bunches were destemmed and soaked for 6–8 hours, pressed gently and then fermented in stainless steel tanks at 16 °C for 12–14 days. The alcohol is moderate here for the variety, only 12.5%. Acidity: 6 g/l, residual sugar: 5.9 g/L. Intense peach, tangerine, grapefruit and rose petals. Lovely to drink.
Now for only 1000 HUF (less than 3 EUR) from the winery webshop!

7) In a recent post Tűzkő paired Gewürztraminer with Mediterranean chicken, since it “goes perfectly with the wine enhancing its flavours, plus it is a truly summer dish”. The chicken is marinated in olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice, then roasted until golden with some rosemary and garlic. Garnished with grilled vegetables or couscous.

Read more about Tűzkő Estate

Tűzkő Estate

Tűzkő wines are available in several countries. If you are interested in importing Tűzkő wines, contact Bulcsú Ősi director of sales and marketing.

An earlier article about Dr Árpád Erdélyi estate manager

Wine of the Week: Tűzkő Kékfrankos Selection

Complex white, light sparkling or fruity red?

If you read the advice of food & wine experts, you can find examples of all the three wines above. A white from the volcanic Somló is definitely complex enough to balance the richness of smoked ham, and if it is a slightly aromatic wine, like a Tramini, it goes well with honeyed smoked ham. Prosecco or other light sparkling wine with some sweetish character will also work, and if you would go for a red, a lighter red like Kadarka or Zweigelt will do the job.

The three wines in our cover photo

Fehérvári Grand Reserve Tramini, 2022, Somló
Grape: 100% Tramini
Barrel aged Tramini from selected barrels. Concentrated rose oil and spicy barrel aromas greet you in its fragrance. Its taste is both vibrant and rich, with a very long, spicy aftertaste and refined barrel notes.
More about Fehérvári Wine Estate

Babarczi Buborczi aerated sparkling wine 2024, Pannonhalma
Grapes: Cserszegi Fűszeres, Irsai Olivér, Tramini
Fine bubbles caress the palate, while its fragrant fruit character and lively acidity make this wine the refreshing drink of the summer.
More about Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

Vylyan ‘Ördög’ 2022, Villány
Grapes: Merlot, Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Kékfrankos, Cabernet Franc
Ördög is a blend of the classicus product range, named after the Devil) ‘ördög’ means ‘devil’ in love in the traditional Villány legend. Energetic, thirst-quenching and full of vitality. This wine showcases vibrant fruitiness in the form of red stone fruits. Refreshing acidity, sporty structure and pleasant warm undertones characterize this wine.
More about Vylyan Vineyard and Winery  

34 Hungarian medals were given at Mundus Vini Spring Tasting. Our wines collected 19 gold 15 silver medals at the German international wine contest, the top ones will be available to taste at Prowein. The Best in Show Hungarian White Wine came from Somló, it is a Tornai Tramini Selection 2021.

Some more statistics

At this year’s spring tasting the 250 experts judged wines from 37 countries, including even Poland (1 silver medal) and the Netherlands (1 silver medal). The most successful countries are Italy (930 medals), Spain (754), Portugal (359) and France (303) and Germany with 223 awards.
As for Hungary, the Best Red Wine came from Villány, while the Best Noble Sweet Wine is from Tokaj, not surprisingly. What might be surprising is that out of the 19 gold medal winner wines 6 of them are sparklingwines! And of of them is from Villány–Teleki Tradíció Chardonnay Brut–2021, our southernmost wine region, proving that elegant and complex sparkling wines can come from there, if made with care and attention.

Best in Show Tramini

Tornai is one of the leading wineries in the volcanic Somló wine region, they are regular trophy winners in international contests, including the UK International Wine Challenge.
Tramini Selection is made from selected grapes of the best vintages, characterized by its perfume and spice. It has a clear, straw yellow colour with golden highlights, and aromas of flint, graphite, dried apricot, and herbs. The palate is dry, with moderate acidity, elegant minerality, and a floral finish. Perfect as a stand-alone experience or paired with spicy Asian cuisine or Hungarian dishes.
Tornai also won gold medal with Selection Grófi Hárslevelű 2022.
Find the wines on Tornai webshop
(The labels are different from the ones in the cover photo, since Tornai has undergone a rebranding recently.)

Don’t you know Tramini (or Traminer) grape?

Here you can find a fairly detailed description.

Mundus Vini Spring Tasting 2025

Find all Hungarian medal winners here

Noble Rot Wein Bar

Krisztina Csetvei never stays put, on the contrary, she is always on the road. See Csetvei calendar below, and pick a date to taste the new vintage Raw/ka wines. Raw refers to the natural winemaking and character of the wines, while Raw-ka pronounced with the English pronunciation sounds ‘róka’, meaning ‘fox’ in Hungarian. The ‘foxy lady’ proved her creativity again:)

Csetvei events in the upcoming months

– 1 October, Künst Bistro, Budapest, Hungary
More information

– 3–6 October, Mór Wine Days ((Kapucinus square), Mór, Hungary
More information

– 17 October, Noble Rot Wein Bar, Berlin, Germany
More information

– 26 October, WeLoveMór Outdoor Wine Hike, Mór, Hungary
More information soon or contact Krisztina Csetvei

– 16 November, Saint Martin’s Day goose feast at Csetvei Cellar, Mór, Hungary
More information

Extra size pleasures from Somló

The 3rd edition of Winelovers Wine Awards took place in July, the specialist of the sparkling wines was Essi Avellan MW, just like in the previous years. Getting a gold medal at this contest means more than outstanding quality. Fehérvári Wine Estate family winery from Somló managed to get the shiniest medal for this amazing bottle fermented sparkling wine made of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Furmint and Hárslevelű.

Fehérvári WWA accolades this year:

– Fehérvári Brut Magnum, NV, gold medal, 94 points
– Fehérvári Grand Reserve Juhfark, 2021, silver medal, 89 points
– Fehérvári Grand Reserve Tramini, 2022, silver medal, 88 points
– Fehérvári Grand Reserve Extra Brut, 2019, bronze medal, 88 points

More about Fehérvári Wine Estate

The grandiose beauty

“Our Reserve Brut Magnum sparkling wine carries both the exclusivity of traditional sparkling wines and the innovative curiosity of our winery. An exciting specialty that offers a wonderful sight as moonlight pearls in the glass with a yellow colour. In its complex aroma, juicy peaches, pears and citrus appear at the same time, with toasty, mature aromas in the background. Its fruitiness creates harmony with the biscuit flavours, which end with a creamy finish.”
Retail price (on Fehérvári’s webshop): 17 990 HUF / 46 EUR
(Keep in mind, it is a magnum, bottle fermented, gold winner sparkling wine from the smallest wine region of Hungary.)

Are you interested in working with Fehérvári wines? Contact Péter Pacher sales director.

A stunning Traminer from Somló

To make things clear

Hungary hosts two large scale international wine contests (VinAgora and Winelovers Wine Awards) and some competitions focusing on a grape variety (GROW in 2024, Portugieser du Monde, Franc du Monde). The most important non-international contest is the National Wine Contest (‘Országos Borverseny’) held annually, organised by the National Council of the Wine Communities. This article mentions the 3rd Winelovers Wine Awards, you can find all the results here.

More information about Winelovers Wine Awards

Wine of the Week

An outstanding Traminer from Alsace is not a surprise, while in Hungary most Tramini wines are pleasant everyday drinks. However, the unique, volcanic wine region of Somló mountain can give special Traminer wines, as Fehérvári Reserve Tramini 2022 proves. The wine has received amazingly high scores (16.20 / 20) at the latest issue of Vince Hungarian print wine magazine.

A “flavour-journey”

Fehérvári Estate recommends the wine “for those who like gastronomic specialties. The scent of Tramini Reserve is intense, rich and varietal. Each sip is a real flavour-journey, as the rose oil and rich aromas go down a perfect dance with the classic minerality of Somló lurking in the background. The aging in wooden barrels awakens the soul of the wine, at the same time giving it a sophisticated softness, which only makes the overall effect even more spicy.”

Vince magazine panel’s description:

“Medium deep lemon colour. Intense, perfumy, spicy nose with Muscat-like aromas. Great balance, creamy texture, livelyacidity. Flavourful, juicy wine with medium length abundant in Muscat-like notes and tropical fruits.”

More about Fehérvári Estate

Are you interested in working with Fehérvári wines? Contact Péter Pacher sales director.

A merry lady from the hills of Pannonhalma

Though her birthday was two days ago, we are still in time to cheer Zsuzsanna Babarczi – in Hungary we say that birthday wishes are still valid 8 days after… This young, cheerful, lovely lady is always like in the photo above: never tired, never grumpy, always patient, even in the last hour of a tiring day at a wine exhibition.
You can meet her and Babarczi wines on 25 August at the 5th Hungarian Gettogether in Pannonhalma. (If you are a wine professional and would like to participate, contact us!)

Babarczi Bubbles

To the great joy of many winelovers, nowadays almost all Hungarian wineries add a sparkling wine to their range, so do the Babarczi family. ‘Buborczi’ is an aerated sparkling wine made of Cserszegi Fűszeres, Irsai Olivér and Tramini – three aromatic grapes. Due to the cooler climate of Pannonhalma wine region the wine is refreshing with vibrant acidity. “This wine is a unique and exciting blend of the spicy aromas of Cserszegi Fűszeres and Irsai Olivér’s perfumed, elderflower notes. Fine bubbles caress the palate, while its fragrant fruit character and lively acidity make this wine the refreshing drink of the summer.” The name Buborczi is a mix of the family name and the word ‘buborék’ meaning bubble.

More about Babarczi Winery and Vineyard

Wine of the Weekend

Mátra is a wine region to watch – mountainous area, volcanic soil, ambitious winemakers –, and Sol Montis is a leading family winery of the region. They make  estate wines in the best vintages, at the base of the pyramid we can find classic varietal wines and maybe the most remarkable is the range in between, the premium line with approachable, easy drinking, fruity wines, mostly blends with enchanting names like these:

– ‘Illangó’ is an aerated semi dry Muscat Ottonel. The name is a pun, since ‘pillangó’ means butterly and ‘illan’ is a verb meaning ‘disappear in a second’).

– ‘Naplevente’, a dry blend of Tramini, Muscat Ottonel and Yellow Muscat. The name – again a pun – comes from ‘Naplemente’ meaning ‘sunset’, but mixed with an ancient male first name, Levente.

– ‘Zitakötö’, a late harvest dessert wine made of Tramini. A wine created by the father, the founder of the winery to his daughter, Zita, who is also a winemaker and an ambitious manager of not only the estate, but the wine region is well (she is the president of Mátra Council of Winemakers). The name of the wine is a pun again: ‘szitakötő’ is dragonfly in Hungarian, a sleek, beautiful insect of spring meadows, but the beginning of the word is replaced with Zita, the name of the daughter.

My Mátra – a new release community wine

Villány has Villányi Franc and RedY, Eger has Egri Bikavér and Egri Csillag, Balaton wine regions have BalatonBor, no wonder other wine regions follow suit, and this May 6 Mátra winemakers released MyMátra. The white wine aims to target young customers with its youthful label. The blend and its regulation were created with the help of András Horkay wine expert, founder of CEWI wine school.

MyMátra regulations

– It is fermented and aged in stainless steel, barrel use is not allowed.
– The blend should contain minimum 3 aromatic grape varieties. Each should be minimum 10% and maximum 35%.
– These aromatic vareties are Irsai Olivér, Cserszegi fűszeres, Muscat Ottonel, Yellow Muscat and Tramini. These varieties should contribute to the blend with a minimum of 70% altogether.
– The rest 30% could be: Sauvignon Blanc, Rizlingszilváni, Zöldveltelini, Zenit and Királyleányka.
– MyMátra is dry, crispy, refreshing with medium plus acidity and medium alcohol content. The nose shows floral and fruity, perfumy notes complemented with mineral tones from the volcanic soil of Mátra.

The 6 MyMátra wineries in the first (2021) vintage: Bárdos, Kovács, Dubicz, Ákos, Nyilas and Sol Montis.

More about Sol Montis winery

Guide to Hungary’s largest mountainous wine region

Hungary cannot boast with high peaks and dramatic cliffs, but we have our beautiful Mátra, a soul healing mountain of many children tales. It is a magic land where mountain meets the sun, where green forests hide countless deers and where the meadows scent with flowers and tempt us to lie down in the silky grass. And Mátra is a land of young and talented winemakers.

The second largest of 22 wine regions

Hungary has 6 broader wine regions, which are divided into 22 sub regions – usually referred to as wine regions. Kunság is the largest one, a huge, flat wine region with mostly sandy soil, while Mátra is the second largest wine region with 32497 hectares, of which 24261 hectares are classified as first class. The vineyards are situated on the southern slopes of Mátra mountain, in east–west direction from Hatvan to Domoszló. The stripe of vineyards is 15–20 km wide, and bordered by two rivers, Tarna and Zagyva. The south border of Mátra wine region is the M3 motorway. 22 communes belong to Mátra wine region, the most important ones are: Abasár, Markaz, Visonta, Nagyréde, Gyöngyöspata, Gyöngyöstarján, Gyöngyössolymos.