Discover Mád village, the pearl of Tokaj

‘Öreg Király’ (‘Old King’) is undoubtedly one of the most breath-taking vineyards of the world – why not discover it in a delicious way? Ride to the foot of the stunning slopes and open the bottled fruit of that very same vineyard from your picnic basket! The total distance to the vineyard and back is around 13 kilometres (8 miles), with a total elevation of 250 metres (820 feet).
Also, meet Barta Winery team at two events: ‘Mad Buzz’ (‘Mádi Pezsgés’) this Saturday, 25 May or at Good night, Mád on 21–23 June.

Bikes and wines are provided!

What else would you need? Maybe some food to gain energy, but Barta Winery takes care of your calory intake: artisan jams, cheeses and salamis are packed along with the two bottles of chilled wines. As a when writer, I am fascinated when a winery provides all the necessary information – believe me, it is rather rare –, and the Barta team just did it!

Bikers are provided with an online map as well, and the team gives the exact distance and elevation, so that you can decide in advance knowing your stamina. The wines included are: Öreg Király Dűlő Furmint 2022 (dry) and Öreg Király Dűlő Késői Furmint 2018 (sweet).
The price for the premium bike picnic is 28 000 HUF / 72.5 EUR and it is available practically any time.
You can easily buy the experience online here.

If you prefer spending less, there is another version for only 16 000 HUF / 41.5 EUR, the bikes and the picnic delicacies are the same, only the wines are different: Egy kis Furmint 2022 (dry) and Egy kis édes Furmint-Muskotály 2022 (sweet) are also two lovely wines of the estate.
You can book this bike picnic here.

Don’t rush home, Barta Winery offers accommodation as well! You can choose between the cosy guest house and the gorgeous rooms of Rákóczi-Aspremont Mansion. 

More about Barta Winery

Picnic baskets are available

If you are wandering around Tokaj wine region, Patricius Winery is a must. It is easy to find and the estate offers great wines, cellar visits, vineyard tours and – our favourite – a picnic basket full of local delicacies and certainly a bottle of chilled, bottle fermented sparkling wine!

Patricius Brut

A terroir sparkling wine made by traditional method shows the characteristics of the volcanic Tokaj soil. Hárslevelű, Furmint and Yellow Muscat blending. The fruity notes of Hárslevelű and Yellow Muscat are nicely completed by the amazing acidity of the Furmint and the signs of bottle fermentation and ageing.

More information

Patricius wines are available in several countries, for example in the United Kingdom by Enotria & Co.

More information about Patricius wine picnic experience here

Our earlier article about a Patricius picnic

Picnic in a historic Tokaj vineyard

 

“Beer before wine and you’ll feel fine” – this myth has already been debunked in spite of the countless theories supporting it. The secret must be the portion and the quality: if you dring good quality wine and beer moderately, the order does not count. You can practice it at Babarczi Vineyard and Winery in the picturesque Pannonhalma wine region, where Vaskakas (‘Iron Rooster’) craft beer brewery pours their beers along with crispy, super juicy, delicious Babarczi wines.

Pulled pork, pulled beef

The above theory works: namely drink less, but good things. But if your mood is higher and you drink more, the delicious pulled pork and pulled beef BBQ sandwiches can help. Live music will be provided, and certainly guests can taste the whole portfolio of both Babarczi and Vaskakas.

Tickets cost 4500 HUF (13 euros) and they include a tasting glass and a welcome drink as well.

Date and time: 10 July, 16.00–22.00

Location: Babarczi Vineyard and Winery (Győrújbarát, Óvoda u. 33. – 120 kms from Budapest, about 70 minutes’ drive)

Register here

More about Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

Gere Tamás & Zsolt Winery invites all their followers for the safest way of enjoying wine: take a tour among the hills and valleys of beautiful Villány wine region, enjoy the sight and scent of the blossoming trees, feel spring in the air. But before starting your hike, grab a Gere Tamás & Zsolt picnic set for the tour.

In Hungary the third wave of COVID 19 is severe, at the moment all the restaurants and wine bars are closed, schools are closed, too, however, as Gere argues cleverly: “nature is open”. The only place you can go is outside, therefore, if you are stuck in Hungary, we suggest you not to resist this temptation and enjoy a picnic in Villány.

The picnic set costs 5200 HUF (14 euros) and includes

– a map of Villány vineyards,

– a bottle of Gere Zsolt RedY 2019 (for more info scroll down) or Gere Tamás Rosé Cuvée 2020,

– two plastic wine cups with Villány logo,

– platter of home made cold cuts, sausages, two types of cheeses, fresh bread, sausage spread.

Available at Gere Tamás & Zsolt Diófa pansion

Villány, 1 Diófás street, Hungary

More information about Gere Tamás & Zsolt Winery

What is RedY?

Villány, the mediterranean wine region of Hungary is the most famous for its single varietal Villányi Franc– outsanding, complex, elegant wines made of Cabernet Franc–, but in 2018 another community brand, RedY was presented. The wineries realized that „they had been ready for the new challenge of meeting the needs of the Y generation”. 

RedY wines are always blends with Portugieser base (51–66%). Other local varieties contribute to the blend (Blauburger, Kadarka, Kékfrankos és Zweigelt, 20–49%) and the international varieties are represented with maximum 14%.

The outcome is exactly what RedY blend was created for: to show the cheerful, spicy, naughty face of Villány! RedY wines come out with chic red capsules!

A naughty wine

Gere Zsolt RedY is a blend of 60% Portugieser, 30% Kékfrankos and 10% Kadarka. The wines fermented separately, Portugieser and Kékfrankos matured for 6 months in stainless steel, while Kadarka aged in large oak barrel. Blending took place before bottling (spring, 2020). Only 5000 bottles were made.

“Youngish, lively wine with light purple colour. The nose is abundant is fruits and reveals a touch of oak. When you taste, you will realize what Villány producers aimed to create with RedY: playful, exciting, cheerful. A naughty wine that makes you fall in love with it. It does not want to show off – satisfied with what it can offer and so you will be.”

Alcohol: 12.60 %, acidity:  5.3 g/l, residual sugar: 1.2 g/l.