…and some other wines, too. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences has an annual wine contest. The 2019 edition has been held recently, it was the 10th Academy wine selection, and this year 142 wines entered from 48 wineries. 7 wines were awarded the prestigious title „The Wine of the Academy”. The majority of the gold medal winners came from Tokaj, but great white wines are made in other wine regions of Hungary as well, as it is proved by the prize of the first category: the premium white wine winner is Kamocsay Premium Pinot Gris from Neszmély wine region!

The scholars’ choice

Wine is all around us, and it is especially relevant when speaking about Hungary. Wine is part of our culture, part of our soul. As a natural consequence our important authorities, universities, town councils each has its own wine contest to select the wines of the given institution. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences select the wines for their own events – and these super intelligent people want the best wines for themselves, of course. The president of the jury is a professor as well: Dr Tamás Freund is a world famous brain surgeon, the vice president of the Academy and a wine expert with immense tasting experience.

The winner of the premium white category

„It is a great honour that this year our Pinot Gris has been selected for this title” – said Ákos Kamocsay, chief winemaker of Hilltop Neszmély. „We regularly register wines for this contest, and several times our products have been awarded the title of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ wine. The 2017 vintage was just the right one for Pinot Gris. As a result, we have crafted a full, rich, elegant and deep wine. The Pinot Gris shows us a finely polished harmony and an amazing flavour. It is a young, developing wine, yet it already reveals a great character.”

More about Kamocsay Premium Pinot Gris 2017.

The winner of the premium red category

The red winner is a usual protagonist of the top results of wine contest: Koch Csanád Cuvée 2012 from Villány has won several awards. The winery has its centre in Hajós–Baja wine region, but also has vineyards in Villány. „It has the colour of pomegranate. Regarding the nose the first impression is that of punch and vanilla waking up a series of associations of the taster. Besides them we can smell several fruits like blueberry and blackberry. Then behind them we can discover a kind of ‘propolis’ note resulting from bottle aging. On the palate vanilla is still dominant accompanied by sweet, dark berry fruits and spices. Significant body, relatively high alcohol, integrated tannins, soft acidy form the wonderful composition of this wine.” Koch Winery won another title at this contest (see below), thus Koch is the most successful winery of this wine competition.

More about Koch Villányi Csanád Cuvée 2012.

All the 7 category winners

• Premium white: Kamocsay Prémium Pinot Gris 2017, Hilltop, Neszmély wine region
• Premium red: Villányi Csanád Cuveé 2012, Koch Winery, Villány wine region
• Premium sweet: Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2013, Füleky Winery, Tokaj wine region
• Medium (event wine) category white: Nagy-Somlói Zenit 2018, Tornai Winery, Somló wine region
• Medium (event wine) red: Villányi Cabernet Sauvignon Classicus 2015, Koch Winery, Villány wine region
• Medium (event wine) sweet: Late Harvest 2016, Tokaj Oremus, Tokaj wine region
• Medium (event wine) rosé: Pinot Noir Rosé 2018, Villa Pátzay, Badacsony