Titi Gál, the young father of Egri Csillag

Spring has come and so has the new vintage of Egri Csillag (literally the ‘Star of Eger’), the white blend of Eger wine region. Titi Gál, the winemaker of Gál Tibor Winery was the visioner, who realized 13 years ago that Eger needed a white blend. With the approval and enthusiasm of the fellow winemakers, the new blend was created. A blend that lightens up every day, charming and refreshing, crispy and vibrant. Also, it is the symbol of a community, a child, protected by the “parents”, the winemakers of Eger.

Fun fact: did you know that Eger is the most well known wine region within Hungary? Even the non-wine drinker Hungarians have some information about Eger. However, the winemakers of Eger realized that this knowledge was not enough, even though they were in the minds, they did not have an attractive image. Titi Gál was a leader in the project to renew the wine region, to rebrand and to do more than some “facelifting”. Eger Wine Workshopwas born, a new Eger bottle was created, several new annual events were launched and Egri Csillag started to twinkle.

Gál Tibor Egri Csillag 2023

Grape varieties: Olaszrizling 20%, Hárslevelű 30%, Viognier 20 %, Tramini 10 %, Szürkebarát 10%, Pinot blanc 10%.
Description: Golden yellow colour, elegant swirling in the glass. White flowers, white flesh fruits, gooseberry, mint and lemongrass on the nose. Easy to drink, zesty wine with firm acidity. Long lasting citrus fruits in the finish.
Alcohol: 12.9%, acidity: 5.3 g/l, sugar: 1.6 g/l, free sulphur: 33 mg/l, sugar free extract: 18.7 g/l
Technology: The grape varieties were harvested separately between 5 and 20 September. fermentation took place in stainless steel at law temperature. Blending was carried on shortly after fermentation. It was bottled after short maturation.
Food pairing: Fresh Cezar salad, spaghetti with pesto, grilled summer vegetables.
25 000 bottles were made. Webshop retail price: 2950 HUF / 7-8 EUR

Gál Tibor Wines are available in several countries, for example in the United States at Citadella Imports and at Palinkerie.
More about Gál Tibor Winery

Why was Egri Csillag born?

13 years ago, the producers of Eger wine region were looking for new ways to express the identity of the region. Egri Bikavér (literally ‘Bull’s Blood’) has long been established as a leading brand among Hungarian red wines but its white counterpart was missing. Eger is characterized by rich diversity of varieties so the tradition of blending goes back to centuries. There is no single white variety that could be considered dominant either in terms of acreage or production volume, nevertheless almost 45% of the area under vine is dedicated to white varieties. With this in mind it was clear that local winemakers should create a white counterpart to the iconic Egri Bikavér, a white blend marketed under a common brand name.

Why the name?

The term ‘Egri Csillag’ (Star of Eger) has two cultural references: Egri csillagok (plural) is the title of the most read Hungarian novel ever. And also, Eger has been an important trade route for centuries, and before the invention of electricity hundreds of torches were lit along the vineyards to mark the routes – they were often referred to as the “stars of Eger”.

What to know about Egri Csillag

– The first vintage of Egri Csillag was made in 2011.
– Initially ten wineries launched whites with the name Egri Csillag.
– Since then the number of participating wineries has steadily increased and today there are more than 25 different Egri Csillag wines available.
– Egri Csillag is a blend of at least four varieties.
– At least half of the varieties must be indigenous to the Carpathian Basin.
– There are three categories: classicus, superior and grand superior.
– All of them dry.
– Classicus is a light, crispy wine with intense fruit and floral aromas.
– Wines in the superior category show more concentration and are barrel aged.
– With grand superior wines there is an exciting extra dimension: all the grapes come from a single vineyard.
– With an annual production of one million bottles Egri Csillag is one of the market leaders today.
– Thanks to the volume and the three categories a wide range of customers buy the wines.
– You can find them in supermarkets, but also in wine bars and top restaurants frequented by wine connoisseurs.

Visit Eger

Eger is one of the most attractive places of Hungary with a medieval castle, picturesque cobblestoned streets, lovely baroque houses and a stunning Turkish bath.

VisitEger.com