Kovács Nimród Winery

Noel Bíró has been the head winemaker of Kovács Nimród Winery for about two years. Now he is telling us how he grew up in Eger wine region and what the atmosphere is like at the winery.

“Born into wine”

– You are from Eger, you grew up in the wine region, and you studied winemaking in Eger. Are there winemakers in your family, were there grape growers among your ancestors?
– I was born in Eger, grew up here, and graduated from university here as a viticulture and winemaking engineer. My family has always had ties to the profession. My grandfather was vice president of the Eger Wine Route Association and was closely involved in the development of local wine and gastronomy. My father has also worked in several branches of the profession, from gastronomy to viticulture.
– Where did you work after university?
– Before I started university, I worked at the St. Andrea Vineyard to gain some professional insight. During and immediately after university, I started my career at the Nap-völgy Winery, then worked at the Gál Tibor Winery for two years, and finally, almost two years ago, I moved to the Kovács Nimród Winery as head winemaker. These wineries are all located in a historic row of cellars in Eger, where I often visited as a child with my father, as he also worked there, so I was familiar with the area and the wineries.

Being independent in a team

– What is it like to work there? Nimród is proud of the low fluctuation and the good atmosphere. Can you tell us a little about why it’s good to work there?
– The atmosphere in the company is friendly, there aren’t many arguments, so we deal with everyday challenges cheerfully and celebrate our successes together. The team on the viticulture side is also good, and my colleagues always strive to get the most out of each vintage in terms of quality from all of our vineyards.
– How much independence do you have? Surely you have your own ideas, and there are disagreements? Have you ever made a wine that is your own style, based on your own ideas?
– I think Nimród and I understand each other well, we have similar opinions on many things, and our tastes are similar, so it’s easy to work together. We decide on the batches mostly based on joint decisions, and then I make them. There are batches that I shape based on market demand, and there are others that Nimród comes up with based on his own insights. Most of our items are based on a shared vision, but I am largely responsible for maintaining the appropriate style until the final result is achieved, so I feel that every wine is a little bit mine, as I can assert myself professionally in every vintage while maintaining the agreed style.

Getting better every year

– What wines/wine regions in the world do you admire, which have had an impact on you?
– I think every major and famous wine region has its own beauty, advantages, and disadvantages. What captivates me about them is always different, whether it is something that inspires me or perhaps shows progress in technology. Tuscany’s variety-focused approach, Burgundy’s emphasis on the vineyards, New Zealand’s marketing and style building, Tokaj’s uniqueness, California’s market building, brand emphasis and precision. These are just a few examples, but I believe that you can learn and develop from anything. It is important to remain true to ourselves and to always continue to develop and adapt.
– What is your greatest desire, your goal, when you think about the next 5-10 years?
– To develop, to get better every year. If that works, then I’ll be satisfied with that for now.

More about Kovács Nimród Winery

Kovács Nimród wines are available in many countries, see the partners around the world here

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