Live and let eat whatever people want! Meatlovers versus vegetarians – a neverending debate. However, at least today step one step behind and make peace. You can never know what the motivation is behind, it might be a dietary restriction, the animal rights, religion or something else. We, personally respect those who can resist the temptation of a juicy steak. If you are not the one to respect, at least accept the ones who choose not to eat meat.

Warning

It is going to be quite a personal post (written by Ágnes Németh, editor of Hungarianwines.eu).

My niece is a successful poet in Hungary. Yes, this phenomenon exists, she writes poems, she is online, she is acknowledged by the literary men and she can even make money of it (her books of poets are bestsellers). She still decided to leave Hungary for a while and to study in her dream school in London. Of course she needs something to live on, thus she started help promote a tiny but chic pastry shop. Today I checked the Instagram page of Maison.vie, this is how I learned that 1st October is World Vegetarian Day.

Not many vegetarians…

So when I realised that it was the day of vegetarians, it occurred to me to mention some vegetarian winemakers, but finally it turned out that there were not many. I have learned about some people, for example Papa Aron on Szent György-hegy (Saint George mountain in Badacsony wine region) or Mihály Fekete in Szekszárd wine region but for some reason – I cannot explain why – I had wanted to introduce women. But one – an amazing woman – recently stopped being a vegetarian after five years, another one was flirting with the idea but never started.

Angelika Árvay, a missionary

But finally Angelika Árvay told me that she had been a vegetarian for a few years. The name Árvay may be familiar to many of you, since this is an outstanding family winery from the tiny village of Rátka, Tokaj wine region.

Angi (short for Angelika) is a missionary indeed. She was born into a wine family, and following the family path was not enough for her. She runs a Facebook page called “Borokról könnyedén”, which is something like “let’s explain wine in an easy going way”. Many videos, clever but consise posts, radio podcasts – all to educate those who want to learn more about wine.

Angi is a vegetarian because she feels better not to hurt anyone and anything on this planet. ‘I used to like the taste of meat, but now I feel much better not to hurt any living creature and not to cause pain to them. Since I have known what it causes to eat animals, I do not want it any more, thanks. I believe it helps the Earth in a way.’

So, it is the evening of the World Vegetarian Day, let us cheer all the living creatures of the world – of course with a glass of wine made of grapes!