Since I travelled in Hungary myself, I am deeply in love with Hungarian wines.
I joined a tasting at the Hungarian embassy where I tasted more than 40 quality Hungarian. Please find on this page my notes to those wines. For my followers living in Denmark, all wines were provided by wine and spirit store, a small Hungarian wine import located in Østerbro. Please find the link to Wine & spirit Store here.
If you are curious about the wines of Hungary, the wine regions, and the typical local grape varieties, you can read more here.
My Top Picks from the Tasting
Please find below my top picks of the tasting, respectively the best-rated sparkling wine, white wine, red wine, and dessert wine.
Sparkling
Bujdoso Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir), 2019 (92 Points)
Brut. Super nice bubble structure and acidity. Pinot Noir clearly coming out, fresh and red currant dominated, fresh apple, and the 2 years on the lees are clearly noticeable. Super nice balance. For the price point it is absolute value-for-money. Nice Champagne alternative from the Balaton region, 92 points.
White
Tokajicum Furmint 2020 (93 Points)
Dry Furmint from Tokaj, beautiful in the nose, beautiful complexity. Of course, the florality of Furmint is coming immediately, honey and beeswax, some old and new oak, coconut vanilla, beeswax. Typical freshness, sour peach, fresh apple, so much Furmint. Honey very dominant. Beautiful straight minerality, saltiness, and saline structure, beautiful honey on the palate, very sweaty and mineral. Great ageing potential, medium-plus acidity, 93 points (gave it actually 94 in first impression).
Red
St. Andrea Merengo 2021 (96 Points)
Color extremely light for this wine style and the grape composition. Really beautiful pale ruby, easy to see through Enormous florality and ripeness in the nose for such a young vintage, only two years old, 2021. Lot of cherries, red currant, red plum, raspberry, strawberry. Very herbal like thyme, oregano. Oak is coming through, chocolate, tobacco, smoke, cedar wood, light coconut, light vanilla, really well-blended and very balanced on the palate. Medium-plus acidity, medium-plus body, very well-integrated tannins, nothing striking out here. Extremely pleasurable, chilled 14 to 16 degrees, outstanding as usual when I tasted Merengo, I give it 96 points.
Dessert
Pangold Tokaj Aszu 5 Puttonyos 1999 (96 Points)
The 1999, wow what great development, super oxidized in nose and color. Dried hay, condensed dried apricot and peach, mirabelles, yellow plum, really on the beeswax and intense acacia honey side, deep vanilla, crème brulée quality. Absolutely a banger wine, 96 points.
Hungarian Wines – Grape Varieties to Know
Please find below an overview of the most important grape varieties when it comes to Hungarian Wines.
Kékfrankos (red)
A prominent red grape in Hungary, Kékfrankos, known as Blaufränkisch elsewhere, thrives in the country’s cooler climates. It produces deeply colored wines with flavors of dark berries, spice, and earthy undertones, often showcasing a lively acidity and firm tannins.
Kadarka (red)
An ancient Hungarian grape, Kadarka is renowned for its light-bodied, aromatic red wines. With flavors of red fruit, herbs, and a distinctive peppery note, Kadarka wines often exhibit elegance and finesse, particularly when grown in the region of Szekszárd.
Furmint (white)
Primarily associated with Hungary’s renowned Tokaj region, Furmint is a versatile grape used in the production of dry and sweet wines. It offers vibrant acidity, complex flavors of citrus, stone fruit, and honey, and the potential for age-worthy expressions, especially in Tokaji Aszú.
Hárslevelű (white)
Another grape closely linked to Tokaj, Hárslevelű contributes to the region’s legendary sweet wines as well as dry expressions. It offers aromas of orange blossom, honey, and spices, with a rich texture, balancing acidity, and flavors of ripe orchard fruits and floral notes.
Juhfark (white)
Unique to Hungary’s Somló region, Juhfark produces distinctive wines with high acidity and intense minerality. Its name translates to “sheep’s tail,” referencing the grape’s elongated bunches. Juhfark wines often display flavors of ripe apple, pear, and a characteristic volcanic earthiness.
Olaszrizling (white)
Though its name suggests Italian origins (“Riesling Italico”), Olaszrizling is widely grown in Hungary, particularly in the Balaton and Somló regions. It yields crisp, aromatic white wines with notes of green apple, citrus, and almonds, often with a refreshing acidity and mineral finish.
Tokaj Aszu (Dessert wines style)
Tokaj Aszú wines are Hungary’s pride, originating from the Tokaj region’s noble rot-affected grapes. Crafted through a meticulous process, Aszú wines blend Furmint and Hárslevelű varieties. These sweet elixirs boast a rich golden hue, exuding aromas of honey, apricot, and orange peel. With luscious sweetness balanced by zesty acidity, each sip reveals layers of complexity, from dried fruits to exotic spices. Tokaj Aszú wines have long been revered for their unparalleled quality and exceptional aging potential.
Hungarian Wines – Regions to Know
Please find below a quick introduction to the most important regions for Hungarian wines.
Tokaj
Known for its legendary sweet wines, Tokaj boasts a unique terroir characterized by volcanic soils. Its flagship wine, Tokaji Aszú, bases on Furmint and Hárslevelű grapes affected by noble rot, offering complex flavors of honey, apricot, and orange peel.
Eger
Eger focuses robust red wines, notably Egri Bikavér (Bull’s Blood). The region’s diverse soils and continental climate nurture grapes like Kékfrankos and Kadarka, resulting in bold, spicy reds with depth and character.
Villány
Villány is Hungary’s premier red wine region, famous for its Bordeaux-style blends. Here, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc thrive in the region’s warm, sunny climate and limestone-rich soils, producing powerful, full-bodied red wines with ripe fruit flavors and firm tannins.
Somló
Somló, located on an ancient volcano, offers a unique terroir for winemaking. Juhfark is the star grape here, producing wines with high acidity, intense minerality, and distinctive volcanic character. Somló wines have a long age-worthiness and complex flavors of ripe fruits and minerals.
Balaton
Situated around Lake Balaton, this region excels in crisp white wines, particularly Olaszrizling. The moderating influence of the lake’s microclimate and diverse soils produce refreshing, aromatic whites with notes of citrus, green apple, and almonds, perfect for enjoying by the water’s edge.
Szekszárd
Renowned for its robust red wines. Situated in the southern part of the country, Szekszárd benefits from a continental climate and diverse soils, including loess and limestone. The region is known for producing full-bodied reds, notably made from the Kadarka and Kékfrankos grapes. These wines often exhibit rich flavors of dark berries, spices, and a characteristic peppery note. Szekszárd is also famed for its Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) blends, showcasing the region’s winemaking prowess and unique terroir.