Wine & Other Drinks

Uncorked! The Re-birth of Wine Culture in Hungary

Hungary is most definitely a wine-drinking country. But Hungarians aren't drinking the same kind of wine that they drank a few decades ago. The amount of great Hungarian wine on the shelves of wine stores has dramatically increased here over the past several years. Local interest in wine is higher than ever, and the best Hungarian winemakers have devoted followers who are paving the way for wine tourism by spending their weekends winery-hopping.

After the near-destruction of Hungary's long winemaking tradition by four decades of Communist policy, mass production of cheap wine, and under-funding, Hungarian wine is finally good again.

It's Hungary's new generation of winemakers who have drastically transformed the wine industry into one which now emphasizes quality over quantity and is increasingly being recognized around the world. Up until the late ?80s most of Hungary's grapes were grown on state-owned farms, and the bulk of the wine was exported to other Soviet Bloc countries. The $4 Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood) that was, and occasionally still is, found on the bottom shelves of U.S. supermarkets gained a following among hard-up college students, and helped seal Hungary's image as a mass producer of plonk. "We have 2,000 years of winemaking history, and we just had a few bad decades," said Attila Sándor, a wine educator and wine tour guide in Budapest.

Today's Hungarian wine is barely recognizable from what it was in the ?80s. Some of the new generation of winemakers previously worked at the state-owned wine factories, where they learned winemaking skills, and then left as soon as the new political system allowed. Mihály Figula was formerly a director at the Gyor State Farm before founding his own winery, Fine Wine Borászati Vállalkozás in 1993. The winery -- one of the country's best-outfitted -- sits on a hill overlooking the northern shore of Lake Balaton, a region known for its whites, especially Olaszrizling. "My father knew exactly what he should and could perform, and after the system's fall he finally had the chance to realize his ideas," said Figula's son (also named Mihály), who studied horticulture and now works at the winery. "As it is probably at all normal family estates, the descendants get early used to the work," said Figula Jr. "So my life has been determined by grapes and wine since my childhood."

Csaba Malatinszky -- another young wine pioneer -- makes wine under the label Malatinszky Kúria, and has followed a unique career path with wine always at the forefront. He was head sommelier at Gundel, opened one of Budapest's first specialized wine stores, and then founded his own winery in Villány, one of the best regions for reds. In his sommelier days, Malatinszky strengthened his palate by tasting some of the world's best wines, and was greatly influenced by his visits to French wineries. "I visited the best châteaus in Médoc, worked on the harvest, and had tastings," he said. Soon after, he began making his own wine. "At this time, in 1992, it was absolutely the beginning," he said. "I bought barrels, and I put my ideas, and my taste into this cooperation with my partners." In those days Malatinszky was working 20 hours a day, and things weren't always easy. "Winemaking technology was very simple then. Everything was made by hand, without temperature control, and there were no stainless steel tanks, only wood casks," he said. "I built an absolutely modern winery, and there weren't any similar wineries."

It's clear to both winemakers and wine drinkers here in Hungary that the best wine is yet to come. "I'm expecting enormous development in the following 10 years, because we are now over the biggest investments," said Figula Jr.

Wine Primer: Hungary has 22 wine regions and cultivates more than 93 varieties of wine grapes, producing the full spectrum of reds, whites, roses, and sparkling wines. Unfortunately for the rest of the world -- but lucky for the wine-loving tourist -- many of the best Hungarian wines are still kept for the domestic market. Curious wine drinkers should take note that several varietals are indigenous to Hungary, such as Furmint, Hárslevelu, Juhfark, Királyleányka, and Kadarka.

Best Regions for Whites: The majority of wine produced in Hungary is still white, and each region produces its own recognizable styles. Somló produces some of the country's best whites, which are usually acidic. Hungarians like to say that if you've ever tasted a Somlói, you'll never forget it. Tokaj produces world famous dessert wines. The Balaton regions, particularly Badacsony, make excellent whites, as does Gyöngyös in the Mátraalja region.

Best Regions for Reds: Due to the international preference for red wine that has emerged over the past decade or so, Hungary has been producing increasingly greater amounts of reds. Villány is known as the Bordeaux of Hungary. Szekszárd, Sopron, and Eger also produce fine reds. But great reds also come from regions better know for their whites, like Balatonlelle.

Names To Watch For: Hungary's best winemakers are household names among Hungarian wine lovers. The country has thousands of producers, these are a few of the best: József Bock, Vylan, Ede Tiffán, Mihály Figula, Huba Szeremley, Attila Gere, Béla Fekete, Tibor Gál, István Tóth, Ferenc Takler, Mátyás Szoke, St. Andrea (György Lorincz), Vilmos Thummerer, Franz Weninger, János Konyári, Csaba Malatinszky, Légli Ottó, Oremus, Királyudvar, István Szepsy, Degenfeld, and Ferenc Vesztergombi.