The 7 essential facts about Hungarian wine.
Do you find that the wines you drink are as uninteresting as your romantic life?! Consider the following: if imbibing the same wines day in and day out has sapped all the excitement from your life, then maybe it is time to introduce some fresh experiences into the mix of your romantic partnership. I’m not talking about anything too strange here; maybe just a few new types or perhaps a few people from other countries.
I was recently given the opportunity to try Hungarian wines for the first time after being welcomed to the Hungarian Embassy in Stockholm. I was immediately captivated. The following is a buyers guide for those of you who are interested in exploring the unique beauty that can be found in eastern Europe…
Younger winemakers in Hungary are breaking with traditional methods.
That is to say, they are concentrating their efforts on producing wines from indigenous grape types native to the nation, such as Olaszrizling, Furmint, and Kekfrancos, but they are using contemporary methods of winemaking.
The overall area that is covered by wine-producing areas in Hungary is quite modest – it is about equivalent to one-half of the area that is planted in Bordeaux. The United States is divided into 22 regions, each of which has a distinct character owing to the terrain and climatic characteristics that separate them.
Be on the lookout for Olaszrizling if you want to make white wine;
it is the white grape type that is planted the most often. In spite of the fact that it has no connection to the Rheine Riesling grape variety, the name translates to “Italian Riesling.” You may anticipate scents that are mineral-like or talc-like, with hints of lemon and apple. It may be oak-matured or fermented in stainless steel, depending on the strength and maturity of the fruit that is being procured, as well as the preferences of the winemaker.
On Hungary, the style of wine is often determined by the price of the bottle.
This is because wines with lower price tags are typically not aged in wood, which results in lower production costs.
If Olaszrizling is the variety of white grape that is planted the most commonly, then the variety of white grape that is most highly valued is Furmint, which is virtually entirely grown in Hungary.
You should seek out this variation if you have a yearning for something that is genuinely one of a kind. Similar to Chardonnay, the winemaker may use a wide variety of techniques on Furmint in order to increase the complexity of the wine.
Kekfrancos, on the other hand, is THE grape variety of Hungary; you should seek out this dark wine. Because it grows so well in a variety of Hungary’s climates, it is the crop that has been planted the most extensively throughout the country. Kekfrancos is the perfect wine for you if you like high-quality Merlots.
The Super Tuscan, a wine that is considered to be of cult status in Italy, also exists in Hungary.
The name of the wine style is “Bikaver,” which literally translates to “bull’s blood,” and, similar to the Super Tuscan, it is a blend of native red grape varietals with noble grape kinds (like Cabernet Sauvignon).
The most compelling argument, however, is that Bikaver wines can be purchased for a fraction of the price, yet they offer a wine that is just as intensely concentrated and complex. This is made possible by vastly improved viticulture and wine-making techniques, in addition to the utilization of new oak maturation.
Around that time, Hungarian winemakers were completely disoriented. They planted a large number of noble grape types such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and others rather than focusing on the varietals that would set them apart from the rest of the globe.
They had high hopes of competing with well-known French wine areas such as Burgundy and Bordeaux, but when the two offerings were compared head-to-head, consumers choose to drink wines from the more established French regions.
The methods of winemaking and viticulture that were used 20 years ago were likewise in desperate need of an extensive makeover. To our great relief, that problem has been resolved.
In addition, Hungary is known for producing coveted sweet wines under the names Asz or Tokay.
These wines may be either “late harvest” (for a style that is more refreshing) or Botrytis afflicted (for more intensely concentrated wines). To a large extent, they are produced from the grape varietals of Furmint and Hárslevel, since they originate from the Tokaji area of Hungary.
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