11 April 2025 / Sue Tolson
This is not the first time you have worked with Hungarian wines. When did you first get involved with Hungarian wines and what were your initial impressions?
I was first in Hungary in the early 2000s, which was when I first had contact with Hungarian wine in general. I remember doing a very interesting tasting at the Hungarian wine museum in Budapest. It was quite an interesting place, right in the city centre in a palace on the top of the hill in Budapest. That was pretty much the first place I really learned about Hungarian wine, although I’ve been back a few times now.
Has your opinion on Hungarian wines changed since then?
Yes, it has. On my first visit, I didn’t really taste very many particularly exciting wines, but since then, I’ve tasted a lot of really exciting wines and met some of the winemakers. At that time, my understanding of Hungarian wine was mostly focused on the history of Tokaj, along with some of the country’s autochthonous grape varieties. But I now have a much better overview of the whole scene and understand Hungarian wine better in general, and I can see that there is a lot going on, with winemakers trying to do new things, improving the quality and working on the reputation of Hungarian wine abroad as well.
You presented three full-house masterclasses on Hungarian wines at ProWein – on volcanic wines, indigenous varieties and sparkling wines.
Actually, there were four. I did another one on Tokaj, which was in a separate forum to the other three, which were at the Wines of Hungary stand.
Which do you think generated the most buzz?
The Tokaj one, I think. That generated the most excitement and buzz. It certainly had the biggest queue of people. I think that was simply because Tokaj is what people understand the best and the region that most wine people have heard of, which is why it attracted so many people. Apart from that, it’s difficult to say which was the most attractive for others. They were all booked out, so there was a lot of interest in them all. But I personally find sparkling wine quite interesting. I believe it has a lot of potential, especially given the history of sparkling wine in Hungary, which adds to its appeal.
Do you think that volcanic wines are still a thing?
Yes, I think that volcanic wines still appeal to a lot of people right now, and this might be a good way for Hungary as a wine-producing country to attach itself to other events or tastings, as it has quite a lot of volcanic soils. However, it will be quite difficult to build a reputation around it, because it’s not something that Hungary has exclusivity over. So, it might open some doors, but it’s not necessarily a unique selling point for Hungary.
I think the local grape varieties could be interesting, some of which can produce really great wines and aren’t particularly well known outside Central Europe or Hungary. I personally also think the sweet wines of Tokaj, although not necessarily in as high demand as they used to be, still represent something really unique and interesting. After all, you can also find volcanic soils in Germany and all over the world…
Which of the indigenous Central European varieties do you think have the most potential?
Well, I think Furmint is clearly one to watch. It currently has a little bit of buzz around it. Although Hungary is not the exclusive producer of Furmint, it’s still the country that’s most connected with the grape variety. So, I believe there is quite a bit of potential there too, because the variety can produce so many different styles. I just think it is an exciting grape in general.
Kékfrankos is also something that I think has a lot of potential. I don’t necessarily think that this is a grape variety that will explode over the next few years, but there is definitely some interest in it. Blaufränkisch in Austria and Lemberger in Germany are certainly growing in popularity and there’s more buzz around them nowadays. I think that it’s a great variety, which can also produce a wide range of styles. So, I would focus on Furmint and Kékfrankos, which is what Wines of Hungary is doing anyway.
And what about regions other than Tokaj. Which did you find most interesting while you were presenting and tasting? Which others do you think could be the most exciting for German or other international wine drinkers?
Well, I think Eger certainly has quite a lot of potential. There are some really attractive wines coming from there and it has this kind of cool climate vibe as well. I also think that Somló could be an interesting kind of niche product; it’s a niche region that could be better represented on the wine lists of top restaurants. In fact, I think the whole of the Balatonfüred area and the regions to the north of Lake Balaton show quite a lot of promise as well. There’s a lot of potential there too, I think. They are what excited me the most.
From the perspective of a Master of Wine and following your experiences at ProWein, do you see a specific space for Hungarian wines on the international market?
Hungary should play a more significant role on the international market. To find success, the country needs to continue working on its identity and developing a clear profile of its wines, regions and grape varieties. Consumer awareness is still low for the wines of Hungary. With the right long-term communication strategy, the country's wines will gain recognition and find their space in the international market.
Photos: Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency
