26 August 2024 / Borbála Kalmár
As he says, he did not choose the profession, it chose him. Viktor Fecske was already working in the family business as a teenager, and after a short stint in the army, he went back behind the bar to work at the Bacchus Hotel in Keszthely, run by the Bezerics family. It was there that he was first exposed to the magical world of wine, and from then on there was no turning back.
A few years later, he moved to Budapest, where he completed the WSET level 3 course with Gabriella Mészáros and worked at the New York Café and Onyx, just as the glamorous restaurant gained two Michelin stars - you could hardly wish for a better springboard in Hungary. However, the capital is too far away from the wineries so dear to his heart, so when he heard the call of Lake Balaton, Viktor wasted no time in moving back.
He tried his hand in several places before becoming head sommelier at the LUA Resort in Balatonfüred this May. With his ideas opening doors, the five-star hotel could well be his final destination. Among other things, he plans to hold regular wine events at the hotel with guest winemakers, but he is also considering walkaround tasting once summer is over. We also talked to him about the beauties of the sommelier profession and Hungarian curiosities.
Why does someone become a sommelier? What keeps you in this profession?
I was captivated by its diversity and the never-ending potential for development. This profession is not just about pouring a glass of wine, it's about passing on experience and knowledge every day. Walking between the rows of vines, listening to the winemakers and holding tastings are all really uplifting things.
Wines from the best-known winemakers in the region cannot be left off the wine list at the Balatonfüred hotel
The latter - wine tastings - is quite easy to do in Balatonfüred…
Indeed it is. I left Budapest because I was a bit tired of big city life. I don't regret a single minute of it, because I learned and experienced a lot, but I think that what I know can be put to good use in the countryside. I was attracted by being able to see the day-to-day activities of a vineyard and winery, and in this respect, the opening of Hableány in Badacsony in 2019 was an excellent opportunity. I moved to Füred in 2021: I think I've finally found my calling here.
Which is your favourite wine district?
I'm talking a little bit about home when I say that these six wine districts around Lake Balaton have amazing microclimates and grape varieties. Thanks to the hard work of the producers, everything from sparkling wine to sweet wine can be found here and is of excellent quality. And of course, inevitably, Tokaj: we can also see that it can hold its own internationally.
Which producers' wine do you particularly like to work with?
I could go on and on! Krisztián Gyukli, Zelna, Jásdi Winery - the names around me are such that it would be hard to pick just one. Mihály Figula's work is a great example to me. I don't say that we talk every day, but I have a very good relationship with the producers in the area: I try to give everyone the opportunity to present their wines in the beautiful surroundings of our hotel. I must also mention Ferkó Bujdosó from the other side of the lake: his winery has gone through an exemplary generation change, and besides the still wines, they also produce some really lovely sparkling wines. And speaking of sparkling wine, Kreinbacher in Somló is of course inevitable, but while we are on Somló, let's not forget Imre Györgykovács!
In previous interviews with sommeliers, Imre Rácz and Norbert Nádházi gave pithy answers to the question about their personal mission. Do you have one too?
I strive to make Hungarian wines known to as many people as possible. I have also focused on them when putting together the wine list, and the diversity of grape varieties is very important. We have a lot of curiosities that are worth highlighting, and I also like to show guests new things. My motivation is to provide an experience that guests can take away with them, so that they will later feel confident about trying one of these wines on their own.
Although wine dinners and excellent sommelier service often seem to be largely concentrated in the capital, there is also demand for them in the countryside
How can you sell Hungarian grape varieties to foreign visitors?
I think that Hungarian wine has undergone a huge change in the last twenty years, meanwhile a new generation has grown up, whose winemakers are really capable of producing top quality wines that also do not disappoint compared to international standards. Furmint, Kéknyelű, Juhfark and even Olaszrizling are all Hungarian specialties that are very good substitutes for international grape varieties. After a few questions, I can establish guests’ preferences and recommend Hungarian alternatives. Fortunately, they are also open to this.
You mentioned Kéknyelű, which is a true curiosity of the region. Instead of what would you recommend it?
My experience with Kéknyelű is that you have to give it time: at least three to five years. In this time, its acidity become more rounded, it will develop a ripe, yellow fruit character and it will become a really lovely, substantial, full-bodied wine. I don't want to compare it to Chardonnay or Riesling, but, in my opinion, if a wine region boasts its own variety, it should be put in the spotlight. Of course, it needs a lot of care and is not an easy variety, but all the care and a good vintage is rewarded many times over. It yields an unforgettable wine like no other.
Kéknyelű, a specialty of Badacsony, only shows its true beauty after long ageing
What does a sommelier do in his spare time?
I was so fascinated by this world that I started making wine. I have already made Kéknyelű once, but this year I had the chance to cultivate half a hectare of Chardonnay in nearby Lovas. So I’m spending quite a lot of time here now, in addition to work. I took over the land in May, already after budbreak, and then I started the pruning... It's a lot of work, but it's very relaxing: I go out into the vines, the birds are chirping, and I do physical work, but work that has the power to create value. I would like to expand in the long term, and I can see that there are opportunities for this in the area. Looking even further ahead, my goal is to release my own wine one day. I'm a big fan of sparkling wine, so I'd also like to have my own - and then we'll see how everything goes.
If you could only drink one grape variety for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
Furmint, no question! We already know that it makes the best sweet wine in the world, but it's also perfect for sparkling and dry wine, so I think I could live with that!
Viktor Fecske Viktor Fecske moved back to Lake Balaton from the capital, thinking that he could use the knowledge he had acquired there
