​Hungarian Wines From The Vines Of Hungary

Hungary has long been a nation of wine drinkers. Our beer is nothing special, but Hungarian wine is world class, and is also one of the best kept secrets of Europe, and is only just now gaining some serious following worldwide. Aside from Italy, France and Chile, Hungary has some of the best wines in the world, because of our unique composition of soil; nutrient rich with just the right amount of clay, and high in Nitrogen. Below I wish to give a review of 6 Hungarian wines, 3 white and 3 red.

White wines of Hungary:

Irsai Olivér
This wine is favoured all around Eastern Europe, and is a mild and easy going white that goes excellent with chicken dishes, creamy foods and pasta. It has a slightly muscatel character, and comes in dry and semi-sweet. This fantastic wine is made by pretty much all wine distributors and growers in the region, with Villányi doing this wine grape perhaps the most justice.
Hárslevelű
A sweeter white wine that is one of the most regal types, native to Tokaj, the premier white wine growing region in Hungary, known for their dessert wines. This is perhaps the favourite of the old school of wine aficionados, and is frequently blended to make different white wines. A Carpathian basin original, this is perhaps the one grape planted most often outside of the country, doing super well in South Africa, for example.
Aszú
An uncharacteristically sweet white wine, this is a dessert wine bordering on liquour, both in strength and in taste. It is made in a very special way from grapes that are matured to almost raisins, and the nectar of these grapes is also matured for years. A really unique experience, a truly noble, sweet white wine.
 

Red wines of Hungary:

Egri Bikavér
Perhaps the most well-known red wine of Hungary, the name of this acidic red means The Bull’s Blood of Eger, an important city for Hungary. This wine needs to be tasted with food, as it is really quite acidic and has a strong, super dry flavour, with light spice overtones. Goes good with greasy, heavy Hungarian foods, to be served with the main dish.
Kékfrankos
A German grape originally, this wine has been almost native to Hungary, and our version definitely has its own characteristics. This wine has fruity overtones, and is dry and has medium acidity. This grape is mostly grown near the Austrian border, and is typically planted on both sides of it.
Zweigelt
This type of grape has been dubbed a national treasure as of the 60s, and is probably one of the more recent wines to have a Hungarian version, even though it has been grown here for a long time. This is a typical red table wine, and has a light flavour and relatively low alcohol content. Beware though, as a lot of subpar zweigelt is measured in Hungary.