Wine
Hungary has incredibly many wine regions for such a small country. It doesn't come as a surprise then, that it has a thousand-year-old wine-producing culture and several families who have been in the winemaking profession for decades or a century even. Of course the political and economic changes twenty years ago have shaken up the enthusiastic producers and the ever more enthusiastic consumers alike, the industry started to soar and now it has even become possible to see Hungarian wines of international recognition on the shelves outside of Hungary (and the territory of the former Soviet Union).
The most striking strong-suit of Hungarian wines is diversity. Hungary is one of the few European countries where almost all grape sorts can be found, some of which can only be found in Hungary, like 'Kadarka' and 'Szamorodni', while some others are widespread elsewhere in Europe, like Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, etc.. Consequently, almost all classic wine types can be made here, be it white, red, rose or desert wines. Seventy-five percent of wines produced in Hungary are white, yet the red ones are the ones which gained international recognition, especially the wines coming from the Szekszárd, Villány and Eger regions (such as the Bikavér, which has been recently reinvented and rebranded.)
3G's wine tour will take you to Hungary's most ancient wine region, Villány. Thanks to its special climate, the region has been used for producing wine since Roman times. The area most suited for making red wine can also be found here, named Ördög katlan, or Devil's Caldron, as a result of its peculiar microclimate. On a warmer summer afternoon temperature highs of 50 degrees Celsius (120-123 Fahrenheit!) are not uncommon here. Almost all famous local wine producers have secured at least some land here for themselves, as the noble grape varieties which can be grown here are the guarantee for the premium quality of wines made in this region.
Wine is an essential part of Hungarian gastronomy and culture. In itself and in the form of 'Fröccs', (after the German word 'Spritzer') too, which is usually white or red wine with soda, a very popular beverage in the region of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, especially in the summer. A fröccs is named differently according to the ratio of wine and water it contains. It seems and feels light like lemonade, but be careful, because it can add up to a lot of alcohol quite fast.
3G's wine tour will take you to Hungary's most ancient wine region, Villány. Thanks to its special climate, the region has been used for producing wine since Roman times. The area most suited for making red wine can also be found here, named Ördög katlan, or Devil's Caldron, as a result of its peculiar microclimate. On a warmer summer afternoon temperature highs of 50 degrees Celsius (120-123 Fahrenheit!) are not uncommon here. Almost all famous local wine producers have secured at least some land here for themselves, as the noble grape varieties which can be grown here are the guarantee for the premium quality of wines made in this region.
Wine is an essential part of Hungarian gastronomy and culture. In itself and in the form of 'Fröccs', (after the German word 'Spritzer') too, which is usually white or red wine with soda, a very popular beverage in the region of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, especially in the summer. A fröccs is named differently according to the ratio of wine and water it contains. It seems and feels light like lemonade, but be careful, because it can add up to a lot of alcohol quite fast.
From spring to autumn there are wine festivals everywhere in Hungary, attracting large crowds of people and converting them into consumer of quality wine. Usually every wine region organizes its own festival, yet the one in Budapest outgrew all of them, where winemakers from all the 22 wine regions are present. The fact that it is held in the court of the Royal Palace with a view over the Danube might have added to its popularity too. If, for some reason the timing of the Budapest Wine Festival doesn't suit you, do not despair, for on our wine tour we will take you on a trip to the wine regions of the South of Hungary, visit wine cellars and let you taste the best Hungarian wines at dinner.