Far Above Egér and Mátra

June 2010 was a cool, wet month in Hungary -- indeed, in Europe. I was fortunate to have a few days of comfortable sunny weather, which allowed me to accompany my friend, Janos, on a flight in his ultralight plane above the popular wine regions of Eger and Matra. Eger is known primarily for Egri Bikaver or Bull's Blood -- a mixture of red Hungarian wines, normally including kekfrankos, the blue franc varietal so familiar to Hungarians--and for the Szepasszonyvolgy or Valley of the Pretty Women (photo)--a collection of quaint wine cellars all in one location --which is visited by tourists from around the world. They also produce nice Merlots, Kadarka (another traditional indigenous varietal often blended into Bull's Blood), and Pinot Noir. However, the Pinot Noir I've had in Hungary has not, in my experience, been what an American would expect, and while some were pleasant to drink, this is not a varietal I've found to be a Hungarian masterpiece.





Matra, the hilly region next door, is also known for lovely red wines -- also kekfrankos, Cabernet sauvignon and Cabernet franc, as well as, from what a wine aficianado told me, a kick-ass Shiraz...though I have not tasted it myself or heard of it from any other source.





Matra and Eger also feature several white wines including Kiraleanyka and Leanyka--that have a light, aromatic quality, sometimes sweet or half-dry. I've tasted some nice versions of these varietals which had a light honey taste. And the price is normally reasonable. The dry Leanyka is also quite nice, light and easy to drink.





Familiar whites -- Chardonnay, Pinot Gris (known as Szurkebarat in Hungary -- gray friend), and Sauvignon Blanc--are not bad, particularly the Pinot Gris. But they are not what an American Chardonnay fan or Sauvignon Blanc fan might expect. No buttery oak detectable in the Chardonnay, and I personally have not tasted one that measures up to the French. There may be some--Hungarians know their wines and their winemaking. They like smooth, light wines -- or at least they make them that way more often than not. Which is why it's worth giving indigenous Hungarian varietals a try -- no preconceived expectations based on American, French or Chilean styles to compare to.





Hungarian varietals to try, that Eger and Matra produce, include Olaszrizlings, which can be sweet, dry or half-dry, and should not be confused with Rhine Reislings. Olaszrizling literally means "Italian Reisling" but is not Italian. It is a Welsh Reisling. I personally did not bring it into the US when I was importing because just using the term "rizling" would risk more prejudice in what drinkers would expect. But it is a nice, flavorful white that I liked to pair particularly with turkey.





Another indigenous varietal to these regions, Harslevelu, is a white wine also associated with the Tokaj region, but that is not to say it is a sweet dessert wine. Harslevelu is a great dry white. Crisp, light and fruity. I've tasted some nice ones with hints of white fruit and melon. While Tokaj has several selections of this varietal, Eger and Matra are close enough to be competitive.





Tramini, the Hungarian term for Traminer, is a really nice, often full-bodied white from this region--and they can be sweet or dry. I imported a really nice dry Traminer that I liked as a winter white, because it was not a crisp, light wine that one looks for in the heat of the summer. It was great with poultry dishes and soft cheeses. My research tells me that the Traminer grape is the parent grape of the more well-known Gewurtztraminer as well as the trendy Gruner Veltliner.





Aside from its key position in the Hungarian wine producing areas, Eger also offers thermal spas with natural hot springs (which were very popular with the communist leaders, back in the day), a minaret (photo)built when the Turks were dominating that apparently is still open to tourists, and the ruins of a castle or fort where the Bull's blood battle is reputed to have occurred. (one of my earlier posts describes how this red wine got its name -- when the meager army of Hungarians, concerned they were outnumbered by the Turks, drowned their worries in red wine, and when the enemy saw the red stains all over their faces and clothing, ran in fear that this army had ingested the blood of bulls in order to increase their strength).





Well, here, I hope, is the video of my take-off with Janos in the plane as we flew above Eger's airport (some buildings in a field) and over the Matra hills. Though I tried to narrate, the plane's engine was louder than I anticipated--so next time, separate microphones. What I liked about it was seeing just acres and acres of vineyards below me, so much green and open space, with a cluster of buildings where the town was. The miles and miles of Matra hills, with little lakes below, as well as large areas of recent flooding that were hard to differentiate from the lakes, showed just how spread out the region is. It's one of the hillier areas I've seen in the east. Of course, Hungary is surrounded by the Carpathian mountains, but when driving down most roads in this small, but lush country, the flatness and farming potential is evident.

(more video to come later)

Everything You Wanted to Know About Hungarian Wine, But Didn't Know Enough to Ask

After having countless consumers, retailers and distributors tell me they didn't know Hungary made wine and ask me things like, "What is the wine region in Hungary?" I decided that it is time to bring this information to light in America. Stores and restaurants say that they don’t carry Hungarian wines because no one is asking for them. It’s hard to ask for something when you don’t know it exists…

For hundreds of years, Hungary was, with France, the premier wine producing country in Europe. Popes and Kings throughout the continent sought land in Hungary on which to plant their vineyards. Every inch of land in Hungary is suitable for planting vineyards. In spite of the political and economic changes, that winemaking tradition still lives on in the Hungarian culture. To ignore it is to miss out on a hidden gem.

As the President of Kristof Wines, Inc., I have been fortunate enough to travel throughout the Hungarian countryside visiting wineries and winemakers, tasting the whites, reds, rosés, and famous dessert wines, learning about the regions, the varietals and the history behind wine in Hungary. While I’ve learned a lot in the last few years, I am still learning and will share what I find with the readers of this site.

I travel to Hungary at least once a year, and I’ve gone twice this year, tasting dozens of wines every day for two weeks. I visited tiny wineries in Tokaj to a sprawling spa-like winery and conference center in Etyek (just a half hour outside of Budapest--see photo) and lakeside festivals near the long Balaton Lake, which is sometimes called "The Hungarian Sea." Those discoveries will be revealed in my next post.

I’ll talk to experts in Hungarian wine, suggest food pairings, describe the wine regions and the varietals that I have discovered. Every year I learn something new, and this year, six years after my quest in the Hungarian wine venture began, is no exception.

I hope you’ll join me in this adventure of discovery.

Diane Dobry

To read a little about the beginnings of Kristof Wines, go to my first blog "A Taste of Hungary."