5 Reasons Why You Need to Try Hungarian Wine

Did you know that Hungary produces some pretty great wine? I didn’t until I started planning a trip to Budapest.

I had Budapest on my bucket list because my maiden name, Takacs, is Hungarian, and I don’t know much about my history on that side. Once I learned Hungary produces quality wine, I was 100% convinced it was the next location we should visit!

Eastern European affordability + beautiful city + quality wine = Ideal travel spot.

Read on to learn a little bit more about Hungarian wine, the history, wine regions, and why you should visit to try it!

(Click to read my full travel guide on Budapest where my story of learning more about my Maiden name continues!)

1. The (Quick) Hungarian Wine History

Hungarian wine during the communist occupation was barely drinkable.

Wine production during this time was based on quantity, not quality, as wineries were controlled by the state. If you tried wine in Hungary before 1989, chances are it was not good.

Our winery tour guide told us he used to mix coca-cola with Hungarian wine, so it would taste decent. Yes, you heard that right.

Once communism fell in 1989 the winemakers started to really focus on quality again. They wanted to enhance their wine to a higher standard and hoped it would increase the popularity, especially with Hungarians.

Today, Hungarians love their wine, so much so that 97% of it is consumed within their own country. On our way out at the airport, the gentleman who checked our passports made sure we had tried their wine. He also told us white wine is typically for men, and red for women – Interesting!

Pro Tip: Hungarians are crazy about their Rosé and consumption has had a major bump in the last few years. They also drink something called fröccs which is soda water mixed with wine, typically rosé. They claim this drink will keep you hydrated as you drink, the perfect summer drink. Bottoms up!

2. Hungary has Multiple Regions & Types of Wine for Everyone

With 22 wine regions in one country, it’s hard to not find a varietal that you like.

Below are the most prominent regions, including their location and travel time from Budapest.

North of Budapest

Tokaj Region

Location: Northeast of Budapest, with the town of Tokaj as the center of the wine region.
Drive Time: Approximately a 2.5 hour drive from Budapest.
Varietals & Info: Tokaj is well known for its sweet dessert wine of the same name. If you’ve heard of or tried Hungarian wine before, it was most likely this one.

Eger Region

Location: Also Northeast of Budapest.
Drive Time: Approximately a 1 hour and 40 minute drive from Budapest.
Varietals & Info: Known for its Cuvée varietals, they also produce Egri Csillag, and Egri Bikavér.

South of Budapest

Lake Balaton Region

Location: Southwest of Budapest.
Drive Time: Approximately a 1.5 hour drive from Budapest.
Varietals & Info: This region produces full bodied whites with a hint of spice. There are a number of regions just within the lake area. Varietals to try include Olaszrizling, Kéknyelű and Bakator.

Szekszárd Region

Location: South of Budapest
Drive Time: Approximately a 1.5 hour drive from Budapest.
Varietals & Info: One of the top red wine areas in the country. Wines you need to try include Kadarka, Kékfrankos, and Bikavér (and Rosé).

Villány Region

Location: South of Budapest, close to the Croatian border.
Drive Time: Approximately a 2 hour drive from Budapest.
Varietals & Info: Almost a mediterranean climate, and very close to the Croatian border. Featuring full bodied spicy reds. French varietals do well here including Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet. Also try Portugieser, or Schiller.

Pro Tip: Unless you have a car, visiting wineries in these regions may prove difficult. I recommend scheduling a tour, but do your research. A good guide should have knowledge of the areas, speak the language, and may take you to wineries that you would have never had access to. We booked our tour through Airbnb experiences – direct link here!

3. Hungarian Red Wine is Fabulous

I had the fortunate experience of visiting the Szekszárd wine region in Southern Hungary. Just an hour and a half South of Budapest, we had a private tour of two wineries in the area.

Szekszárd is one of only two regions allowed to make and label Hungary’s infamous “Bull’s Blood” varietal, Bikavér (Eger is the other region). They also produce and we sampled, Rosé, Cab Franc, Kadarka, and Kékfrankos. They produce even more than this, so if you prefer whites there are options.

Their varietals are dry and lend more towards a medium or full body with a good fruitiness and spice, which I personally love.

Pro Tip: If you don’t get to leave Budapest as we did, the wines suggested at local wine bars or paired with dinner were also great quality and value. Check out Doblo or Kadarka wine bars to taste all kinds of varietals.

Destination

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Sat 02 Mar 2024

Check-out date

Sun 03 Mar 2024

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4. Hungarian Wine is Affordable

A nice glass of wine with dinner will set you back about $3.00 -$4.00 USD. And I’m not talking cheap happy hour red table wine.

The cost of a good bottle of wine at a major winery was between $10.00 – $25.00 USD. I can’t even remember the last time I spent less than $30 a bottle at a US winery, to be honest.

The value and quality were so good we managed to fit 2 bottles in our small carry on suitcases to bring back. Worth it!

Pro Tip: If you plan to pack wine in a suitcase, pick up a few travel carry cases. I like these (Click to see them on Amazon) for their portability and ease of use. Also, bring extra plastic bags to wrap around them, juuuust in case. I’ve never picked my suitcase up from baggage claim stained red, and hopefully, you’ll never have to either.

5. It's Rare Outside of Hungary

If you live in the US or anywhere outside of Europe, your chances are slim for trying Hungarian wine.

I inquired at two major wine and liquor stores in Texas, both of which did not carry any. In Europe, you may be lucky as the 3% not consumed within the country is exported to neighboring countries.

If you love visiting and discovering wine regions that are still affordable and offer quality wine, Budapest and any of the regions above in Hungary are worth the visit.

Pro Tip: There is a group in Budapest that runs a wine tasting called “Tasting Table.” I didn’t get to visit them as they run a bi-weekly event on Thursday, and we were there on an off week. But, the cool thing is, they now have a program to ship Hungarian wines direct to US consumers. Check out their program here! (So you’re saying there’s a chance?!)

Are you ready to plan a trip to Hungary to try the wine? I want to visit again. Comment below if you have tried Hungarian wine, or if you plan to!

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