Three of the trends driving Wines of Hungary’s UK success

After huge demand at its London event last year, Wines of Hungary heads to Edinburgh, Manchester and Leeds next week. db previews the tasting, from its focus on terroir to the range of wines on display.

Last year’s crowded Wines of Hungary event in London saw a renewed interest in the Central European nation, with the capital’s buyers and sommeliers discovering its wealth of distinctive wines. While sweet Tokaj has, justifiably, long been a favourite of wine aficionados, the day’s programme showed that there is far more to explore.

The upcoming encore, dictated by that popular demand, recognises two interlinked trends in the UK wine industry. Firstly, consumers are ever more adventurous, as producers found in last year’s London event. Unfamiliar grape varieties and less explored terroirs are no longer a hindrance – in fact, they can be a huge asset. Secondly, the wine trade has learned that London is not the only city for wine lovers; it is a UK-wide trend.

Thus, the tour is headed next week to Edinburgh, Manchester and Leeds. The last few slots are open for registrations on db’s events page.

Each of the stops on the tour features 27 producers pouring their wines, ready to explain the remarkable stories behind the wines. There will also be a masterclass by Patrick Schmitt MW, showcasing the wines and styles that have him most excited.

With a full day at each venue planned, db gives the lowdown on why these wines have found such a dedicated audience.

One country, one tasting

Wines of Hungary’s UK tastings offers a compelling opportunity. It allows attendees to see the overall picture of one country’s production – the stylistic hallmarks, the winemaking heritage, the market opportunities – while also giving access to the individual producers who understand their local nuances better than anyone.

The day’s producers offer a whistlestop tour of Hungary production, which is divided into 22 districts spread across six larger wine-growing regions.

Tokay, at the northeastern border with Slovakia, is the best known of these. Its unique microclimate, notably the autumn’s foggy mornings and dry afternoons, allow it to create world-beating sweet wines, although its dry wines now also have a firm following.

Yet this is far from the only star terroir in Hungary. The Balaton region, taking its name from Central Europe’s largest lake, takes full advantage of its cooling influence. Its white wines, in particular, are known for their elegance and freshness.

Yet if you move south, headed towards the border with Austria, you find a different collection of wines. In the Pannon region, soft, fruit-forward reds come into their own, especially those made with Kékfrankos (known over the border as Blaufränkisch). The combination of a warmer climate and heat-retaining loess soils has built its red wine credentials.

With so many producers and wines on show, the tastings offer a chance for the uninitiated to get their first taste for Hungarian wines, while old hands can delve into the nitty gritty of regional winemaking.

Attendees at last year’s London event tasted a wide variety of Hungarian wines.
The land of volcanoes

What do Soave, Santorini and Sicily have in common? All three have caught drinkers’ imaginations with their high-quality, distinctive wines and all three owe that to their volcanic terroirs.

Like high-altitude winemaking or island vineyards, volcanic wines have driven attention thanks to the connotations of drama. Such regions can, however, back up the hype with distinctive terroir.

Volcanic terroirs are rare and may form only a small part of a country’s vineyard area, but Hungary is an exception. The country’s geology is heavily informed by extinct volcanoes, especially in its north and west (where several of its wine regions sit).

There is no single volcanic terroir – it could include rhyolite, tuff, basalt or other rock types. However, it is generally associated with beneficial qualities. Its free drainage prevents waterlogging; its ability to break in the soil allows deep rooting in the vineyard; and its rich mineral content supplies the vine with crucial trace minerals. These encourage vine resilience and concentration in the wines.

Volcanic wine may sound like a buzzword-driven trend, but the proof is in the glass. In Hungary, it is a literal bedrock of oenological quality. The fact that it offers a conversation starter with the consumer is simply an added bonus.

On-trend styles

For anyone who still believes that Hungarian wines are solely sweet, the tastings will be an eye-opener. They are just one element of the nation’s repertoire.

Even in Tokaj, dry wines have now built a cult following, with bright, mineralic Furmint leading the way.

Indeed, as the wine industry witnesses a structural shift towards white wine consumption, Hungarian producers can capitalise. The grapes range from Olaszrizling, the crisp, fresh white that has a characteristic scent of almond, to Juhfark, a variety renowned for its complexity and ageworthy high acidity.

For lovers of red wines, there is no shortage of Central European specialities, such as Kékfrankos, Zweigelt and local star Kadarka. However, there is also a strong showing for well-loved international varieties: Hungarian expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and, in particular, Cabernet Franc are building their names internationally.

Even the sparkling wine boom is accounted for. The wines may not yet match Champagne or Prosecco for international fame, but Hungary is home to high-quality sparkling wine production. The same qualities that are so desirable in white wines – high acidity, mineralic complexity and ageworthiness – have made traditional method sparkling wine a real success.

This should, to those that know the country, come as little surprise. In his London masterclass last year, Patrick Schmitt MW commented on Hungary’s notable history of innovation.

As wine drinkers increasingly look beyond the regions they know, Hungary is putting itself in the frame. For the UK wine trade – whether in London or beyond – it represents a strong commercial opportunity.

To register for the remaining spaces in Edinburgh on 27 April, Manchester on 29 April and Leeds on 30 April, visit db’s events listing.

Three of the trends driving Wines of Hungary’s UK success

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