There are many fine, wine regons in Hungary and the quality of their wines is exceptional. With long hot summers and cold winters, this country has the ideal climate for grape growing and wine making.
 
There are many places throughout Budapest, where you can taste fine wines and learn about the regions they come from. There are also many regions in Hungary where you can go to see the grapes, watch the wine makers, view the cellars and taste the finished product.
House of Hungarian Wines (Magyar Borok Háza)
  
In the cellars of the Neo-Gothic building, 700 Hungarian Wines represent the country's 22 wine regions. Out of the 700 you can taste 50-55 wines within the admission price, snacks are also offered. The expert cellar masters will tell you everything you want to know about Hungarian wines and viticulture.
You'll get a tasting glass, and can wander through the cellar complex while tasting the wines. You can learn about the 22 wine regions of Hungary in 4 languages (English, German, French and Hungarian).
Address: Szentháromság tér 6., Castle District
Tel: (+36 1) 212 1032
Open: Mon-Sun 12.00-20.00
Elso Pesti Borház
 
The cellar system incorporates a wine shop, and wine museum with more than ten thousand bottles of Hungarian vintage wines. In the shop you can select from around 200 types excellent quality wines. Advanced booking is required.
Address: Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 18., V. district, M3 Arany János utca
Tel: (+36 1) 301 0699
Budapest Wine Society (Budapest Bortársaság)
  
Address: Batthyány utca 59., I.district, M2, Moszkva tér
Tel: (+36 1) 212-2569
Open: Mon-Fri: 10.00-20.00, Sat: 10.00-18.00
Free wine tasting on Saturdays between 14.00 and 17.00.
They also have a shop at 7. Ráday utca in the IX. district (M3 Kálvin tér).
Prés Ház Wine Shop and Museum
Address: Váci utca 10., V.district
Open: Mon-Fri: 10.00-18.00, Sat: 10.00-14.00
Free wine tasting of 300 quality wines.
La Boutique des Vins
 
Owned by the award wining wine producer, Malatinszky from the Villány wine region. Besides the Malatinszky Kúria wines you can buy here selected Tokaji aszú wines. This is the shop of the Neszmély-Hilltop winery, the main exporter of quality Hungarian Wines to the UK.
Address: József Attila utca 12., V.district, near Deák tér M 1, 2,3 metro lines
Tel: (+36 1) 317 5919
Open: Mon-Fri: 10.00-18.00
Le Sommelier
Address: Régiposta utca 14., V.district, M1 Vörösmarty tér
Tel: (+36 1) 266 1315
Demijohn
Address: Margit utca 27. II.district, tram 4,6 Margit híd stop
Tel: (+36 1) 326 4984
Open: Mon-Fri: 11.00-19.00
Tinto Fino Hungary's 1st wine store
 
A real Mekka for wine lovers: around 1000 types of wines from Hungarian, Spanish, Italian, French and other foreign producers. In the Tapas bar you can have snacks (ham, cheese and other delicatessies) that accompany the wines you taste. It's on the galylery of the store so you can admire the 10.000 bottles while sipping your wine. To book a table in the bar call: +36) 70 385 9067.
Address: Szolokert köz 2. III. district
Tel: (+36 1) 388 1368
Open: Mon-Thurs: 10.00-20.00, Fri-Sat: 10.00-22.00, Sun: 10.00-18.00
Törley Champagne Factory
 
You can see the world's biggest wooden barrel here that is still in use, learn about the secrets of making champagne while strolling though the more than 100-year old and several hundred kilometres long cellar complex. Advanced booking is necessary.
Address: Budafok, Nagytétényi út 64., XXII. district
Tel: (+36 1) 424 7955
Wine Festivals in Budapest
A couple of 2-3 day festivals welcome wine lovers from all over the world in Budapest every year. The good thing is that these events offer entertainment not only for wine connoisseurs but a series of dance shows, concerts, food and cheese stalls, children programs ensure that everybody finds something interesting to do.
Spring Wine Festival
Iin mid-April starts the line of wine tasting events in Budapest. It takes place in downtown Budapest at Városháza tér behind Deák tér (M1, M2, M3 metro lines). The next major wine event in Budapest is the Wine Village in mid August at Felvonulási tér behind the Museum of Fine Arts (Heroes' Square, M1 metro).
Here you have the opportunity to taste Hungarian wines from all the 22 wine regions of the country. This festival is less touristy and less expensive than the International Wine Festival in Buda Castle.
 
International Wine & Champagne Festival
In the Castle District is usually on the 2nd weekend of every September. Both Hungarian and international wine makers introduce their best wines.
 
This festival is rather crowded regrading its premise is one of the most popular tourist areas in Budapest without the wine festival.
Admission: approx. 2000 HUF/adult: a wine tasting glass with a small ...and a couple of coupons are included
Wine Tasting in Wine Restaurants
Perhaps the best way to find out which wines appeal to your taste is to sample some in a good wine restaurant and then buy the ones you like in a wine shop. This way you avoid buying pig in a poke.
Here are a few wine restaurants in Budapest where you pamper your taste buds with delicious Hungarian dishes that you can rinse with Hungarian wines from the best producers:
Maligán
Address: Lajos utca 38., III.district
Tel: (+36 1) 240 9010
Bock Bistro
Address: Erzsébet körút 43-49 (within the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal) VII. district, tram 4,6 Király utca
Tel: (+36 1) 321 0340
Borbíróság Restaurant
Address: Vámház körút, next to the Great Market Hall
Tel: (+36 1) 219 0902
Borkatakomba
Housed in the spacious wine cellars of the Budafok Winery. You can sit in a large barrel and enjoy wines by candlelight.
Address: Nagytétényi út 64., XXII. district
Tel: (+36 1) 424 7955
New-Nádor Wine Restaurant
Address:Nádor utca 30., V. district
Tel: (+36 1) 302 3086
You can choose from 70 Hungarian wines to go with a traditional Hungarian dish.
Wine Tasting Outside Budapest
If you come to Budapest for more than just a couple of days do visit the nearby wine regions to get a first hand impression about the country's wines and viticulture. The best way to get to these places is by car, if you came to Budapest by air you need to rent a car.
Although there's a fairly good train service in Hungary, for first time visitors and foreigner it is a bit difficult to know your way around train timetables. Moreover driving is more flexible than train travel, you can stop when and where you wish to.
Etyek-Buda Wine Region
 
Lying about 40 km far from Budapest this wine region is the nearest to the capital city.
The climate and the soil provide good conditions for producing quality whites. This region produces the base wines for champagne making too. If you come in the second half of May or on the first two weeks in September don't miss the Etyek Wine Festival.
 
Major grape varieties: Chardonnay, Italian Riesling, Királyleányka, Sauvignon Blanc
Recommended winery in Etyek Buda wine district: Haraszty Vallejo Winery
Tel: (+36 1) 413 16 11
Website: Haraszty Vallejo Winery
Eger Wine Region
 
Location: 130 kilometres north-east of Budapest, at the foot of Bükk Hills It's worth visiting Eger not only for the famous Egri bikavér (Bull's Blood) red wine, but for the town's rich history and sights. Eger has a charming, Baroque city centre, the crooked streets, great restaurants and cafés.
The Szépasszony-völgy (literally Beautiful Lady's Valley) has many old wine cellars carved into the hill: you can taste and buy wines from the local producers. The more than 200-years old National Wine Museum and the István Cellar of the Hotel Crown besides wines from the Eger region introduces you other Hungarian wines and history of wine making.
Major grape varieties: reds:Kékfrankos, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Kékoportó, whites: Leányka, traminer, Italian riesling, Muscat Ottonel
Address: Hotel Korona, Tüdérpart 5., Eger
Tel: (+36 36) 313 670
Web: Hotel Korona
Other recommended wineries in Eger:
Pók-Polányi Cellar
Address: Eger, Vero-szala utca 66.Tel: +36(36)436 021
Istenes Pince
Address: Eger, Szépasszony-völgy Tulipánkert út 40.
Tel: +36(36)522 222
Koporos Winery
Address: Eger, Nagykoporos út 11.
Tel: +36(30)945 0327, +36(36)516 241
Return from Wine Tasting in Budapest to Hungarian Wines or
Homepage of Budapest Tourist Guide.
Tokaj Hegalya
 
Tokaji Aszú
Described by Louis XIV of France as “the king of wines, and the wine of kings”, Aszú even gets a mention in the Hungarian national anthem. With good reason – it is one of the world’s finest dessert wines. Like a Sauterne, Aszú is made with grapes that have succumbed to the botrytis cinerea fungus, otherwise known as noble rot. If conditions are just right – the convergence of three rivers on Tokaj creates a unique microclimate, the botrytis mould causes sweet grapes to dry out and shrivel. The resulting Aszú berries have a very high concentration of sugar and rich flavours, and must be hand-picked to separate them from unaffected grapes. It is the shrivelled grapes that lend Tokaji Aszú its intense colour and distinctive range of flavours.
Bukkalja Wine Region
 
In the foothills of the Matra Mountains the soils are mainly volcanic and most of the wine produced here is white. Muscat, Olaszrizling and Kadarka grape predominate. The area is also well known for the German-owned Gyongyos Estate on which Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon have been made for export.
Aszar Neszmely Wine Region
 
Although its size does not amount to much, its quality certainly does. Traditions of wine making on this territory are dating back to the foundation of Hungary as a state. The Aszar Neszmely wine region in Hungary grows almost exclusively white varietals. Famous winemakers in the Aszar Neszmely wine region in Hungary are Craftsman, Woodsman's, Hilltop Winery and Hillebrand Estates Winery.
Sopron Wine Region
  
Sopron is a significant wine producing region, one of the few in Hungary to make both red and white wines. Grapes include Kékfrankos for red wine and Traminer (Gewürztraminer) for white wine. The climate is similar to the neighbouring Burgenland wine region in Austria, and several winemakers make wine in both countries. Blue Frankish, Tramini, and Green Veltelini are well-known Sopron wines. Sopron's Blue Frankish and Pinot Noir wines are particularly prized.
Somlo Wine Region
 
Somlo, the smallest designated region in Hungary, is a single hill midway between Pannonhalma-Sokoroalja and Balatonfeldvidek. Its traditional white wines
Mor Wine Region
 
The Mor wine region is relatively small, apart from the town of Mor it includes only five other settlements: Csakbereny, Csokako, Pusztavam, Sored, Zamoly. The summers of this region are moderately warm and dry, springs are balanced, autumns are long and warm, and although winters are cold, they are not too severe. The annual precipitation is 600-650 mm and is uniformly distributed. On the southern and south-western slopes of the hills and elevations the microclimatic conditions are advantageous, resulting in excellent conditions for grape production.
The underlying soil type is loess, sometimes mixed with limestone deposits, and dolomite. Amongst the wide variety of soils the stony desert soils, the humous sandy soils, the humous carbonate soil, the rendzina (black forest soil), the brown forest soil with clay deposits and the Rahmann-type brown forest soils should be mentioned. The common characteristic of the vine-growing soils is the high lime content, which has to be taken into consideration when choosing grapes.
The varieties still planted in this wine region are the Ezerjo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Szurkebarat, Rajnai Riesling, the two Hungarian varieties, the Leanyka and the Kiralyleanyka, and the varieties giving aromatic wine, the Ottonel Muscat, the Tramini and the Rizlingszilvani.
Balatonboglar Wine Region
 
As in the other regions of Pannonia, the Celts and the Romans produced grapes and made wine here also. The climate of the region - situated to the south of Lake Balaton - is well-balanced. The soils are mostly forest soil that developed on loess deposits. A small proportion of the grapes is planted on sand. The dominant varieties produce white wines, but the area is also perfectly suited to the production of red. The variety of wines is very wide. The white wines have a rich bouquet and strong palate and are dry with great character. Although less red is produced, it competes well in quality with the white. The region is more suitable for the production of the Burgundy type reds that have a fruity palate and aroma. Wines from the Balatonboglar Kekfrankos, the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot are particularly good quality.
Balatonfüred-Csopak Wine Region
On the sunny slopes of the Balatonfüred-Csopak Wine Region, there are many famous cellars. The vineyards bordering the lake also produce white wines, like for example Italian Rizling , Tramini and Muscat Ottonel.
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