HUNGARY: The Hungary gap

With a rich vinous heritage that reaches far beyond Tokaj, Hungary is a worthy contender on the world wine stage. Elizabeth Gabay MW considers how Hungary can improve its winemaking capacity and enhance its image in the UK

Tokaj, “wine of kings and king of wines”, has long dominated the Hungarian wine scene and the Tokaj Wine Region is classified by Unesco as a World Heritage Site. For many UK wine merchants it remains the sole representative of Hungarian wine, but Hungary also has a heritage of red and white table wines.

Wines on offer are divided into two clear ranges – good quality entry-level wines at around £5 and premium wines of £10 and over. Myliko sees £7.99 as a price watershed for many consumers, above which Hungarian wine struggles to sell.

Hungary is best known for white wine, accounting for 70% of production, spread among many varieties. Olasz (Italian) Riesling leads with 12% of white grapes. Furmint, Müller Thürgau, Ezerjó, Chardonnay and Chasselas range from 7-5%. Interestingly, only one features among the most popular in the UK.

Though for entry-level wines little emphasis is given to region of origin, for a Hungarian twist, local varieties are often blended in. For example, Kemendi’s Pázmándi Cuvée, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Zenit (over £5), successful with the on-trade and, under £5, listed by Waitrose, three from Hilltop Neszmély (a red blend of Merlot and Kékfrankos; a white blend of Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Királyleányka; and a rosé from Kékfrankos and Pinot Noir).

Indigenous varieties can be a selling feature at the top end, but unfamiliar names can be a handicap. Hilltop’s Cserszegi Füszeres was renamed to advantage in different ranges as “Unpronounceable Grape” and “Woodcutter”. Irsai Olivér benefits from an accessible name and has been popular for some time, according to Nish Kotecha, marketing director at Myliko.

Recognising the appeal of familiar varieties, Tesco, on its wine club website, sees a move for Hungarian wine to international varieties: “With a history of many interesting indigenous grape varieties, it’s clear that Hungarian wine producers behind labels such as Via Capella, recognised the need to move into the more fashionable international grape varieties, if they were to make a bigger impact on the world wine stage. Expect to see Hungarian white wines made from the likes of Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer.”

Ever popular Pinot
Pinot Gris (Szürkebarát), marketed in Italian-style as Pinot Grigio, is growing in popularity as both white and blush as in Nagyréde Estate’s Pinot Grigio and Pinot Grigio Blush. Of other varieties Waitrose buyer Ken Mackay MW is impressed with the range of Grüner Veltliners, and their advantage of being able to ride on the back of its Austrian success, while dry Furmint is increasingly fashionable. At the top end of the market The Wine Society lists Zoltán Demeter of Királyudvar’s steely-dry Lapis Furmint (£20). Waitrose has a dry Furmint from Disnókö (£9.19). Mackay finds pricing for most dry Furmints “incredibly ambitious”.

A traditional Hungarian wine style uses late-harvested grapes, fermented dry, resulting in good weight, acidity and rich character, similar to Alsatian wines. For example, Szeremley’s Pinot Blanc and Olasz and Rhine Riesling blend.

New varieties are being developed by the Hungarian viticultural research stations. At Badascony two new crosses, Patria (Olasz Rizling and Red Traminer) and Vulcanus (Pinot Gris and Budai) are producing wines with greater weight and acidity – Szatmári’s Szigliget Vulcanus Válogatás 2006 won a gold at VinAgora 2008.

Red wines are about 30% of production and growing. According to Lucien Lanci of Malux Wines, which sells small estate wines largely to the on-trade and wine societies, Hungarian red wines sell better than white. Kékfrankos dominates the market with 33% of total red grape production. Zweigelt has nearly 11%, Cabernet Sauvignon (9%), while Merlot, Kadarka, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir range from 6-3%.

Family-owned estates, at the higher premium end, cannot supply the volumes required for supermarkets, and are found in restaurants, wine societies and a few independents. Among these producers are Feind (an Australian style Shiraz) and Konyári, southern Balaton (a plummy Merlot and Bordeaux blend); József Bock and Attila Gere in the hot southern region of Villány (Bordeaux blends and Burgundian style Pinot Noir). Promising Pinot Noir is made in several regions, such as Eger (Tibor Gál’s can be intense and inky), Balaton (Szeremley) and at the new Pannonhalma Winery whose winemaker is a student of Tibor Gál. Chapel Hill’s Pinot Noir at under £5 has proved very successful.

Rosé wines appear in a range of varieties, but production (around 5%) is small. Made from a wide range of grapes, examples include Pannonhalma’s Pinot Noir; Nagyréde’s Matra Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (£5.50 RRP); and Eva’s Vineyard, Neszmely’s Kékfrankos and Pinot Noir blend (£4 RRP). Firenze Takler in Székszgard sees increased consumption of rosé in Hungary during summer instead of traditional chilled beer.

Big players
A handful of producers supply wine in sufficient quantities for supermarkets. Törley (Balatonboglar, Chapel Hill and Hungarovin) imported through Myliko, and Hilltop Neszmély imported through Bottlegreen, are major producers in Hungary and the key players in the UK, priding themselves on consistency and value for money in the under £5 price range.

Explaining style and character seems to reap rewards. Myliko aims to provide lots of background information. With its Matra Hills Spice Trail rosé it says: “With the help of the New Zealand winemaker Clive Hartnell, these wines have been created to provide the ultimate in everyday drinking with spicy and oriental food, whether that is Indian, Thai, Chinese or Mexican.” Linking with a well-known wine is helpful, as Jo Grant MW of The Wine Society found when promoting Királyudvár from Tokaj, co-owned with Anthony Hwang of Domaine Huet.

With few Hungarian restaurants around Britain, however, these wines have no natural showcase. Mackay feels that Hungary has not been “proactive enough in promoting itself at a generic or regional level in the UK – it’s a country with unrealised potential, particularly for dry whites”.

Hungary hopes that increased tourism will encourage wine buying. Pécs in the southern region of Villány will be one of the European Cultural Capitals in 2010, although its plan for creating a wine village has not received EU funding.

Foreign investment, Hungarian émigrés and EU grants will hopefully allow winemakers to invest further in cellars and vineyards. Until now, many Hungarian winemakers sought experience abroad and stayed, but many are now returning home and producing great Hungarian wines. With more promotions and publicity in the UK, the market should be more receptive to the wider range of better quality wines in the middle price range. 

db © September 2008