Noble wines and exciting activities

Noble wine enthusiasts know perfectly well that wine tasting is not about alcohol. Of course, wine is not alcohol-free, but this is why you need to taste it like professionals do, in moderation. The most important thing is to pay attention, so that you recognise typical features of smell and taste. You do not need to be a genius to distinguish between the different smells and tastes, and knowledge about wines is easy to acquire. Winemakers are happy to help beginner wine tasters in what features to consider if they want to taste many fine wines.

It is also worth striking up a conversation with winemakers during wine-tasting activities. They will tell you stories not only about the relationship of food and wine, but also about the work, the enthusiasm, the experience and the imagination you need to make each and every bottle of fine wine. It makes no difference whether you set out on the wine tour as a novice or an experienced wine expert – in the end your knowledge about wine will be much broader, which could prove useful anytime you have to pick out a bottle of good wine.

Wherever you go in Hungary, many exciting wine districts await with their interesting selection of wine and also with their enchanting landscape. If you head east and want to roam the hills around Tokaj, do not miss out on the Megyer-hegy Tarn and, at the end of your hike, visit one of the wineries in Sárospatak. Not far from here, you will find the Eger wine district, with its numerous sights and places of interest. While you are in Eger, visit the Archbishop’s Palace or the old house of Géza Gárdonyi. Nearby Szalajka Valley, with the Fátyol waterfall, the trail leading to it and Istállós-kő, is a must-see for nature lovers. And if you want to taste wine, head to Szépasszonyvölgy (Valley of the Beautiful Women), but do not forget that there are many excellent wineries in and around Eger. In the sunny southern parts of the country, hop on a bike to discover the rolling hills of the Villány wine district, and though the wine cellar system in Villánykövesd is great sight, it also offers good wine in abundance. Not far from Budapest, the aquatic wildlife of the Neszmély wine district is particularly awe-inspiring. In summer, you can discover the branches of the Danube separated from the big river, on canoe or kayak, and it will be the experience of a lifetime. Just like the Neszmély wine region, the Etyek-Buda wine district (which is part of the Upper Pannon wine region) is also worth your time. Apart from its excellent wineries, you should also visit its villages and towns, and this is what you will find: Zsámbék – an impressive ruined church, Alcsútdoboz – a true oasis and the arboretum, and Martonvásár – the famous Brunszvik Castle that will tell you tales of Beethoven and the heritage of the Brunszvik family. Of course, this is only just to give you a glimpse of what awaits when you visit the Hungarian wine regions. Let the landscape charm you.

If all this was not enough, jump head first into one of the several wine festivals held every year in many parts of the country: Budapest – Budapest Wine Festival, Budafok – Sparkling Wine and Wine Festival, Etyek Picnic, Balaton – Wine Weeks in Badacsony, Eger – Bikavér Festival, Tokaj-Hegyalja – Autumn in Tokaj, Szekszárd – Harvest Days in Szekszárd. And the list goes on and on, because almost every town and village where grapes are grown has its own wine festival.