Top 100 red wines of Hungary - Page 9

Discovering the wine region of Hungary

Hungary, in Central Europe, has earned its reputation in the wine world with only a few styles of wine, but for centuries it has been a wine-producing nation of considerable diversity. In addition to the Sweet wines of Tokaj and the Bull's Blood of Eger, Hungary's wine range includes Dry whites from the shores of Lake Balaton, Somló and Neszmély, and finer reds from a variety of regions, including Villány, Sopron and Szekszard. Hungarian wine culture dates back to Roman times and has survived many political, religious and economic challenges, including Islamic rule in the 16th century (when Alcohol was banned) and the Phylloxera epidemic in the late 19th century. The modern Hungarian wine regions are spread throughout the country.

Sopron in the northwest is separated from Tokaj in the northeast by 370 kilometers (230 miles) and from Hajós-Baja in the South by about two-thirds of that distance. Between these two key areas lie the country's 22 official wine regions, each with its own mix of culture, history, Terroir and wine style. The vineyards of the southern plains, for example, are very different from the vineyards of the western lakeshores and the northeastern foothills. The eastern Part of Hungary is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, which have a considerable impact on the local Climate, protecting the land from the cold winds that would otherwise blow in from all over Poland and western Ukraine.

The generally continental climate is also moderated by Lakes Balaton and Neusiedl, allowing for a longer and more temperate growing season. The main grape varieties currently grown in Hungarian vineyards are a mixture of traditional regional varieties and international varieties of French origin that are better known and more easily marketed. Among the traditional Hungarian white wine varieties are Furmint and Hárslevelű (the white grapes used in Tokaj), Olaszrizling, Leányka and Kéknyelűkekfra. They have recently been joined by a series of new crosses such as Irsai Olivér, Cserszegi Fűszeres, Zefír and Zenit, a number of which were created locally by Hungarian ampelographers.