;aste Just south of Budapest, family wineries welcome a new interest in old varietals,
o;ering visitors a taste of reds as gracious and graceful as the region itself.
By Alia Akkam
SZEKSZÁRD AWAKENS
;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;; ;;;;;;;;; Hungarian vintages with
the heady, sweet wines made in Tokaji, in the northeastern
part of the country. But head south, in the direction of
Croatia’s eastern reaches, and you’ll find Szekszárd, a quiet
city in the heart of one of Hungary’s most noteworthy wine
regions. A temperate climate with warm autumns elicits
optimal ripeness from the grapes, and Szekszárd produces
wines that are appealingly balanced, with soft tannins and
medium body, bolstered by fruit and spice.
Production yields are generally low throughout Hungary
and export markets are few, so your first encounter with
a Szekszárd wine could very well take place while dining
in Budapest. If you fall in love with the Németh János
Serius cuvée, Takler Primarius Merlot or Eszterbauer
Tivald Cabernet Sauvignon that was paired with your
goulash, chicken paprikash or confit goose leg, a day trip
is in order. The relaxed, rustic, tight-knit community
of Szekszárd is just a 90-minute drive from the capital.
To navigate the country roads beyond my home in
Budapest, I turn to Taste Hungary to act as my guide.
Specializing in Hungarian food-and-drink excursions,
the company was founded by husband-and-wife team
Gábor and Carolyn Bánfalvi, who also run the Tasting
Table, a cosy Budapest wine shop set in a brick cellar. The
shop’s stock features plenty of Szekszárd-made bottles
from the likes of Pósta Borház, which has great success
with the international Cabernet Franc variety, and Dúzsi
Tamás, responsible for the region’s finest rosés. Szekszárd
may possess neither the reputation of Bordeaux nor the
polished tasting rooms of Napa Valley, but it abounds in
above: The Vidas
survey their
inherited land,
home to Vida
Family Estate.
P
h
o
t
o
g
r
a
p
h
y
c
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
V
i
d
a
F
a
m
i
l
y
E
s
t
a
t
e
