Hungary has a distinctive, centuries-old wine culture built on indigenous grapes, most famously the sweet, botrytized Tokaji Aszú made chiefly from Furmint. Robust reds like Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) and Kadarka round out its identity.
Grapes grown here
Sub-regions
Eger
Eger in northeastern Hungary is best known for Egri Bikavér ("Bull's Blood"), a bold red blend with roots tracing to the 1552 Siege of Eger, grown on distinctive black riolite soils. The region also produces notable whites.
Tokaj
Tokaj, spanning northeastern Hungary and part of Slovakia, is the historic home of Tokaji Aszú, the world's oldest botrytized sweet wine. Furmint is its principal grape, grown on volcanic and clay-loess soils that foster the noble rot essential to the style; the region became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
Villány
Villány is Hungary's most celebrated red wine region, its far-southern location and unusual sub-Mediterranean climate ideal for full-bodied, Bordeaux-style blends rather than the country's typical continental styles.