Raise a glass to Hungarian wine

Hungary has 22 wine regions and around 20 grape varieties that produce world-class wines, with the most well known internationally coming from the Tokaj wine region. Wine lovers have the chance to sample some of the best that the country offers at the 17th Budapest International Wine Festival from 10-14 September in the historic Buda Castle and the Hungarian Open Air Museum at Szentendre.

Around 170 Hungarian wineries will exhibit as well as a few other wine producing countries and it’s a great opportunity to learn about the wines, as well as enjoy traditional food and festivities.

There will be around 1,000 wines to sample as well as a grape wine auction, grape harvest procession, plus cultural programmes including classical and jay concerts. On the Saturday there is a Vintage Parade, with around 800 representatives from the various wine regions dressed in folk costumes and ending with a lovely show on the festival stage.

Visitors can also take the ‘wine boat’ down the Danube – or the ‘wine bus’ - and visit the Vintage Throng, the sister festival at Szentendre, an arty and bustling town 19km north of Budapest, to enjoy more tastings, cellar visits and the choosing of the vintage queen. Artists flocked to this quaint town the 1920s because of the special light and it makes for a great day trip from the capital.

The Vintage Throng takes place at the Hungarian Open Air Museum (skanzen.hu) a regional collection of museums that showcase traditional Hungarian village life through the centuries. In Szentendre the museum consists of nine stone buildings that show the wealth of their previous owners who were wine merchants and craftsmen. Almost all the buildings have cellars underneath and the longest is 40 metres and runs under the main square.

Entrance into the Budapest International Wine Festival costs around £8 per person for a day ticket that allows multi entries on the same day, plus entrance to the Vintage Throng. The price includes a tasting glass, glass bearing bag and two tasting tickets plus entrance to a few of the museums that are close to Buda Castle. Transport via the ‘wine boat’ or ‘wine bus’ is not included in the ticket price.

For more information visit Winefestival.hu.

GETTING THERE
Flights to Budapest are available from nine UK airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Bristol, Luton, Liverpool, Manchester, East Midlands, Glasgow and Dublin. Stay at the luxurious five-star Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest (kempinski-budapest.com) from € 609 for three nights in a double room for two people in September or the four-star fashion hotel Atrium (atriumhotelbudapest.com) from € 304 for three nights in a double room for two people, when booked online 21 days in advance. Both include breakfast.

To find out more about Hungary visit Gotohungary.co.uk.