Inexpensive Hungarian wines praised by the Independent

Pénzcentrum.hu reports that the wine-expert and writer of the British Independent, John Clarke, has praised Central-European wines. He underlines that, nowadays, it does not cost an arm and a leg to buy quality wine from the region. In his list, he mentions five Hungarian products.

Good wine at a good price? No longer impossible, says John Clarke from the Independent, who recommends 14 wines from the Central-European region. He takes into account the price-quality ratio and, according to this,

he declares a Hungarian wine to be the best.

We have already shown you the best wines from the Balaton region but it is time for an outside view. Let us take a look at the Hungarian contenders of this British list:

Megyer Tokaj Furmint 2015 75cl 13.5%

Clarke mentions that furmint is Hungary’s most famous white wine grape, which he says “brings a lively and refreshing edge to this dry white, with its citrus notes, hedgerow vitality and pleasing acidity”.

The Furmint grape is actually gaining a growing number of fans in the wider wine world.

You can check online options to get this wine but if you are in Hungary, you just have to go to your local Auchan and buy a bottle for 1,299 Forints.

Korona Egri Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) 2015 75cl 13%

If you have ever heard about Hungarian wines, you must have heard about the Bull’s Blood type.

Turkish invaders in the 16th century fled at the sight of Hungarian soldiers, as the legend goes, as the Hungarians gained courage by tasting red wine and the invaders thought them to be blood-soaked warriors.

Clarke deems the blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and kékfrankos grapes “a winner and the ideal accompaniment to rich and meaty dishes, such as goulash.” And you do not have to go further than the next GRoby shop to buy it for 1,150 Forints.

Kovács Nimród Monopole 777 Pinot Noir 2015 75cl 13%

This wine comes from the Kovács Nimród winery in the Eger wine region of North-Eastern Hungary. This one is somewhat more expensive than the rest of the list, with about 5,000 Forints for a bottle.

Clarke compliments the “ravishing and complex pinot noir”, with its raspberry, blackcurrant and cherry flavours “all jostling for your attention, while lengthy ageing in oak barrels gives it a velvet smoothness”.

Egy Kis Furmint 2017 75cl 13%

This wine comes from the well-known Hungarian Tokaj wine region. The locally produced furmint grapes create a dry white wine.

“Lots of summer and orchard fruit flavours here, with notes of apricot and lime with a dash of salty minerality,” says John Clarke.

He recommends it for summer picnics and you can order it from the Barta Winery webshop for 3,500 Forints.

Kovács Nimród Monopole Blues Kékfrankos 2015 75cl 12.5%

Last but not least comes the Independent’s favourite. The expert says that the wine, named after a genre of music, does not disappoint the consumer.

He mentions that the Eger wine region, where the Kovács Nimród vineyards are located, enjoys a similar climate to that of Burgundy.

The wine made from the local kékfrankos grape and aged for 22 months in oak “has oodles of red berry and red fruit flavours combined with an earthy minerality”.

It is a great wine to accompany cheese, lamb or pork and, despite being the favourite on this list, it is not even the most expensive, costing 3,350 Forints only.

If you wish to know more about your glass of Hungarian wine, then read this article too.

Photo: MTI

Source: independent.co.uk, penzcentrum.hu