Szekszárd in Bottle – Learn about the famous wine region!

The Szekszárd Bottle was born as a result of sharing ideas and working together in the wine region. The Szekszárd Bottle is also a touchstone of quality and commitment. On 22 October in Budapest at a walk round tasting Szekszárd winemakers want to share the wines filled in this bottle and to give their account of the last few years.

The bottle

Following three years of preparations the bottle took shape in 2015. Only the pre-eminent wine categories of the region, that is szekszárdi bikavér, kékfrankos and kadarka can be sold in the Szekszárd bottle. As these wine are all about elegance, fruit and spice there was never any doubt that the right choice would be a Burgundy type of bottle. However compared to the standard Burgundy bottle this is taller, more individual, even flamboyant.

The name Szekszárd is inscripted four times around the base of the neck with the logo of the wine region.

The wines which earn the right to use the bottle are chosen at a blind tasting event. The goal is to select wines which are without faults and show proper varietal and regional character.

„I consider the Szekszárd bottle really important, as no wine region can be successful without clear focus. The bottle enabled us to create a common and distinctive style that will surely strenghten the trust of customers. So far I have only received positive feedback even form the US”, says winemaker András Takler.

Let the numbers do the talking

The statistics compiled by the wine region confirm the impressions of the winemakers: there is a continuous growth in all segments. In 2015 only 14 wineries filled their wines in the Szekszárd bottle, this year there are 20 wineries doing so. The number of wines which pass the annual blind test and are thus entitled to use the bottle has risen from 27 in 2015 to 45 in 2019. Kékfrankos has the highest share (12 in 2015, 16 in 2019), followed by bikavér (11 in 2015, 14 in 2019), finally it’s kadarka which however shows the greatest increase (from 4 in 2015 to 15 in 2019). The volume of Szekszárd bottles ordered also reflects the growing trends: at the beginning of the project the factory shipped 190.000 units, last year (2018) it shipped 305.000.

Besides the statistics the reaction of customers is also important. Shop assistants in wine stores and sommeliers in restaurants are in direct contact with customers, so they are in the right to position to assess the reception of the common bottle among customers and guests.

Mr. Péter Tüü two-time Hungarian sommelier champion has the following to say about the reception of the Szekszárd bottle in the catering sector: „From the viewpoint of the trade I think this was a good idea; on the one hand it is visually easier to recognize for the customers, on the other hand the outstanding regional wines have to pass a test in order to get the licence to use the bottle and this is further assistance for the customer and it builds trust. Foreigners also appreciate that the bottle is the reflection of a quality focused attitude with profound ideals behind the product.”

Szekszárd in Bottle

On  22 October 2019 in the halls of Société Budapest sixteen Szekszárd wineries present their wines in the Szekszárd bottle at an informal walk around tasting. Wine lovers can sample the region’s best kadarkas, kékfrankoses and bikavérs.

Tickets: www.szekszardibor.com/2019/09/18/szekszard-palackban/
Facebook-event: www.facebook.com/events/377475236530066/