Page 276 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

274  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS WHA T T O DRINK  275

What to Drink in Hungary A dry white wine Spritzers
Egri Bikavér, “Bull’s Blood”, from the Badacsony
Hungary is famous for its excellent wines and, although it is a full-bodied red wine vineyards On hot days, Hungarians
not a big country, it has over 20 wine regions (see pp32–3). enjoy drinking refreshing
These regions produce all the characteristic wine styles, spritzers. The various types are
differentiated by the proportion
from pezsgő (sparkling wine) and light whites that come of white wine to soda water:
from Mátra, near Lake Balaton, to dry reds from Villány or
Eger, as well as Tokaji, a distinctive sweet dessert wine from Quantity of Quantity of
wine
water
Tokaj. Many wines from different vine yards are matured in
the maze of under ground cellars in Budafok. They are all Small spritzer (Kisfröccs)
10 cl
10 cl
widely available in Budapest’s restaurants, wine bars and Large spritzer(Nagyfröccs)
wine shops. As well as being a prominent wine producer, 20 cl 10 cl
Hungary also makes beer, pálinka (a drink distilled from Light Hungarian beers Long step (Hosszúlépés)
different orchard fruits), several types of brandy and a chosen drink, as it goes 10 cl 20 cl
bitter herb liqueur called Unicum. exceptionally well with many Janitor (Házmester) 20 cl
30 cl
traditional, paprika-flavoured
Hungarian dishes, goulash
Pálinka Tokaji
among them. The most widely Ződszilváni, Hárslevelű and
Kecskemét is the largest region available Hungarian beer brands Szürkebarát, medium-sweet The dessert wine Tokaji has a Unicum
that produces the alco holic are Dreher (established in Tramini and the aromatic very different style. Its bouquet Invented in 1790 to subdue
drink pálinka, which is distilled 1854 in the Kőbánya District Muskotály, which is produced and flavour come from a mould indigestion, Unicum is made
from fruit grown in the orchards of Budapest), Arany Ászok, in Badacsony, Balatonboglár, that grows only in the fork of from a blend of 40 Hungarian
situated on the Great Hungarian Kőbányai, Soproni and Borsodi, Csopak and Somló. the Bodrog and Tisza rivers and herbs. The herbs, which are
Plain, some 100 km (60 miles) which are mass-produced Among red wines, the dry the vol canic soil in which the gathered in three separate
southeast of Budapest. Pálinka by local breweries. Popular Kékfrankos, Burgundi, Oportó, vines grow (see p232). Tokaji areas, are combined to
is a spirit native to Hungary and international brands of beer Cabernet and Pinot Noir are ranges from sweet to dry and produce this bitter liqueur.
comes in a variety of flavours are also found in stores and popular, as is the medium-dry is full-bodied and rich. Worth Unicum can be drunk
including barack pubs, while some premium Merlot, which is produced in sampling is Aszú, which is either as an apéritif before
(apri cot) and cseresznye restaurants and pubs also Siklós, Sopron, Szekszárd, Tihany made with the addition of a meal or afterwards as
(cherry). The best of serve beer from small, artisan and Villány. overripe grapes harvested a digestif with coffee.
them, however, is szilva Pezsgő and Hungaria by Törley breweries in Hungary and the Another vine-growing after the first frost. The The recipe has been
(plum), which comes surrounding countries. dis trict is Eger, which is famous proportion of these held by the Zwack
from the Szatmár Today, Hungary has several for its aromatic, robust red Egri grapes added to the family, and remained
district and is much other vineyards producing Hungarian Wines Leányka and the dry red must (grape juice) a secret, since the
favoured by the pezsgő, mainly concentrated Egri Bikavér, or “Bull’s Blood”, determines the body reign of Austrian
Hungarians. around Budapest, in the The choice of good wine which is produced from a and sweetness. The Emperor Joseph II.
Pálinka is not the Pannónia and Balatonboglár available in Hungary has combination of three grape more grapes used, Originally, Unicum
only spirit indige- regions. As well as Törley, increased dramatically over varieties. Other Hungarian the richer and sweeter Unicum herb liqueur was prescribed as a
nous to Hungary. Hungaria is another good the past few years. This is wines take their names from the Aszú. remedy for the king
Other examples label to look out for. thanks to the ever-improving their place of origin or the Although cheap varieties by the court phys ician, who
include Törköly, wines being matured in private variety of grape from which of Tokaji do exist, they lack the was himself a mem ber of the
a spirit distilled Hungarian Beers cellars. The styles currently they are produced. quality of the genuine article. Zwack family.
from grape, which favoured by the producers
posses ses a very Hungarians have been turning include dry white Chardonnay
deli cate flavour, and increas ingly to beer as their and Riesling, medium-dry
Barack Vilmos, a brandy made
pálinka from Williams pears.
Sparkling Wines
Sparkling wine, called pezsgő
(the Hungarian word for
“sparkling”), enjoys a good
reputation in Hungary. The
classic method of producing
these wines was introduced
to Hungary from France by
József Törley, in 1881. It was
Törley who built the first
production plant in Budafok,
which continues to produce Sweet Tokaji Dry Tokaji Tokaji Aszú, a renowned golden Pear-flavoured Sisi, an apricot
excellent sparkling wines. One of Budafok’s cellars, where wines are aged in barrels Szamorodni Szamorodni dessert wine Vilmos liqueur liqueur

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