A dessert wine to sing about
In 1552, it is recorded that wine saved the town of Eger in Hungary from being besieged by the Turks. It is when wine is included in the country's national anthem, you know it is regarded as more than a mere drink. The Hungarians, who included the Tokaj in their anthem, regards wine as an integral part of their history and culture.552, it is recorded that wine saved the town of Eger in Hungary from being besieged by the Turks. It is when wine is included in the country's national anthem, you know it is regarded as more than a mere drink. The Hungarians, who included the Tokaj in their anthem, regards wine as an integral part of their history and culture.
The fearful and superstitious Turks were defeated despite their superiority in numbers. When 150,000 Turks surrounded the town, the Hungarian captain Captain Istvan Dobo bolstered the morale of his 2,00 soldiers by summoning the villagers in Eger to share the red wines from their cellars. When the superstitious Turks saw the Hungarians soldiers drinking red wine with gusto, spilling them onto their armour and beards, they thought they were drinking bull's blood.
Nowadays, it is not so much red wine but dessert wines that come to mind when you talk about Hungarian wines. A dessert wine made from grapes with noble rot, the Tokaji, has been called "the king of wine" and "the wine of kings". It has also earned the Protected description of Origin status, which means it is a regional manufactured goods protected by European Union law. As a conclusion of this ruling, grapes and wines in other countries, such as the Tokay Pinot Gris in Alsace, had to undergo a name change to just Pinot Gris, in order to avoid confusion.
With more private investments streaming in, over the last 10 years, the country - which is seen as the gateway to Central and Eastern Europe - has been making leaps and bounds in its winemaking. The Muscat Ottonel grape, part of the Muscat family, may well often be used for dessert wines, but the dry white wine interpretations tasted throughout a current lunch at Tower society shows that the latest versions of this grape can easily be enjoyed as an aperitif or during a meal. Makes it a joy in the hot Singaporean weather which boasts the same alluring aromatics of white flowers and lychees.
Zoom in on Szeremley, for a tase of wineries that have been part of the revolution in quality over the last decade, owned by Huba Szeremley, the 15th richest man in the country. He has been steadily improving the vineyards and winemaking at his family's property. It shot to international stardom when Mr Szeremley won more than a third of all international prizes by Hungarian wines at major international contests.
The winery has chosen to focus not just the white wines. The native Kekfrankos and the international Syrah that are red wines made from grapes, are of suprising quality. It will be more than just a Tokaj that will feature in the Hungarian national anthem, perhaps in time.
