top of page

Winery #85: Etyeki Kúria (Etyek, Hungary)

Writer's picture: Joe BenvenutoJoe Benvenuto

The modern and chic Etyeki Kúria seated wine experience with sweeping views overlooking the vineyards kicked off our first Hungarian wine tasting. Our host, Anita, welcomed us in the air-conditioned tasting space and provided us with still and sparkling water and Sajtos Pogacsa, special Hungarian cheese biscuits. Somehow those biscuits disappeared rather quickly, and we needed a refill. Just amazing!




The winery has an expansive outdoor space with private tables and ample indoor space for gatherings and events. With an upbeat music mix playing in the background, Anita gave us an overview of Hungarian wine production and the estate’s history. We were surprised to learn that are 22 wine regions in Hungary, with the Etyek production area where the winery sits covering 5,600 hectares (nearly 14,000 acres)!




Anita explained that a strong wind persists in the Etyek region, helping the grape vines avoid fungus issues due to moisture. We felt the wind when we walked from the car to the winery. We told our host that we had never heard of Hungarian wine outside the famous Tokaj area. We learned that from the end of World War II until 1989, the ruling communist government focused the country's agriculture, including wine production, on quantity rather than quality and thus destroying Hungary's wine reputation in the global marketplace.


During our wine experience, Anita poured eight wines representing the Etyeki Kúria production line. We commenced the tasting with a glass of refreshing sparkling wine, a product the region's been making for over 100 years. We also had the opportunity to taste a traditional Hungarian wine produced with the red Blaufränkisch grape, affectionally known as “Bull’s Blood.” Our favorite wine was the white 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, the most planted grape in the Etyek area. Our host explained that the winemaker sought to produce this wine more in line with the grassy and herbal French style rather than New Zealand’s tropical fruit style. While smelling the wine, we found an extremely pronounced intensity of aromatics with a bouquet of lemon, grass, wet stone, and white blossom. The wine’s taste persisted for long after we drank the wine (well, the person who drove had to spit), a testament to the quality level.


After our tasting, we had a fantastic lunch at the winery with traditional Hungarian dishes. The wine experience and the lunch were superb, and we rate the visit in the top 25% of the 95 wine experiences in the past twelve months. Anita and the Etyeki Kúria staff, thank you so much for the lovely experience!!


Check out the YouTube Video of the Wine Experience here!


Experience Rating: 4 Stars

Brodi’s Rating: 2 Paws Up


Website: https://etyekikuria.com/

Pet-Friendly: Yes

Experience Vibe: Semi-Private Experience, Seated Tasting

Reservations Needed: Yes

9 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Post: Blog2_Post

You must be 18 years or older to visit this website.

©2023 by 500 Wineries KLG  ||  Werdstrasse 8, 8004 Zürich || Switzerland

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • LinkedIn
bottom of page