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Hungarian red wines: expert’s choice

A strong performance in this year’s DWWA proved that Hungary isn’t just about white wines. Caroline Gilby MW picks 18 of her top-scoring reds, from both local and international varieties.

Hungary may be famous for its white wines, and especially for the glorious wines of Tokaj, but a third of its vines are in fact red grapes.

The Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 saw the country stake a strong red claim on the map, with its first ever Best in Show for a red wine. And not just any red, but a Bull’s Blood (Bikavér in Hungarian) – a name that may conjure up memories of cheap and rustic wine.


Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 18 Hungarian red wines worth seeking out


St Andrea’s Nagy-Eged Dűlő Grand Superior [not featured here] is a world away from that era. To rehabilitate Bikavér as a flagship blended red for Hungary has been a lifetime’s passion for father and son György and György Jr Lőrincz, along with several other like-minded wineries in the two regions of Eger and Szekszárd (where Bikavér is a protected denomination).


See Caroline Gilby MW’s pick of 18 Hungarian reds worth seeking out


Caroline Gilby MW is a widely published wine writer, awarded author and consultant specialising in the wines of Central and Eastern Europe, and DWWA joint regional Chair for North, Central and Eastern Europe


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