The Romans brought wines to Hungary in the 5th cerntury AD. Over the centuries, new grape varieties were brought in from France and Italy.

Are you bored with the same white wines? Sure the “House Chardonnay”, or “House Pinot Grigio” at your favorite restaurant is drinkable (and at times decent enough), but wouldn’t you like to go rogue and try something a bit more interesting?  I understand. Before I began to study wine seriously, I found myself drinking those […]

Registration Opens for SommCon, a Four-Day Educational Conference for Wine Industry Professionals and Enthusiasts SommCon® Returns To San Diego Featuring Over 40 Educational Seminars, Certification Opportunities, Tasting Events and More This November 16-19, 2016 by Press Release September 06, 2016 San Diego, CA (September 6, 2016) – This fall, SommCon® returns to San Diego bringing […]

The wines of the Hungarian region of Tokaj, or as they say it “toe-kay,” are a window into the past. For one, the word for wine in Hungarian, Bor, isn’t derived from the latin word for wine (vinum). This suggests that the area has a winemaking history that grew independently of, –and perhaps before– Roman […]

A quick guide to Hungarian wines identifying 4 of Hungary’s most intriguing wine regions: Tokaj, Villány, Eger and Nagy Somló by Winefolly. One hundred years ago, Hungary was one of the most important wine producers in Europe. Every royal court in Europe clinked glasses filled with precious gold Tokaji (“toe-kye”) wine, while other lush Hungarian […]

Move over chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio and other white wines that dominate the American table. A new player is in town, which by its vigor and versatility may well seize the attention of American wine consumers. It’s furmint, pronounced “fohr-mint.” It hails from Hungary, whose long but erratic wine history has entered a promising […]

Just a quick note as I am packing up to leave Châteauneuf-du-Pape, heading for a lunch in Marseille and then back to Mougins in Provence. I just found out that I figure somewhat prominently in a video released by FurmintUSA, the group spearheading the effort to familiarize Americans with the Hungarian grape. I come off […]

FurmintUSA conducted a marketing blitz this spring in New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles, showcasing Hungary’s signature white grape, Furmint. The first shipment of 1,000 cases of dry Furmint wines from nine Hungarian wineries arrived in February. The wineries included Barta Winery, Basilicus Winery, Gróf Degenfeld Winery, Erzsébet Cellar, Kvaszinger Winery, […]

We know what we know, and the things that are most familiar to us are always on the leading edge of our thoughts. Being open to looking past the first, most familiar usage of something is not always easy. Take the word “obtain.” Pretty much anyone could come up with a definition for it. Most […]

April was a busy month full of changes and new opportunities. One of the things I love doing is attending educational seminars and tastings so that I am constantly learning and honing my craft. In April I attended several tastings including Austrian, Provence Rose, and Hungarian wines. I also did an extensive two day seminar […]