As a committed oenophile, I always make an effort to try local wines when travelling. From the vineyards of South Moravia to touring the Champagne houses of Reims, I’m there.
Everyone needs a hobby.
So during my last visit to Budapest, I carved out an evening for the Essentials of Hungarian Wine tasting at Taste Hungary. It was educational, entertaining and left me just a little tipsy. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of doing the same.
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Why Go Wine Tasting in Budapest?
Hungary has a winemaking tradition that predates the Roman Empire, yet its wines remain largely unknown outside the country.
The star of the show is Tokaji Aszú, a legendary dessert wine made from late-harvest, raisin-like grapes, known as Liquid Gold. But there’s a whole cast of indigenous whites and robust reds that most visitors never encounter.
A wine tasting evening is one of the best ways to fix that, and it doubles as a great way to meet other travellers if you’re heading to Budapest solo.
My Experience at Taste Hungary
Taste Hungary is Budapest’s leading food and wine company, based in the Palace District on the Pest side of the city. Their Tasting Table venue is in a historic building at Bródy Sándor u. 9.
The Essentials of Hungarian Wine session runs at 6 pm most evenings and lasts two hours. Our sommelier, John, guided our group of nine through the history and regions of Hungarian wine before steering us through eight generous pours (this is not a one-sip-and-move-on affair):
These wines were paired with local cheeses and charcuterie, and we were also served bread and olive oil. We were given tasting sheets and a map of the Hungarian wine regions.
John hit the sweet spot between informative and fun. He has a genuine passion for Hungarian wine, and there was plenty of time between the educational bits to actually enjoy what was in the glass.
My favourite? The Tokaji Aszú. It’s not called Liquid Gold for nothing.
As an older solo traveller in Budapest, this was an ideal evening. I might have been tempted by one of the city’s famous ruin bar pub crawls 30 years ago, but not now. I far prefer this.
It’s always a roll of the dice who else will be in groups like this, but this was a lovely bunch of people. As well as coming away with a better understanding of Hungarian wine, we had fun.
Price, Duration and Booking
- Duration: 2 hours
- Time: 6 pm, most evenings
- Includes: 8 wines, cheese and charcuterie, tasting notes
- Location: Bródy Sándor u. 9, Budapest 1088 (map)
>>> CHECK DATES AND BOOK HERE
Other Wine Tasting Options in Budapest
If the days or times of this session at Taste Hungary don’t suit you, there are other wine tasting experiences in Budapest.
Wine, Cheese, and Charcuterie Tasting – Also run by Taste Hungary, this highly-rated 90-minute session with tastings of five wines, including the Tokaji Aszú. It might suit you if you are looking for an afternoon wine-tasting session.
Budapest: Food and Wine Tasting Tour – A 4-hour walking tour of Budapest that starts at the city’s Central Market Hall and includes visits to a spice shop, coffee house, butcher’s shop and a traditional patisserie. Ideal if you want to combine food and culture with wine.
Half-Day Etyek Wine Tour – Prefer something outside the city? This half-day trip takes you to two boutique wineries in Etyek village, with four wines to taste at each plus a 3-course home-cooked meal. Transfers from downtown Budapest hotels are included.
Wine tasting is one of those activities that deserves a place on any Budapest itinerary. I left Taste Hungary better informed, slightly merry and very glad I’d booked it.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.