The Thummerer Wine Estate

World Hungary

The Thummerer Wine Estate in Eger:
Stronghold of “Bikaver”

CAVE DE THUMMERER
Szomolyai u.
H-3325 NOSZAJ
Tél. / Fax : +36.36.463.269

Located 12 km from Eger, Noszvaj is a superb baroque town in the north-eastern part of Hungary which established its reputation by producing a powerful red wine named “Bikaver”, meaning “Bull’s blood”.

This former State-owned cooperative cellar covers a surface area of approximately 4 000 m2 and was previously used for stabling horses. The cellar was dug out from volcanic rock a century ago and is an ideal place for storing wines due to its constant temperature. Since 1984 it has become a family business, with 80 hectares of vines producing 80% red wines and 20% white.

The Eger winegrowing region, which stretches over an area of approximately 4 500 hectares, representing 18 communes, used to produce white wine predominantly in the past.
But as a consequence of market demands, this area converted to producing a majority of red wines. All the terroirs here have varied soil compositions ranging from limestone to gravel and loess.
Production of the region’s emblematic wine, “Bikaver”, is strictly controlled: it must be a blend of a minimum of three of the five authorised grape varieties - Kekfrankos, Portugieser, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Blauburger. “Bikaver” possesses a vivid colour, a vinous red, and has an intensely alcoholic nose; it always gives tremendous powerfulness on the palate and finishes with pleasant length.
In the past “Bikaver” used to be rather a harsh wine, but thankfully it has become far more pleasant due to recent changes implemented for the grape varieties used and for wine-making and maturation methods. Since the downfall of the vast, mediocre State cooperatives, “Bikaver” has succeeded in regaining its splendour of the past as a result of the motivation of producers like Vilmos Thummerer.
Now, Cabernet Sauvignon from France joins the native varieties Kekfrankos and Portugieser to give a wine of great character, which is dense and lively, with distinct tannins, powerful fruity flavours (cherry, plum, blackcurrant) and floral touches (violet) enhanced by spicy hints. It is a perfect red wine to accompany the traditional Hungarian dish, Goulash.

Pascale Tétot