World Hungary
Kalman KOZMA,President of Hungarian Sommelier Association,As president of the Hungarian Sommelier Association, tell us how you perceive the present and future of Hungarian wines?
Hungarian wines must be an element of success for the image of Hungary, but a great deal remains to be achieved. Quality already exists, but we must improve our efforts in terms of marketing.
What is the most obvious development that has taken place over the past fifteen years?Long-forgotten varieties are being grown again, and after the popularity of international varieties, native varieties are now drawing an increasing amount of attention. We have succeeded in avoiding the clichés of Tokay and Eger, which in the past were the only image Hungary possessed. A new generation of vine growers has evolved; young people are beginning to prove their talent. They are very skilled at combining French varieties with local ones and are creating some extremely interesting blends.
How do these changes influence Hungarian gastronomy?Hungarian cuisine is very complex and varied, it doesn’t just contain paprika! Dishes created with flavoursome ingredients of excellent quality combine harmoniously with Hungarian wines made with native varieties; Furmint and Olaszrizling for white wines and Kadarka, Portugieser and Kékfankos for reds offer enormous potential, because they are more exciting and complex than Chardonnay or Cabernets.
How have consumers’ habits changed?