Stories of Hungarian wine: from the favorite of kings to bull’s blood – a historical evening in Eger

The aim of the event is to present the development and struggles of certain historical sectors of the Hungarian economy – this time focusing on the past and present of domestic wine production. The special feature of the series is that historical aspects are always illuminated from the perspective of a modern, leading market player. Dr. Péter Bánhidy, President of the Heves County Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will welcome the participants at the event in Eger.

The roots of Hungarian winemaking go back to pre-Roman times – according to archaeological findings, viticulture was practiced in the Carpathian Basin even before the Pannonian conquest. After the conquest, the Western monastic orders, mainly from Italy and Burgundy, played a key role in the revival of wine culture. From the 13th century, legal documents testify to the establishment of wine-producing estates, while in the 15th century, exportable Szerém wine disappeared into the abyss of history as a result of the Ottoman campaigns.

However, Hungarian wine culture survived all crises and began to flourish again by the 19th century, until the phylloxera epidemic, which shook the sector to its foundations. During the discussion, those interested can learn what wines Hungarians drank in the past, who the most important wine producers were, and whether the legend that a servant girl “forgot” to harvest the Tokaj-Hegyalja aszú grapes in time is true.

The guests of the evening will be historian Balázs Nagy, associate professor of the Department of Medieval History at ELTE BTK, and winemaker Ádám Juhász, owner of JUHÁSZVIN Kft. The discussion will be moderated by Péter Antalffy, a scientific associate at the Rubicon Institute.

Date: May 15, 2025, 6:00 PM
Location: Juhász Brothers Winery (Eger, Kőlyuki Pincesor 35.)