The main task of Hungary’s National Wine Excellence Programme (NBP) is to find excellent wines and use them for the benefit of the country. Dr Eliza Kiss, deputy state secretary responsible for origin protection at the Ministry of Agriculture told our magazine about the programme that one of the ministry’s key partners is the National Council of Wine Communities. Another important participant is the National Wine Experts Committee (OBB), which organises the Nationwide Tasting programme series and implements marketing activities in Hungary and abroad.

The Wine Origin Protection Council also takes part in the programme. NBP’s fundamental goal is to create better selling opportunities for Hungarian wines, but for this quality products are needed which are also in line with market demands. The Nationwide Tasting programme isn’t a wine competition, it was launched to promote such products for the wider public. OBB was re-established to create better positions for the young generation in the wine sector, in order to bring in a new kind of professional approach. Both practical and theoretical experts can be found among OBB members. The ministry’s goal is to create a uniform image for Hungarian wine: to build the future of Hungarian wines on light and fashionable products that can be produced in good quality and in the right quantity in the given growing conditions. As for marketing, NBP defined the tasks of creating and using a set of symbols with integrating power for the sector. This marketing tool would contribute to the promotion and right positioning of Hungarian wines. One of the programme’s biggest achievements so far is that it managed to make winemakers accept the new wine community law. Reforming the OBB meant the appearance of an important new force in the sector, members are working hard to raise the level of wine quality and five Nationwide Tastings have been organised already