One hundred and thirty small and large wineries produce sparkling wine in Hungary today

(Photo: Pixabay)

Imre Hubai reminded that a decade ago, the number of wineries producing sparkling wine was only a fraction of this. He noted that since 2012, excise regulations have allowed wineries to produce limited quantities of traditional, bottle-fermented and matured sparkling wine without having to provide an excise guarantee to start the activity.

The Secretary of State emphasized that the expansion of the possibilities for making champagne has also brought about changes in the culture of champagne consumption

“Good quality champagne is part of the elegance of everyday life, while high-quality, serious, large champagne has remained the essence of great moments,” he said. He added that, based on trends, there is also strong demand for non-alcoholic versions and champagne-based cocktails in the Hungarian market. According to Imre Hubai, it is cause for optimism that champagne consumption is increasing worldwide, while world champagne production has increased by 70 percent since the turn of the millennium, making it 8 percent of wine production. In addition, consumer demand for non-alcoholic champagne and champagne-based cocktails can be expected to continue to grow in the coming years. The State Secretary highlighted that in Hungary, winemakers request the marketing of approximately 2.5-2.6 million hectoliters of wine and wine products annually, 5-6 percent of which is approximately 140-160 thousand hectoliters of sparkling wine. The export of Hungarian sparkling wine is developing favorably, and its volume has increased significantly after the decline due to the pandemic: last year it already approached five million liters, its value was 10.8 million euros, almost double the value of 2021.

The momentum will continue in 2025, because a significant, almost 30 percent increase can be experienced compared to the same period last year – he explained

The State Secretary mentioned the golden yellow disease, which is the biggest problem for grapes, and against which the Ministry of Agriculture is taking decisive action to curb and control the spread of the disease. He added that they are urging compliance with plant protection rules and continuous monitoring of plantations, because early detection of the disease is very important. He indicated that they have successfully initiated the inclusion of 100 percent support for the costs of community protection against the spread of golden yellows among the available EU grape and wine subsidies, for which the relevant legislation may be published by the end of the year.

János Frittmann, President of the National Council of Mountain Villages, emphasized in his welcoming speech that “sparkling wine is much more than an elegant drink, it is an everyday drink, if one finds the opportunity”

He drew attention to the fact that challenges are also looming for Hungarian sparkling wine, and investments are inevitable, since processing is accelerated due to the heat, and grapes harvested by machine must be processed in one month instead of the previous 2.5 months. He indicated that grape prices have gone up, but wine prices must also be regulated, a price increase is necessary, because the economy of businesses is unthinkable without it. Pál Rókusfalvy, the government commissioner responsible for national wine marketing, also spoke about the growing demand for reduced-alcohol beverages worldwide, which is a major challenge for the winemaking sector. He believed that a Hungarian invention, fröccs, is an excellent solution, as there are 104 different fröccs, so anyone can find the wine-soda ratio that suits them best.

AM/MTI