As a wine bar manager and wine enthusiast who comes from a part of the world that produces nice wines nobody really knows about, I feel compelled to promote often overlooked wine regions. One of these is Hungary, which has been producing wine for 1,500 years. Its famous “bull’s blood” wine played a key role in a historical battle against the invading Turks, and wine is even mentioned in the national anthem. Most serious wine drinkers have probably heard of Tokaji (Tokay in English), white wines from the Tokaji region near the Carpathian mountains. With long warm autumns, these vineyards produce grapes higher in sugar and with less water, resulting in strong sweet and semi-sweet wines with character. Another important region is Villany, in southern Hungary, which has established itself as an outstanding producer of red wine blends in the past five years, with winemaker Sauska as the leader. ASC sells several Tokaji wines, and you’ll find both Tokaji and Sauska Villany wines at Enoteca.

Tomaz Hladnik, Manager of Enoteca