Eger

Eger is a region with lots of tradition in the northeast of Hungary, now making a comeback. The traditional red wine of the area, the Bull’s Blood blend, earned a bad reputation in the past 50 years when it the name was misused to make cheap wines, but it is slowly regaining its title as Hungary’s most elegant red wine region. Most of the wine region’s soils are volcanic rhyolite, while some areas are covered with lime. Wine is grown on the hills surrounding the town of Eger, which is one of the coldest and driest areas in Hungary.

The Bull’s Blood (Bikavér) blend is a traditional mix of at least three grape varieties, usually Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch)-based and including Kadarka and other grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. White wines are less well-known but just as interesting; the Egri Csillag (Star of Eger) white blend is the Bull’s Blood’s white counterpart, usually made with grapes such as Chardonnay, Olaszrizling (Welschriesling), Pinot Blanc, Hárslevelű or Leányka.