Tóth Ferenc Várvédő Egri Bikavér Grand Superior Sík-hegy 2021

Egri Bikavér, once dismissed as cheap “Bull’s Blood” plonk, is again considered one of Eger’s top wines. Tóth Ferenc is among the producers who brought that reputation back, and this Grand Superior from the single Sík-hegy vineyard is their flagship in the category.

Built around Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch), it is elegant rather than heavy. Plenty of spice and dark fruit, layer upon layer, full and deep yet never overloaded. Its real strength is balance: a powerful red that never overwhelms. A wine for slow enjoyment.

About the Tóth Ferenc winery

The Tóth Ferenc Winery is one of Eger’s defining family estates. Founded over 40 years ago by Ferenc Tóth, the winery grew steadily through persistence rather than shortcuts, staying independent at times when that was far from easy. Today, the estate farms around 27 hectares across some of Eger’s most important sites, with wines aged in a distinctive multi-branch cellar system carved into volcanic tuff.

Since the mid-2000s, a new generation has reshaped the winery. Ferenc’s daughter Katalin brought a more focused, modern approach while staying deeply rooted in Eger’s traditions. The wines today feel confident and precise, but never polished for the sake of fashion. They combine a slightly rustic, honest backbone with clarity and refinement, expressing Eger not as a style from the past, but as a living, evolving wine region.

Producer information: Egri Borvár Kft., 3300 Eger, Kistályai út 40., Hungary, https://tothferencpinceszet.hu/