Hungary shares latitudes with Austria, Germany, France and Italy. It has the perfect climate for growing grapes. Hungary is not only a suitable country to grow grapes and make wine, but has also been a source of remarkable wine for centuries. And although the landlocked country in Central Europe is not as well-known wine-wise as wine-producing countries in the west, Hungary is home to some of the most spectacular wines worldwide. Let’s talk about Hungarian wine, from the most popular to lesser-known wine styles worth knowing. What all Hungarian wines have in common is typicity, and that’s alluring.

Tokaji is the most famous Hungarian wine. It is one of the most distinguished dessert wines in the world, and it has enjoyed popularity for centuries. Tokaji is a unique sweet white wine made with Furmint and other local varieties, which have been, to some extent, infected by the noble rot. This fungus dries the grapes, concentrating their sugar, resulting in luscious wines. Hungary, though, is more than its sweet wine. Producers in the country make wine in all styles. After Tokaji, perhaps the red wines from Eger, Villány and Sopron are the most popular.

Winemakers in Hungary make dry and sweet wines, and they come in all colours. The country has twenty-two official wine regions, each specialising in one or several wine styles depending on their soil, weather and traditions. Distinct grape varieties in Hungary include Furmint, Hárslevelu, Kadarka and Blaufrankisch, but there are many others. The wines in the region neighbouring Austria, like Sopron, could not be more different from those made East in Tokaji. And although the Hungarian wine scene is as diverse as any other European country, the sweet Tokaji is still the only wine style with a significant presence in the international market.

Tokaji is one of the most influential dessert wines, and some types of Tokaji, like the Essencia, are costly. Most Tokaji, though, is as expensive as your average dessert wine. These wines are costly because they are hard to make, and it takes a long time to create them, especially when dealing with grapes affected by the noble rot. Having said that, most Hungarian wines outside Tokaji are not expensive at all and are often better priced than wine from more popular wine-producing countries.

There’s a wine for every occasion in Hungary. The best red wines come from the appellations of Eger and Sopron, while you’ll find bright whites in the country’s largest region; Kunsag — Tokaji produces dry white wines, but you know you want to try its heavenly sweet wine. And although most Hungarian wines are hard to find, Tokaji isn’t, and it’s amongst the best wines in Hungary and the world. Find Hungarian wine in Australia on Word Wine and find your new favourite dessert wine. There’s no doubt Hungarian wine is worth exploring in depth, especially for its luscious and decadent dessert wines.