Just over two hours to the northeast of Budapest, the Hungarian capital, lies the town of Eger. The town of about 60,000 souls is worth visiting for its cobbled-stone streets, broad squares next to towering cathedrals, and colourful cafés that spill out onto the sidewalks littered with umbrella-shaded tables. Its ancient castle provides sweeping views over the town.
The town and its surrounding areas feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of Budapest.
The Eger Castle, best known for repelling the Turkish attack in 1552 during the Siege of Eger, is one of the town’s main attractions. The structure dates back centuries!
Valley of the Beautiful (and nice) Women
However, most travellers come to Eger for one reason: the wine! A short 20-minute walk from Eger’s main square leads to a verdant valley known romantically as the “Valley of the Beautiful Women”, or often referred to as the “Valley of the Nice Women”. It is one of Hungary’s most prestigious wine-growing valleys but is not your average wine region. It is known for its Egri Bikavér wine produced in cave cellars.
The valleys around Eger are unique in that they boast dozens of vineyards, each with their own small cellar – many carved as caves into the steep cliffs.
Here are apparently upwards of 200 cellars, with roughly four dozen of them open to the public for tasting and purchasing.
Roaming around the callers is reminiscent of a pub crawl – except you substitute wine cellars for pubs, and instead of beer, you enjoy the wines. You can drop in at several of the cave cellars, uninvited, and try some of the local specialities for free – though you are expected to bring along a few empty bottles to fill up at a price – a very reasonable price!
Upon arrival at a cellar, the wine-master will explain his wines, and then skilfully draw out wine from the barrels by using a pipette (glass tube). From the pipette, the wine is transferred into your glass and its ready to be enjoyed, and praised!
The wines here vary from white to blush to deep-deep red. The most famous wine in Eger is definitely the Egri Bikavér and is a must-try. Also known as “Bull’s Blood of Eger”, this deep-dark red, rich, aromatic, dry wine carries the flavour of the local soils, the mezzo-climate unique to the region, and the long wine-making tradition of the local winemakers.
Egri Bikavér is produced in accordance with a regulation designating three tiers of quality: classical, superior and grand superior which reflects, and dictates, the rules of yield-restriction, fermentation, ageing in barrels and bottles, as well as the marketing and trading of the wines.
Not all barrels of Egri Bikavér have been created equally – taste many to select the best!
Officially, Egri Bikavér wines must contain at least three of the following 13 grape varieties: Bíbor kadarka, Blauburger, Cabernet franc, Cabernet sauvignon, Kadarka, Kékfrankos, Kékoportó, Menoire, Merlot, Pinot noir, Syrah, Turán, and Zweigelt.
Legend has it that in the 1550s when the Turks were expanding their Ottoman Empire to include Hungary, rumour spread around the Turkish ranks that the Hungarians were drinking the blood from bulls to gain their improbable strength (and red-stained beards). And so “Bull’s Blood of Eger” wine got its name.
A note of warning: Despite the long wine-making tradition of this wine, and the (officially) strict rules, Egri Bikavér is still quite a variable end-product. The difference in quality and taste between a good barrel and a not so good barrel can be immense. As guidance to get a better-tasting sample, note that a high-quality Egri Bikavér requires two or three years of oak ageing, and is best served at 15-17 °C, ideally with spicy food such as meats – game or beef. Make sure to bring your own empty bottles to collect your wine!
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Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.