Hungary Episodes
May 8, 2021
Ep. 52. / Zoltán Heimann made me proud of Hungarian Kékfrankos again!
This episode will feature a young Hungarian winemaker who made me proud of Kékfrankos again. Zoltán Heimann Jr., after perfecting his winemaker toolset in Geisenheim as well as at some of the most reputable estates in Europe (for example Clemens Busch an...
Feb. 12, 2021
Ep. 46. / Tokaj's Natural Wave with 4th Generation Vigneron: Dorka Homoky
As I can’t travel back to my homeland, Hungary, I chose to bring all of you along virtually to the most famous Hungarian terroir: Tokaj. Dorka Homoky is a young vigneron working organically on less than 3 ha that she inherited from her parents near Táll...
May 9, 2020
Ep 11. / Lilla Laposa introduces Badacsony: the biggest volcano around Lake Balaton
In the 5th episode of the Balaton Upland series, I interviewed Lilla Laposa, the youngest member of the Laposa winery family, from the Badacsony Hill. You will learn how Lake Balaton, paired with the volcanic basalt soil, creates a truly unmatchable micr...
March 21, 2020
Ep 12. / Athena Bochanis (Palinkerie) pours Hungarian wines into U.S. glasses
“Welcome to the new old world!” This suggestive sentence greets the visitors of my next guest’s, Athena Bochanis, website. Athena is a New York-based importer of fine Hungarian wines. She is a former law student who fell in love with the Hungarian world ...
Feb. 14, 2020
Ep 10. / István Bencze’s savory way from the IT sector to natural winemaking
“Natural wine is like jumping in the dark without a safety net, but if you have the knowledge, you can solve it. … But you have to sit down and think.” | Another unique face in the Balaton Upland series: István Bencze. István is a first-generation winem...
Feb. 2, 2020
Ep 8. / Róbert Gilvesy puts the Hungarian Uplands on international top-shelves
Third episode from the Balaton Upland series and the second one from the Saint George Mountain. I went back to the Saint George Mountain to visit Róbert Gilvesy, the founder and leader of the Gilvesy Winery, in Hegymagas. Róbert is Canadian-Hungarian, an...
Jan. 15, 2020
Ep 7. / Szászi Winery makes Hungarian native varieties sing on the volcanic Saint George Hill
This is the second episode from the Balaton Uplands series. After the Somló Hill, we go south and I sat down with the young Endre Szászi on the Saint George Hill. Endre is a second-generation winemaker at the Szászi Winery, which has been making wine org...
Jan. 5, 2020
Ep 6. / Somlói Vándor aka Tamás Kis, about winemaking on "the most volcanic hill of all"
Tamás, the man behind the 'Somlói Vándor' wines, welcomed us in his tasting room built from rocks of the volcanic hill and portrayed the philosophy behind winemaking on this unique “Witness Mountain”. We tasted three impressive whites from his cellar tog...
Dec. 10, 2019
Ep. 4. / Kristian Kielmayer shows you the colours of the wine world & much more
Guest: Kristian Kielmayer / Wine educator & consultant & tour guide This episode is full of inspirational stories, educational lessons and great take-aways. Kristian has a very colorful career in the wine world: knowledgable and communicative wine educat...
Nov. 27, 2019
Ep 3. / Sebastian Giraldo's joyful ways of expanding wine knowledge as a sommelier
This time, I spoke to Sebastian Giraldo, Columbian Sommelier, who shared his recent experiences about taking the Advanced Sommelier exam in the U.S., using different techniques to expand one’s wine knowledge, helping tourists to understand different terr...
Nov. 18, 2019
Ep 2. / How Florian Zaruba is leading the Kristinus Wine Estate into the future
Florian Zaruba, the German CEO behind one of the most innovative Hungarian wineries: the Kristinus Wine Estate from Kéthely. Florian went deep on the importance of turning the winery into a biodynamic one, on his views about Hungarian wines, his experien...