Region: Eger

One of the defining names of modern Eger, a family winery whose story combines international winemaking experience with a deep commitment to the volcanic terroirs and traditional grape varieties of northern Hungary.

The estate was founded by the late Tibor Gál Sr., one of Hungary’s most internationally recognised winemakers of his generation. After beginning his career in Hungary, he worked abroad and became particularly influential in Tuscany, where he served as winemaker at Ornellaia during the estate’s formative years. His international career also took him to other wine regions, but Eger remained home, and in 1993 he established his own family winery there with the ambition of producing wines capable of expressing the region at the highest level.

Following Tibor Sr.’s sudden death in 2005, the family continued his work. Today the estate is led by his son, Tibor Gál Jr., who returned to Eger after studying winemaking and brought a new generation’s perspective to the family legacy. Under his direction, the winery has increasingly focused on understanding Eger’s individual vineyard sites, indigenous and regional varieties, and the volcanic rhyolite-tuff soils that give the region its distinctive identity.

Blending lies at the heart of Eger’s wine culture. Gál Tibor produces both Egri Bikavér — the historic red “Bull’s Blood” — and Egri Csillag, its increasingly important white counterpart. Rather than relying on a single dominant grape variety, these wines bring together complementary varieties to create expressions of Eger itself. Alongside the blends, the estate produces more terroir-focused wines that explore individual vineyards and varieties.

The modern Gál Tibor style favours freshness, balance and drinkability over excessive extraction or oak. Whether through the fragrant, energetic Egri Csillag or the layered and spicy Bikavér wines, the aim is to allow Eger’s cool climate and volcanic soils to remain clearly visible in the glass.

Today, Gál Tibor represents both continuity and renewal: the legacy of a pioneering Hungarian winemaker carried forward by a new generation determined to show that Eger is capable of far more than the heavy, rustic “Bull’s Blood” wines with which the region was once associated.

Wines available in Singapore 

Somló is one of Hungary’s smallest and most distinctive wine regions. It lies in western Hungary, where a solitary volcanic hill rises from the surrounding plain.

The hill formed from the remains of an ancient volcano. Today, vineyards cover its slopes and produce wines with a strong sense of place. The local landscape gives Somló a character that few other Hungarian wine regions can match.

A Volcanic Terroir

Volcanic soils play a central role in Somló’s wines. Basalt and volcanic tuff form much of the vineyard soil. Clay, marl and other mineral-rich layers add further diversity.

The dark volcanic rock also stores heat during the day. Meanwhile, the vines send their roots deep into the soil. Together, these conditions help create wines with structure, freshness and a distinctive mineral character.

Juhfark and White Wines

Somló focuses mainly on white wine. Furmint, Hárslevelű and Olaszrizling all have an important place in the region. However, one grape stands above the rest: Juhfark.

Juhfark is an old Hungarian grape variety. Somló remains its most famous home. The variety produces wines with firm acidity, restrained fruit and a strong mineral character.

Young Juhfark can feel powerful and quite austere. However, time in the bottle brings greater harmony. The wine can develop smoky, savoury and complex flavours while keeping its fresh acidity.

A Wine with Character

Somló wines rarely focus on ripe fruit. Instead, they express the character of the vineyard. Expect firm acidity, stony minerality and subtle savoury notes.

The wines can also show a distinctive smoky quality. This character often becomes more noticeable with age. As a result, mature Somló wines can offer remarkable depth and complexity.

Somló also has a colourful history. Local traditions once gave its wines a reputation for medicinal qualities. Juhfark even earned the nickname “wedding-night wine”.

According to local folklore, couples who drank Juhfark on their wedding night might have a better chance of having a male heir. The story remains part of Somló’s colourful wine culture today.

Somló Today

Today, a new generation of winemakers brings fresh energy to Somló. They continue to work with traditional grape varieties while exploring the character of individual vineyards.

The region remains small, rugged and distinctive. Its wines offer something very different from Hungary’s larger wine regions.

Somló does not rely on powerful fruit or easy sweetness. Instead, its wines speak through volcanic soil, firm acidity and time.

For wine lovers, Somló offers a chance to discover one of Hungary’s most individual terroirs. Its wines may take a little patience, but they reward those who take the time to understand them.

Region: Somlo

Founded by Endre Tornai in 1946, Tornai is the oldest continuously operating family winery on Somló and one of the defining estates of this remarkable volcanic wine region.

Beginning with less than one hectare, the family estate has grown to around 70 hectares across some of Somló’s most important vineyard sites, including Grófi, Aranyhegy, Szent Ilona and Apátsági. Today, successive generations of the Tornai family continue to combine tradition with modern, precise winemaking.

Tornai has played an important role in preserving and revitalising Somló’s indigenous grape varieties, particularly Juhfark, alongside Furmint and Hárslevelű. These varieties thrive on the mountain’s ancient volcanic soils, producing distinctive wines renowned for their vibrant acidity, pronounced minerality and remarkable ageing potential.

From fresh, fruit-driven estate wines to complex single-vineyard bottlings, Tornai offers a fascinating exploration of one of Hungary’s smallest and most distinctive wine regions — wines shaped unmistakably by the volcanic character of Somló.

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Region: Tokaj and Villány (Sauska has 2 wineries locations)

Founded by Christian and Andrea Sauska, Sauska is one of the leading names of modern Hungarian wine, with estates in two of the country’s great wine regions: Tokaj in the northeast and Villány in the south.

From the beginning, Sauska has combined respect for Hungarian terroir with a modern, innovative and international outlook. In Tokaj, the family produces dry Furmint, traditional Tokaji Aszú and pioneering traditional-method sparkling wines, while Villány focuses on polished reds from Cabernet Franc, Kékfrankos and Bordeaux varieties.

Innovation is central to the Sauska philosophy. The family has worked with renowned international specialists including soil experts Claude and Lydia Bourguignon, Italian oenologist Stefano Chioccioli and legendary Champagne cellar master Régis Camus.

Today, Sauska represents a contemporary face of Hungarian wine: precise, ambitious and internationally minded, while firmly rooted in the distinctive terroirs of Tokaj and Villány.

Region: Szekszárd wine region (Pannon macro-region), Hungary
Winemaker: Vida Zsuzsanna, daughter of Vida Peter

Vida Péter is one of the defining producers of modern Szekszárd. A passionate champion of Hungary’s indigenous grape varieties. Founded as a family estate and built over more than three decades, the winery today farms 23 hectares across some of Szekszárd’s finest valleys and vineyards.

Péter Vida was named Hungary’s Winemaker of the Year in 2011. He has long believed that the true identity of Szekszárd lies not in powerful international-style reds, but in elegant, expressive wines based on Kadarka, Kékfrankos and the historic Bikavér blend.

Today, the next generation of the Vida family continues this philosophy, combining careful vineyard work with a fresh, increasingly precise approach in the cellar. Particular attention is given to preserving and revitalising Kadarka, including the estate’s remarkable century-old Bonsai vines and their selected descendants.

The result is a distinctly Szekszárd style: fragrant, elegant and full of character, with freshness and drinkability always taking precedence over sheer power.