2015 Carton Hungaricum Wine Selection

A competition has been held to select the list of wines that will be served at Hungarian representations abroad and to international delegations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade events in 2015. The Carton Hungaricum wine selection was announced at a gala evening.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade announced the result of the 2015 Carton Hungaricum wine selection at a gala evening organized this November. It was the 13th time – and the first time under the Carton Hungaricum brand – that a competition was held to select the list of wines that will be served at Hungarian representations abroad and to international delegations at Ministry events in 2015. Carton Hungaricum is the country promotion program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade presenting high quality wines and the wineries that produce them.

The wines were selected in early November by a jury composed of the best wine experts of Hungary, complemented with internationally recognized experts like Markus Del Monego, who was awarded the title of the World's Best Sommelier and is also the Master of Wine, and Aigars Lukstins who was Latvia's Sommelier Champion in 2007.

The latter’s role is important because Latvia will hold the Presidency of the European Council during the first half of 2015 and, under a previous agreement, banquets organized there will also feature selected Hungarian wines.

The 2015 Carton Hungaricum Gala was attended by Hungarian public dignitaries, Ambassadors accredited to Hungary, representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, members of the government administration, representatives of companies with international ties, as well as the winning wineries.

Gabriella Mészáros, Chair of the Jury, director and head lecturer of the Borkollégium (Wine College) educational center founded in 1991, and international wine academic said at the Gala that "the primary objective of organizing the Carton Hungaricum wine selection is to present wines with a specifically unique character and impeccable quality, that are the most typical of the Carpathian Basin. The jury adhered to strict and clearly outlined criteria when looking for the most appropriate lots and used blind tasting to score the wines submitted by producers in accordance with the different categories. Year to year, the wines selected had to be perfect, typical of the given terroir, type and local blending rules; and had to meet the expectations of diplomatic receptions. High quality was an indispensable factor, but the local character and uniqueness of the wine was just as important. "

The winners:

Grand Superior category:

1. Kreinbacher Estate, Nagy-Somló, Prestige Brut N.V.

2. Figula Winery, Balatonfüred-Csopak, Öreghegyi Olaszrizling 2013

3. Szent Tamás Wineyard and Cellar, Tokaj, Percze Furmint 2012

4. Karner Gábor Artisanal Winery, Mátra, Boróka - Vitézföld Kékfrankos 2009

5. Gere Attila Winery, Villány, Kopar 2011

6. Bott Winery, Tokaj, Bott-rytis 2013

7. Árpád-Hegy Winery, Tokaj, Aszú 6 puttonyos 1999

Superior category:

1. Garamvári Wineyard, Tokaj, Vincent Tokaji Furmint Brut N.V.

2. Szõke Mátyás & Zoltán, Mátra, Királyleányka 2013