Best known for lusciously sweet dessert wines but home to many distinctive dry whites and reds, Hungary is an exciting country at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. Mostly flat with a continental climate, Hungary is almost perfectly bisected by the Danube River (known here as the Duna), and contains Central Europe’s largest lake, Balaton. Soil types vary throughout the country but some of the best vines, particularly in Tokaji, are planted on mineral-rich volcanic soil.

Tokaji, Hungary’s most famous wine region, is home to the venerated botrytized sweet wine of the same name, produced from a blend of Furmint and Hárslevelű. Dry and semi-dry wines are also make in Tokaji, using the same varieties. Other native white varieties include Irsai Olivér, Cserszegi Fűszeres, and Királyleányka, all three of which are relatively aromatic and floral, as well as the distinctively smoky, savory Juhfark. Common red varieties include velvety, Pinot Noir-like Kadarka and juicy, easy-drinking Kékfrankos (known elsewhere as Blaufränkisch).