Kalman Kozma

World Hungary

Kalman KOZMA,President of Hungarian Sommelier Association,
Manager of the Gundel Restaurant in Budapest

As president of the Hungarian Sommelier Association, tell us how you perceive the present and future of Hungarian wines?

Hungarian wines must be an element of success for the image of Hungary, but a great deal remains to be achieved. Quality already exists, but we must improve our efforts in terms of marketing.

What is the most obvious development that has taken place over the past fifteen years?
Hungarian wine has awoken from its forced “slumber”; we now produce wines on a par with international quality and these wines made in hitherto unheard-of regions are now receiving gold medals at interna-tional competitions.

Long-forgotten varieties are being grown again, and after the popularity of international varieties, native varieties are now drawing an increasing amount of attention. We have succeeded in avoiding the clichés of Tokay and Eger, which in the past were the only image Hungary possessed. A new generation of vine growers has evolved; young people are beginning to prove their talent. They are very skilled at combining French varieties with local ones and are creating some extremely interesting blends.

How do these changes influence Hungarian gastronomy?
An increasing quantity of wine is served in restaurants; consumers’ knowledge of wine is improving and wine now belongs to prestige consumption.

Hungarian cuisine is very complex and varied, it doesn’t just contain paprika! Dishes created with flavoursome ingredients of excellent quality combine harmoniously with Hungarian wines made with native varieties; Furmint and Olaszrizling for white wines and Kadarka, Portugieser and Kékfankos for reds offer enormous potential, because they are more exciting and complex than Chardonnay or Cabernets.

How have consumers’ habits changed?
The younger generation enjoys wine with a greater awareness and selects wine to match food or vice versa.
Has the Sommelier’s role evolved?
Besides recommending wine and other beverages, the Sommelier has become the chef’s assistant; he is the person who creates the dishes on the menu, the flavours proposed in the restaurant.
Hungarian wines, especially those of Tokay, have a very complex structure (perhaps too much so) and only the Sommelier is capable of explaining this to customers, encouraging them to try out daring, new combinations.