VITeff Veille

Hungary

• An important vine-growing and wine-producing tradition.
• Well known specialities: wine from Tokaj, wines from Eger.
• Wine-growing area: 93,000 ha
• Volume of production: 4 million hl per year on an average.
• 22 wine-growing regions
• 70 % of the vine varieties are white, for the majority traditional (Olasz rizling, Furmitt, Muller Thurmaum) but also global (Chardonnay) and novel (Cserszegi füszeres).
• Hungarian viticulture is shared by big wine-producing companies, privately owned cellars, the old state owned companies and cooperatives and small wine producers.
• Exports: around 700,000 hl/year (i.e. 1/5 of the production).
• Imports: 100,000 hl
  
  Wine consumption
  
• 32 litres/year/person.
• Low consumption.
• Domestic production accounts for 90 % of the consumption, owing to a local offer which is already quite comprehensive.
  
  The sparkling wine market:
  
• Hungarian sparkling wines production (Pezsgö) has been in existence ever since 1882. They boast of a good quality/price ratio.
• Volume of production: 21 million litres, i.e. 1.6 billion cols (5 % of the total wine production).
• Two wine-making techniques used depending on the targeted quality: the traditional method (know-how imported from France) for the high quality range, the pump over method for intermediate quality and the pressure tank method for ordinary sparkling wines.
• The most widely used vine varieties for sparkling wines: International vine varieties: Chardonnay (dominant), Muscat small seeded, Furmint, Riesling. Also the more traditional Hungarian vine varieties such as Aranysarfeher, Ezerjo, Kiralyleanyka.
• Sparkling wine producing regions: Balatonboglar (the Southern bank of the Balaton Lake) and Etyek-Buda. Also do note the tradition of production of sparkling wines in Pecs (wine growing region of Mecsekalja) which dates back to several centuries.
• 60 % of the production of sparkling wines accounted for by the company TORLEY (Henkell & Sohnlein group). It has several brands within its folds (Torley, Hungaria, François, BB, Walton). Other companies: Garamvari Szolobirtok, Cavern Rt and Szikrai Boraszati Kft.
• High consumption of sparkling wines: 2 litres/year/person i.e. 7 % of the wine consumption. 6th position worldwide. Essentially consumed during celebrations.
• Exports of sparkling wines relatively low compared to the other types of wines: only 10 % are exported.
• Low imports which are done only to fulfil the demand. Origin: Italy and Austria. The place of French sparkling wines is weak on the Hungarian market. However they are top-of-the-line products.
• Also do note the existence in Hungary of an excise duty for sparkling wines amounting to 0.46 euros per litre.
  
  Potential of sparkling wines in Hungary
  
• On the top-of-the-line range, in particular champagne, the increase in purchasing power may contribute towards a rise in sales.
• On the medium and low ranges: strong competition with the local and foreign (Italian) sparkling wines.
• It may be noted that in 2006, Hungary will be pulling out 5,000 ha of vine plants (European subsidies). There will especially be fresh tying of vines and lesser of restructurations of vineyards.
  
  National Council for Vine-growing and Wine-producing Communities (HNT): Thokoly ut. 18 - 1076 BUDAPEST Tel / fax: 00 36 1 413 7527 OR 00 36 1 413 7528
  
  Languages for correspondence: English and German.
  
  Source: economic mission Budapest - February 2006