Wine tasting

This was to be our first proper wine tasting, at least that’s what we thought!!

We were invited by the campsite owner at Sikonda, Hungary to go with a party of Estonians who were staying in the chalets at the site, (the reason they were there was the same as ours – orienteering at the World Masters!!) on an organised outing down to Villany for a wine tasting evening.  Villany is the main wine producing area in Hungary so we were quite excited about our first venture into the world of oenology ? Think that’s the relevant word.

We were to meet at the camp entrance at 4.30pm and board a coach for our journey.  We got down there and the only other people were a Swiss couple – prompt and punctual to the dot! – well, we ended up having a coffee and long chat with the couple as the Estonians were late back from an orienteering practice and still needed to have showers and get changed etc….so far so good??!!

We eventually got going after a bit of shuffling about as we were unaware that all the Estonians had their regular seats and we were ‘poaching’. One empty seat looks the same as another to me…

The journey down was interesting, first the motorway, then off onto a highway and then off onto local roads which were very twisty and bumpy!! How the coach survived the speed and potholes was a miracle as the driver didn’t slow down to take a change of surface, width, well, anything really into account – we were literally thrown about.  It was quite fun as we felt safe inside the coach but I can’t imagine what the oncoming drivers felt !

Our first stop was at the village of Villany itself, although in retrospect the village before was more picturesque as it wasn’t quite so commercial, don’t know the name I’m afraid!  We parked up on the main street, trooped out and wandered around, mainly up the street and then down the other side. It was an area full of wine bars/cellars and they were quite hustley (?) as we were so obviously tourists and they hoped we’d spend/buy!

Each little bar was selling the wine from its own vineyard and the idea was to have a tasting and maybe buy.  We spent about an hour finding the interesting back streets and discovered loads of little caves (sheds!) where each area of vineyard would store their produce.  All they were really was a shed with a big door to let the carts (or as our guide said – carriages) in. We eventually rejoined the group on the coach.  Then we were taken to the site of the evening’s entertainment – the Blum Pince winery. We were confronted with rows of these little ‘caves’ and it was a little disconcerting  to find that we had to go up the hill a little for our tasting.  We were met by our host and ushered inside a small hostelry and promptly began the shuffle for seats at rows of tables set out for the evening meal.  We eventually ended up with the Swiss couple  again who, thank God, spoke good English although as soon as we sat down the music started – so conversation was a little difficult.

The food was good solid rib-sticking stodge, roasted meats and pickled cabbage salad, typical working peasant food, with unlimited wine, both white or red carafes on the table and topped up continuously if needed. Dad loved it.

 

The eventual troop down to the cellar was interesting and the part I’d been looking forward to most, although by now spirits were high and the gloom and dankness not at all intimidating.  It was amazing down there, rows on rows of boozy smelling barrels and dusty old bottles. This was not a huge commercial venture like the vineyard we visited for an O event in Portugal where it was all incredibly high tech with vast stainless steel vats holding millions of gallons of wine, this was small time old time wine making. A joy really.

We actually tasted about 6 different wines and were told all sorts of details about them (can’t remember this stuff) but the main point of the evening was to have fun it seemed.  The host (the chap with the interesting one man music machine) kept breaking into song and was very charming to all the ladies! 

 Later on we trooped back upstairs and the Estonians all started to dance so I joined in – oompah muzak – but just about ok to dance to. Even Philip had a jiggle or two (at my insistence I must say tho). He’s getting pretty good at a cross between salsa and rock n roll and flung me about the floor pretty energetically.

Phew….all good fun but can’t honestly say am any the wiser re the finer points of wine tasting.