By Nariman Alatrash
37 wine makers will be present to personally pour more than 200 special wines at the fourth Balaton wine festival in Budapestat Erzsébet tér on May 4-6. Besides the wine there will be concerts like jazz, world music and folk music. Not only this, there will be a selection of fried, roast and grilled dishes, cheese and sweets, especially chocolate. There is a new brand of chocolate that is made at Balaton called Artis chocolates that comes in many flavors, such as chili, cappuccino, Irish coffee, ginger, rose, raspberry, and milk chocolate truffles.
In their special stands and wholesale stores they will be offering more than 200 unique Balaton wines from many local and international grapes varieties like Olaszrizling and Szurkebarát (Pinot Gris), Pálinka (fruit brandy), sparkling wines and other premium alcoholic beverages from the Balaton Wine Region, which has over 10,000 hectares of vineyard area. Note that the Kéknyelű grape variety is exclusive to Badacsony. Balaton is undoubtedly one of the most diverse, colorful landscapes and geographical landscapes for grape growing with plethora microclimates and a wide array of soils. Luckily you will have the chance to meet the wine makers personally at the festival.
The festival gives awards for 2012:
The best wineries: Imre Györgykovács
The year wine discoverer: István Balassa
The Hungarian wine winner: József Szentesi
The friend of wineries: Dr. Tamás Freund
The individual wine regions ofLake Balatonincluded in the festival are many: SzentGyörgy-hegy, Kéthely, Lesencetomaj, Balatonfüred, Balatonlelle, Csopak and many other towns and villages.
Open hours: May 4th 4pm- 10pm. May 5th- 6th from 1pm – 10pm
Concerts:
4th of May: Swing Manouche Project, Mrs Columbo.
5th of May: Nikola Parov Quartett, Balogh Kálmán & Gipsy Cimbalom Band.
6th of May: Kerekes Band, Nagy János & Frankie Látó
There will be live jazz music between the concerts every day. The entrance price is Ft 1900.
This is the event link: www.balatonborfeszt.hu
