By Kristof Kocs 
On April 2, Wednesday, during the early evening hours, nearly 30 students and faculty members gathered in Room 208 of McDaniel College Budapest. The occasion: the fourth annual Art & Wine Night, organized by the Student Advisory Council (SAC) with the help of wine journalist/communicator and McDaniel journalism and gastro writing professor, Robert Smyth. This year’s gathering aimed to provide students with a fresh perspective through an evening of sampling special local wines while learning about their histories and the art of wine tasting – ultimately gaining inspiration for their own artistic expression.
As acknowledged by the SAC, the event had a dual purpose: on one hand, to host a delightful and easy-going community-building evening centered around wine tasting, and on the other hand, to encourage participants to express their thoughts creatively in the form of paintings. Incidentally, the organizers provided all the necessary artistic supplies. Some attendees created landscapes, others chose to depict their beloved pets, while another participant rendered a figure study of a female nude. In the meantime, Professor Smyth – who is also the faculty advisor for McDaniel Budapest’s online student newspaper The Messenger – delivered a captivating lecture on the true art of wine tasting, emphasizing the importance of engaging all our senses.
“For me, it was wonderful to talk about Hungarian wine to young people because we hear so much about how young people are not drinking wine these days; that it is a dying product,” Professor Smyth told our newspaper, adding that “it was really nice to see the joy in people’s eyes and the enthusiasm.” When asked if this year’s event differed from those he had attended in the past, he responded, “Not really.”
“Every event is unique,” the wine journalist continued, and Art & Wine Nights are always popular because “they’re really fun,” which is why he hopes to organize the event again next year.
The selection of drinks, similar to previous years, has been centered around traditional Hungarian vintages, aiming to provide both Hungarian and international students with a glimpse into the region’s rich and high-quality wine culture. This year, the choice has fallen on two exceptional Hungarian wines that truly represent the country’s exclusive winemaking heritage: the BÖJT winery’s Egri Bikavér Superior red wine and the Balassa winery’s “duck-themed” dry Furmint from Tokaj.
All participants unanimously expressed their enjoyment of the event. “The Art and Wine Night was such a fun experience, and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it,” remarked Savannah, an art major and one of the attendees. She emphasized that the purpose of the event was not “to see who could drink the most wine or whose painting was the best, but [rather] to connect with fellow students while enjoying some wine and making art!” Hope, another participant, echoed similar sentiments, describing the event as “an incredible night, filled with creativity, joy, and fun.” According to the Study Abroad student who arrived from the Westminster campus only for this semester, the Art & Wine Night also provided an excellent opportunity for community building. “It has inspired my friends and I to organize a picnic by Parliament during sunset and paint,” Hope continued, emphasizing the importance of “taking advantage of the beautiful city we are in” and creating artwork that will last forever.
In a continuation of past traditions, the Art Exhibition celebrating the works created during the Art & Wine Night has been organized on the second floor of the college. Due to significant interest, the exhibition was open for viewing until April 18, and visitors will have the opportunity not only to admire the stunning creations of our talented artists but also to purchase reprints in postcard, A4, or A3 sizes. Similar to previous events, the donations collected during the Art & Wine Night and the Art Exhibition will go to SAC, who will utilise the funds to support the costs of such programs and activities. 
After being delighted by the event’s success and large participation, the SAC has made several important announcements regarding a number of other exciting student life activities that will be held in the coming weeks. In addition to the Art Market, McDaniel Budapest will host an all-college basketball tournament on April 30 (the first such event in years), a hiking excursion during the first weekend of May, and many minor activities planned by the school’s Art Club. Furthermore, organizers have confirmed that the semester’s most highly anticipated event, International Day, will take place on Thursday, May 8, during the late afternoon and early evening hours, with an array of exciting surprise activities for attendees to enjoy. As a teaser, the SAC revealed that, following the success of the Art & Wine Night, representatives from Zwack Unicum – a prominent Hungarian spirits company where McDaniel alum Sándor Zwack is the chairman of the board of directors – will be invited to deliver a presentation about their products, which will include a free tasting experience.
If you are interested to learn more about McDaniel’s Student Life activities, please make sure to follow their Instagram page (@mcdanielbudapest), or reach out to any of the Peer Mentors/SAC Officers.
Photos by Alex Contreras, Krisztina Géczi, and Kristof Kocs
