Eger PDOKekfrankos, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, FurmintKovacs NimrodWinemaker Noel BiroEger
Founded by investor and philanthropist Kovacs Nimrod, this Eger winery blends Kekfrankos-led Bikaver cuvees with a wider international range including Pinot Noir, Syrah and Furmint, and was named Gastro-Winemaker of the Year in the 2016 Best of Budapest awards.
Tasting: Wine-tasting experiences by appointment; contact by phone or email.
Signature wines: NJK, Monopole Rhapsody Bull's Blood, SKY Furmint
Tip: NJK is the flagship red; SKY Furmint is the estate's best-known white outside the Bikaver line.
Eger PDOLeanyka, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Kadarka, Sangiovese, Olaszrizling, Furmint, Ezerjo5 haWinemaker Tarnoczi ZoltanOstoros
A five-hectare, four-plot family winery in Ostoros run by winemaker Tarnoczi Zoltan, producing additive-free wines from an unusually wide varietal range including Kadarka, Sangiovese and Ezerjo.
Tasting: Small-batch tastings by appointment; contact winemaker Tarnoczi Zoltan directly.
Signature wines: Abrakadabra, Kadarka
Tip: The range of grape varieties here is broader than almost any other small Eger cellar; ask what is pouring that week.
Eger PDOKekfrankos, Sauvignon Blanc, Irsai Oliver, Olaszrizling, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot NoirOstoros
Formerly the Ostoros-Novaj cooperative winery, this larger-scale Ostoros producer farms a wide varietal range and has collected gold medals at the Challenge International du Vin and Berliner Wein Trophy.
Tasting: Cellar sales and tastings at the Ostoros winery, spanning a wide dry-to-semi-sweet range.
Signature wines: Debroi Harslevelu, Egri Bikaver
Tip: The broadest single-stop range of the Ostoros producers, useful for a fast overview of the district's styles.
Kékfrankos, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, FurmintAppointment onlyEger town, Verőszala
Nimród Kovács returned from an advertising career abroad to found this Eger producer on Verőszala út, known for the Nagy-Eged Hill Kékfrankos and the All That Jazz and Collectors' Corner ranges. Tastings run by appointment through the winery's own team.
Egri Csillag, Egri Bikavér, Merlot, Syrah roséWalk-ins welcomeSzépasszony-völgy
The Szépasszony-völgy cellar door of the Verpelét-based Petrény family winery, pouring the Silver, Gold and Superior tiers that have collected medals at the Challenge International du Vin. The main winery and Chateau Petrény sit outside Verpelét village.
Eger PDOKekfrankos, Kadarka, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, OlaszrizlingNoszvaj
Thummerer's estate sits in Noszvaj, a baroque village a short drive from Eger's town centre rather than inside the Szepasszony-volgy circuit, and holds a share of the Nagyhegy single-vineyard site prized for Bikaver.
Tip: Thummerer's office and sales hours are weekdays only; call ahead before making the drive out from Eger, since the cellar does not keep the weekend hours of the town-centre wineries.
Egri Bikaver Superior DHCKekfrankos, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, KadarkaEUR 10-12 retail (4,200 HUF at the winery webshop)
Labirintus is Gal Tibor's Superior-tier Bikaver, aged twelve months in oak on top of the DHC's five-variety minimum, offering the region's mid-tier classification at an accessible price.
Tip: Decant thirty minutes before serving; the Superior tier's extra oak ageing benefits from air more than the lighter Classicus wines do.
Egri Bikaver Superior DHCKekfrankos, Kadarka, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot NoirEUR 14-16 retail (5,900 HUF at the winery webshop)
Aldas is St. Andrea's entry-point Superior-tier Bikaver, positioned by the winery as its most accessible red built to the Superior classification's five-variety, extended-ageing rules.
Tip: St. Andrea's tasting room runs three tiered flights, Classicus, Superior and Grand Superior; Aldas is the wine that opens the Superior flight.
Egri Bikaver DHCKekfrankos, Kadarka, Cabernet Sauvignon, MerlotEUR 9-10 retail (3,699 HUF at the winery webshop)
Thummerer's base-tier Egri Bikaver is a consistently priced classic-style bottling, sold directly from the family winery's Noszvaj cellar just outside Eger.
Tip: Noszvaj is a short drive from central Eger and worth combining with a look at the village's baroque Fay mansion if visiting the cellar in person.