Wine makers of Eger and Szekszárd recognised, that more and more important to achieve a protection of the Bikavér wines in Hungary, as a lot of abuses happened with Bikavérs in the last 15 years, not mention here the bad reputation of Bikavérs during the communism...
(As we know during the communism the Hungarian Egri Bikavér had not so much reputation from the consumers, what was thanked to the socialist wine making attitude, and other bad circumstances, but fortunately with the end of the communism, at the beginning of the 90s, the wine makers broke with this approach and they started to develop their techniques and their products more and more joining to the European standards and
emphasizing the quality and the unique style of their wines.)In this year, 2009, this long process got the level of the serious declarations with the need that every wine region has to definite their unique products for the protection of the origin according to the European law. Namely they have to write down what the Bikavér is. How can we recognise a Bikavér? What are the compulsory components of Bikavérs? From which territories can we get Bikavér? etc…
So now we are talking about not only the description of a type of blend, but the origin, the know-how and brand protection of, too .
As it is known, capital cities or homeplaces of Bikavérs are Eger and Szekszárd in Hungary. According to the latest news Eger already has a working legal regulation in the regard of making Bikavér and now Szekszárd is also working on a very a similar, but a little bit different regulation as Eger has.
Common opinion of the 2 regions regulations are very important steps to get better and better safety quality on the market in the next years, and we are sure that this development will help Hungarian Bikavérs to achieve their goals, and get closer to consumers in the future.
F.Y.I.: here are some interesting information what can be good to know if you like Hungarian wines, especially Bikavérs!
1. In Eger we can distinguish two different categories of Bikavérs. :
- the classical/normal/ Bikavér
- and the superior category, what is usual the top or the leader wine of the wineries.
2. In contrast with Eger, Szekszárd Bikavérs have other name for this 2 categories:
We can distinguish also
- the normal /classical one/ (called Szekszárdi Bikavér) and
-the selection or reserve titled category what is usually more full-bodied, heavier, etc. ,the same as above in Eger.
Already used rules for making Classical Bikavér in Eger are the followings:
a. the Bikavér has to content 3 types of grapes at least
b. none of the components can be more than 50% in the blend
c. the Kékfrankos has to get the biggest part of the wine
d. and without Kékfrankos can not be Bikavér in Eger
Then the required rules for making the Superior category in Eger:
a. the Bikavér has to content 5 types of grapes at least
b. none of the components can be more than 30% in the wine
c. the Kékfrankos has to be at least 30% but max. 50% of the wine
d. the Cabernet Franc and the Cabernet Sauvignon can not be together more than 30% in the Bikavér!
And it is also good to know only grapes can be signed on the label of Bikavérs which are the components with min. 5%!!!! So you have to be calm when you can not find every components on the label... :)
I think after this long and clever legal part let's taste a good Bikavér right now! :)
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