Hernyák Birtok in Etyek is like no other place I have been in Hungary. I was already plotting my return nearly as soon as I walked in the door, had my first sip of sauvignon blanc, and began chatting with co-owner Valéria Hernyák (pictured above). Trying out new restaurants in Budapest – even familiar ones – can feel like hopping in a cab not knowing where you’re headed. And, you see, I have been feeling burned-out by eating out in Hungary (no surprise after spending a few years of going to restaurants nearly nightly).
Of course, Hernyák is officially a winery, not a restaurant. But we were there on a Sunday afternoon when the Hernyák family offers vasárnapi ebéd at what they call their vendégasztal, which focuses on local flavors, and ingredients sourced from friends. It is the perfect antidote for anyone who is burned out on restaurants (or on Hungarian service, for that matter). We arrived at noon and headed through the small production area, down to the tidy cellar to taste a few wines before the soup – porcini cream soup with fresh tarragon and parsley-tinted dumplings – was ready (pictured below).
Even by Hungarian standards the winery is small, producing less than 15,000 bottles annually (from 3.6 hectares of planted vineyards). The winery is purely family-run, Valéria explained, with the exception of outside help coming during the occasional harvest or pruning period. Etyek’s chalky soil is similar to that in Champagne, she said, but the winery focuses on pinot gris, grüner veltliner, pinot noir, and sauvignon blanc (“it is closest to our hearts,” Valéria said). Their signature Birtok Bor – a blend of pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay – is made in good years from grapes grown around the house. Their style is minimalist, and they like to give the wine the time it needs to open up. “The best year is when the winemaker doesn’t have anything to do in the vineyard,” said Valéria.
We dined in the open kitchen combination dining area (almost like a chef’s table) where copper pots and cured hams hung from the ceiling, the walls were exposed brick, and guests peered into the pots to see what was cooking. Tamás (the couple’s son and the family’s designated chef, pictured at left) was at the stove with a few friends preparing regional dishes from Zala county. The next course was dödölle (potato dumplings) with a lovely sour cream, dill, and chive sauce topped with crispy onions sautéed in szalonna (pictured below). “We work for money because we need to live, but we are building a future,” Valéria had said earlier, “but it is rather a lifestyle.” Now I totally saw what she meant. Jazz played on the stereo, a cat slept by the fireplace, and the family ate with their friends at one of the three tables, taking breaks to serve the food and pour the wine.
In 1991 the Hernyáks escaped from Vojvodina to build a new life, away from the Balkan War. Laci (pictured above in the cellar) was an economist, and Valéria had studied law. They had nothing to do with wine until they met a few winemakers in Etyek. They learned, and Tamás formally studied winemaking. Now, “it all revolves around presenting the wine,” said Valéria.
The main course (pictured below) was slices of tender pork knuckle served over beans and softly cooked grated round carrots from Zala (with an unfiltered pinot noir which had spent 12 months in oak). As we reached the final wine, it was clear that friendship and personal connections are one of the keys to Hernyák Birtok. “We are producing for only a couple of friends and ourselves,” she said, “and not for the big markets.” (Though I imagine that most guests end up leaving as friends.) Nearly 90 percent of their wine is sold at the cellar, with the rest being distributed to a select few outlets in Budapest (like Four Seasons, Kempinski, and TG).
Dessert was a kukorica prósza (essentially a little cornmeal cake with prunes) served with a whipped cream spiked with házi plum lekvár (pictured below). Their preference for the handmade and local extends to the yeast for the wine, which is local to Etyek. “We want to achieve a very local wine, not a sauvignon blanc that could be similar to New Zealand.” The wines, by the way, are amazing – dry, nicely acidic, concentrated, and full-bodied) – and through them you can truly feel the soul and passion that the Hernyáks pour into the entire operation. It’s no wonder that in 2009 one wine they had bottled in August had sold out by Christmas.
Vasárnapi ebéd is served every Sunday (our entire meal with wine came to Ft 5,000 per person). Winemaker dinner are held the first Saturday of every month and are unique because they focus on wine of an invited winemaker, rather than their own. (Dinner the night before had featured Tibor Gál Jr. and a vertical tasting of his pinot noirs paired with a multiple courses.) On the second Saturday of each month they hold their Levendula Főzőiskola, an interactive class taught by Tamás and his mentor, chef Ruprecht László. (Themes have included breaking down an entire malac and poultry.) The place holds a maximum of 20 people. If I don’t get back before then, I’ll definitely be back during the summer when they plan to start producing törköly pálinka, vinegar, and grape seed oil.
This looks fantastic and I have bookmarked the page to be sure to take out-of-town guests here. Congratulations.
Great article. I will be in Budapest on Friday 25th of June. Does this winery serve a mid day meal on Fridays and if so, what is the best way to get to winery from Beke Radisson (now called the Radisson Blue)in Budapest?
Thank you. Lorraine
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