It seems that wine distributors and restaurants are waking up to the possibilities of the wine dinner as pioneered by Maligán and major countryside wineries, such as the excellent Thummerer Pincészet just outside Eger. The format is simple: a set menu of several courses, each accompanied by a wine to complement the food and to sample in its own right. Not only is it the supersized value meal of Hungarian dining, the wine dinner is also a great way to discover Hungarian wines - from the driest of reds to the sweetest of Aszús all in a single sitting. So what's on offer this week?

Where better to start than with one of our esteemed sponsors, Monarchia, which is offering a six-course wine evening showcasing the retailer's 2008 collection in the somewhat austere surroundings of the Café Alibi tomorrow (that's September 27). Mercifully, there is no need to go into too much detail, it's all here, in English.

It took a little bit more digging to find out what's on offer at Páva, the super posh restaurant of the Four Seasons Gresham Palace on Friday. The evening, costing a distinctly EU-compliant Ft 22,900 per head, will introduce the Bisol winery from the Venato region of Italy, and its line of Prosecco wines in particular. The wines will be introduced by Gianluca Bisol of the Bisol dynasty, while Italian chef Simone Cerea will match each wine to six courses, including Maine lobster, veal risotto and deer, each with fancy, difficult-to-translate names. According to the member of staff we spoke to, the incredibly poorly marketed events take place every four to six weeks. To make a table reservation, call 268-5452 or e-mail gyongyver.petrik@fourseasons.com.

Meanwhile, out in the countryside this weekend, the Kecskemét Bortásaság (Wine Society) is laying on a tasting of the white wines of Etyek (a region a whole lot closer to Budapest than Kecskemét). The food and wine fest on Friday costs a reasonable Ft 8,900 at the Fáklyás Pince and features pullet stuffed with Nile perch, a poultry platter and the csárda's own raspberry kalács (a fluffy, sweet, bread-like pastry). To book a table, call: 06-76-417-156.