Hungarian oak barrels are an established part of Chinese winemaking.

Eye on China

Hungary is one of many countries eager to make a place in the growing Chinese wine market.

"This wine is just making its debut," says David Varga-Sabjan, an importer who recently hosted a tasting at the Hungarian embassy's cultural center in Beijing. "The first professional introduction was organized by our federation two years ago." A professional panel's seminar and tastings followed last summer, he says. "It's a slow process. We are currently working on a large deal with Grand Tokaj."

The Hungarian Federation of Winecraftsmen has organized events for several years to explain the country's wine culture to Chinese drinkers. It has produced Hungarian Wines in Chinese Gastronomy, written by Agnes Herczeg and published in both Hungarian and Chinese, which explains how to match different Hungarian wines with Chinese dishes.

The best-known Hungarian brands in China are the "Tokaji" and "Egri Bikaver" (Bull's Blood), but there is growing interest in other Hungarian brands as well, agriculture expert Agnes Karteszi told Chinese media in 2012. "This is partly due to the fact that a relatively large number of Hungarian winemakers are represented in major wine exhibitions and wine dinners with high-quality wines."

Hungary's wine tradition has reached Chinese drinkers in another way: Hungarian oak is used by several winemakers in China, including award-winning Helan Qingxue.

Hungarian barrel maker Trust Hungary announced in 2014 it would build a cooperage in the Huailai area in China's Hebei province after signing a joint venture deal with local wine producer Huailai Amethyst Winery. The volcanic soil of Tokaj means that oak trees grow more slowly, producing wood with a greater hardness; all of the barrels made in China are produced with imported Hungarian oak.