Best of Budapest & Hungary

Just back from Düsseldorf’s PROWEIN, one of the largest wine shows in Europe for professionals from viticulture, production, trade and gastronomy, Mátyás Szik is busy as a bee. A relatively newcomer on the board of Veritas, one of the oldest wine traders in Hungary, Szik became co-owner of the venture’s retail store and wine bar, Veritas Winebar, which opened last September in Dohány Street, downtown Budapest.

“With such a huge knowledge Veritas has developed on wine and with the impressive list of contacts it has gathered during the past two decades, opening a wine bar seemed very natural and a logical step to make,” explains Szik, who, as of 2016, is Hungary's Sommelier Champion for Life, as he won the Hungarian Sommelier Championship three times in a row in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He is the youngest person to win this title, and, as he highlights, there are more titles to win “out there.” Szik is full of energy, commitment, a thirst of knowledge - a good constellation when one wants to compete, and surely, he will compete in a bigger arena next time. As for the wine bar, he also thinks big. “Along with the Pátzay couple, the owners behind Veritas, we are introducing a franchise of wine bars in the next three years, opening on the shore of Lake Balaton, and in Debrecen. It’s not a far-fetched dream; we already have a few offers on the table.” I ask Szik why this specific wine bar is so popular within the circle of wine enthusiasts, and he is ready to answer, with a wide smile on his face, “Because this one is the best.” He continues, “We have a very impressive wine list featuring 380 different labels, out of which 80 are also available by the glass. Today, 60% of our wines are from Hungary and 40% from abroad, which will change to a 50-50 ratio soon. I do appreciate Hungarian wines, of course but my impression is that Hungarians do not tend to drink wines from other countries and the reason isn’t always nationalistic but simply a lack of knowledge. So, we intend to educate our guests on international trends and the global wine scene, slowly but surely and not vehemently but steadily.”

According to the sommelier, due to the ultimate location within the Jewish Quarter, their clientele includes tourists and Hungarians alike. “Without exaggeration, I can say this is the most beautiful and sophisticated wine bar in area, and our aim is to deliberately channel that, although we are surrounded by ruin pubs, we aren’t one.” Designed by Viktor Csap, whose characteristic humor is recognizable in every corner of the two-level bar, the interior is very chic and eclectic, featuring witty elements such as a massive red statue of a horse, elegant additions such as the emerald-color central bar and industrial-style exposed bricks. The atmosphere is relaxed, the service is casual, friendly but very professional, satisfying wine connoisseurs and ‘beginners’ alike. “We offer a selection of snacks and tapas to accompany the wines, such as olives, cheese, mangalitza ham and sausages, sourced from the best farms we could find. In addition to small plates, we serve more substantial, gorgeous mains for those who decide to stay for dinner. The menu is quite short but changes regularly, except for a few all-time favorites our regulars.”

‘In Wine There is Truth’ – In Vino Veritas

Veritas is one of the largest and most important wine merchants of Hungary, a HUF 3.3 billion venture that employs some 80 people within their wholesale, retail and bar businesses. Well-established in the gastronomy sector, they currently distribute to 2,200 places, and feature around 500 Hungarian labels and a wide and growing international selection. Besides a huge store in the outskirts of Budapest, their downtown shop next to the Veritas Winebar attracts hundreds of visitors every week.

About Mátyás Szik

Previously head sommelier at Kollázs in the Four Seasons Gresham Palace, and before that at Budapest’s Prime Steak & Wine, Szik gained his qualification at the most prominent national training center, Borkollégium. He believes being a sommelier is a complex task, a real collage of knowledge and scope. “On the other hand, it isn’t black magic. To ‘feel’, know and recognize the wine in your glass involves a little psychology: the use of free association. The more wine one tastes (and I don’t mean drinking) the easier it becomes, with time,” he says. Szik often provides consultation to a number of restaurants, holds private tasting events and trains and teaches both individuals and corporate groups, guiding them through the art of wine pairing and wine tasting.