This year’s award-winning wines will feature at the city’s official events, gastro-cultural programs, and the wine lists of local restaurants.
Since 2015, Debrecen City with County Rights and the Debreceni Borozó wine and gastronomy magazine have annually selected wines deserving the prestigious title of Debrecen City Wine in seven categories. These distinguished wines carry the title for one year, proudly representing the wine culture of the Carpathian Basin.
The winners are chosen through a two-stage process from hundreds of entries by an expert jury composed of international wine academicians, sommeliers, wine journalists, gastronomic professionals, and a delegated public panel. For the 2025 title, over 450 wines from 120 wineries across 17 wine regions were in the running.
The competition stakes were high, as only the top-performing wineries were invited to the decisive wine evaluation. In December 2024, a prestigious jury of renowned figures from the Hungarian wine community selected the winners from 123 wines representing 30 wineries across 14 wine regions. The evaluation was conducted using the international 100-point wine scoring system, with seven top wines named in categories like sparkling, classic white, classic red, rosé, premium white, premium red, and sweet white.
The significance of Debrecen’s connection to Hungarian wine culture is steeped in history. Érmellék served as the city’s vineyard for centuries and was once the third most prominent white wine region after Tokaj and Balaton. The Érmellék region’s traditions and contributions are still reflected in Debrecen’s efforts to support young local winemakers.
The 2025 Debrecen City Wine winners were awarded across all seven categories:
- Sparkling Wine: Törley Pezsgőpincészet, François President Brut (Etyek-Buda Wine Region)
- Classic Wines:
- Koch Borászat, Hajós-Bajai Cserszegi Fűszeres 2024 (Hajós-Baja Wine Region)
- Gál Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet, Kunsági Rosé Cuvée 2024 (Kunság Wine Region)
- Thummerer Pincészet, Egri Cabernet Sauvignon Superior 2021 (Eger Wine Region)
- Premium Wines:
- Bujdosó Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet, Olaszrizling Válogatás 2023 (Balatonboglár Wine Region)
- Vesztergombi Pince, St. László Bikavér Premium 2021 (Szekszárd Wine Region)
- Sweet White: Naár Családi Pince, Tokaji Sárgamuskotály 6 puttonyos Aszú 2019 (Tokaj Wine Region)
The winners were honored with certificates, while Hilton Garden Inn Debrecen’s chef Balogh Roland prepared wine-pairing appetizers for the occasion. The award-winning François President Brut sparkling wine was opened by sommelier and Hungarian sabrage champion Béla Vállai.
(debrecen.hu)
