For centuries, Hungary has rested its wine reputation on its world-famous sweet wine: Tokaji Aszú.
But while Aszú’s familiarity is advantageous, it’s been the country’s dry wines that have garnered recent attention both at home and abroad. From Furmint and Hárslevelű – the grapes from which Tokaji Aszú is primarily comprised – to Kadarka and Kékfrankos, these wines started popping up on lists at wine bars and sommelier-driven restaurants in the 2010s, particularly in major markets like New York City and San Francisco.
This new era of Hungarian wine has had over a decade to gain recognition, momentum, and sales in the U.S. market. Now, Hungarian producers face their next challenge: turning growing trade enthusiasm into lasting demand in a market where awareness, availability, and distribution remain hurdles.
Gaining Traction with Indigenous Varieties
“I think Hungarian wines are in a very light upward movement, which is saying a lot because it does not feel like very many things are moving in that direction in the wine industry,” says Athena Bochanis, the founder of Palinkerie, which solely imports Hungarian wine.
It’s difficult to find data to illustrate the state of Hungarian wine in the U.S., particularly because government support for the country’s wine industry has historically been inconsistent at best. According to the United Nations Comtrade database on international trade, $3.04 million worth of Hungarian wine and grape must was imported to the U.S. in 2025. That figure has decreased from an all-time high of $5.95 million in 2022, but it’s up slightly from a decade ago. On an individual business level, Bochanis notes that “last year [Palinkerie] had a really good year; financially we were still ahead of the year before, which was really not the case for a lot of wine importers.”
Daniel Satola, the founder of Credo Imports, reports similar strength; Hungarian wines are the most profitable in Credo’s portfolio, which specializes in small-batch, family-owned wineries from Europe. Satola focuses on collaborating with distributors that recognize the marketing appeal and sales potential of various Hungarian wine styles, including dry wines for everyday drinking.
“Dry wines are what people are interested in,” says Máté Csanaky, the head of sales and marketing at the family-owned Zsirai Winery in Tokaj. “[Furmint] has a huge potential, and many wine lovers are looking for something new.” At the estate in Mád, Tokaj’s most famous village, Zsirai produces Aszú, dry Furmint, and Hárslevelű, and exports of Zsirai wines to the U.S. have increased in recent years.
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