Blue Danube Wine Company is proud to introduce the Craftsman™ series of wines from Hilltop Neszmély Winery of Hungary to California and the West Coast. This exciting new line brings the refreshingly flavors of some of Hungary’s finest grape varietals to American palates. The six whites, two reds and one sweet wine have been carefully selected to capture the flavor and character of Hungarian wines. The varietals include Királyleányka, Irsai Olivér, Olaszrizling, Muscat Ottonel, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris (Szürkebarát), Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) and Tokaji Aszú. Hilltop Neszmély Winery is at the forefront of the renaissance of Hungarian wine making and internationally renowned wine critic Jancis Robinson terms the winery “one of the country’s leading wine exporters”. Focusing on importing top wines from Central Europe, in particular from Austria, Croatia, and Hungary, Blue Danube Wine is pleased to expand its portfolio of sophisticated flavorful food friendly wines. Our winemakers combine old winemaking traditions and indigenous grape varietals typical of their regions to produce distinctive wines.

Los Altos, CA July 13, 2004 -- Blue Danube Wine Company is proud to introduce the Craftsman™ series of wines from Hilltop Neszmély Winery of Hungary to California and the West Coast. This exciting new line brings the refreshingly flavors of some of Hungary’s finest grape varietals to American palates.

The six whites, two reds and one sweet wine have been carefully selected to capture the flavor and character of Hungarian wines. The wines boast a wonderfully floral nose, refined aroma, yet a gentleness preferred by many. The varietals include Királyleányka, Irsai Olivér, Olaszrizling, Muscat Ottonel, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris (Szürkebarát), Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) and Tokaji Aszú.

Hilltop Neszmély Winery is at the forefront of the renaissance of Hungarian wine making which started just fifteen years ago with the demise of communism. The winery produces superb white and red wines from grapes grown in historic wine regions of Hungary and has won many awards in the UK, France and Hungary. Internationally renowned wine critic Jancis Robinson terms the winery “one of the country’s leading wine exporters”.

Focusing on importing top wines from Central Europe, in particular from Austria, Croatia, and Hungary, Blue Danube Wine is pleased to expand its portfolio to make this range of indigenous Hungarian grape varieties available to consumers in the western United States. Istvan Flesch, US Sales Director at Hilltop Neszmély Winery says, “ We are excited to have Blue Danube Wine Company carry our distinctive wines made with unique Hungarian grape varieties. They will captivate those wine lovers who taste them for the first time.”

Hilltop Neszmély Winery
Hilltop Neszmély Winery was founded in 1990 in the early phase of Hungary’s privatization by four owners: Éva Keresztury, wine merchant, Imre Török, banker, Judit Storcz, wine merchant and Ákos Kamocsay, winemaker. In the historic Ászár-Neszmély wine region located 50 miles northwest of Budapest and halfway to Vienna, the winery lies amid spectacular vistas covered by ancient and newly planted vineyards overlooking the Danube river. The temperate climate with 2500 hours of annual sunshine, the warm loess soil, and the hilly terrain all favor the quality of the grapes.

Hilltop Neszmély Winery produces modern innovative wines while at the same time capturing the flavors from uniquely Hungarian grapes to create wines that are pleasantly familiar but new and exciting at the same time. After growing under careful vineyard techniques, the grapes arrive in a newly equipped "state-of-the-art" winery. An incredibly cautious handling of the grapes occurs: after being picked by hand, they are transported in small plastic crates and chilled immediately upon crushing to prevent any oxidation. Modern, very gentle, temperature controlled juice extraction tanks and a careful yeast selection with emphasis on the individuality of each tank, aims to preserve maximum varietal and terroir character. Stainless steel tanks with full control of temperature, nitrogen and CO2 for every vat and new Hungarian barriques and large oak barrels for fermentation and maturation round out the facilities of the new winery.

Hilltop Winery’s head Winemaker Ákos Kamocsay is widely respected as a leading winemaker. He has been chosen “winemaker of the Year’ 1997 in the UK by Grapevine magazine and in 1999 by the Hungarian Academy of Wine. Kamocsay believes “The winemaker’s role is to interfere as little as possible in the life of the wine and to help Mother Nature show off her work of art. You should make easy-to-drink wine that brings joy to as many people as possible”. The winery has been the winner of numerous awards in Britain and France including the "White Wine of the Year 1998" at the International Wine Challenge, London. Hilltop Neszmély Winery is the largest exporter of Hungarian wine to Great Britain.