Bock is one the most well-known names in Hungary, one that even not wine drinking people are familiar with. Big, expensive reds made them famous three decades ago, when Hungarian wine started basically from scratch (after the Communist rule, which ended in 1989), but they make lots of cheap(ish) wine for supermarkets.

IMO that ruins the image of a premium producer, although some of these are quite well made and competitive. Recently I tried two of these widely available entry level reds.

Bock Villányi Kékfrankos 2022

This shows both the house style and the variety. Just a hint of animalistic notes next to ripe sour cherries. Round on the palate, quite balanced, nothing sticks out – enough tannin to give structure but no edges. Easy to drink. A good midweek red. Ready now but can be kept for 3 years or so. 85 points. A bit overpriced at 2800 HUF (7€), though.

Bock Villányi Portagéza 2022

100% portugieser. Looks like one the better ones at first sip. Ripe yet primary, purple and black fruits on display, and a bit of barnyard (quite common for portugieser). Quite velvety on the palate, the texture is lovely. Starts like a pinot then gets grippy. There are details here I love, but unfortunately it’s marked by a distracting bitterness on the finish. Acceptable, 81 points.