How is the new release of one the most well-know Hungarian light red wines, the Sebestyén Indigó? 2024 was a heatwave vintage like no other before, at least in Hungary, but perhaps in most of Europe. It shows in the wine but it still manages to be refreshing, luckily.
light red
Szekretár Unfiltered Kadarka 2023
Fun & delicious light red from Szekszárd: Sebestyén Indigó Zweigelt 2023
100% zweigelt from a well-known Szekszárd producer called Sebestyén, made in an easy drinking style. Spot on contemporary bistro red! Imagine a good beaujolais villages but with less tannins – you are now close!
Lajvér Kadarka 2021, Szekszárd, Hungary
I liked what I tasted from Lajvér in the past, but this current release of their kadarka is a bit different. It’s from 2021 and similarly to most Hungarian wines of that vintage (BTW it was a poor one in many parts of Europe), I find it challenging rather than agreeable.
Siller benchmark: Tüske Panni 2022
It seems like siller, the light red style popular in Hungary in the old days is finally getting better. I have never tasted such good examples as this year, and this Tüske is also an improvement compared to its 2020 vintage I posted last year.
Supermarket wines: the Spanish rosado-like Tüske Siller 2020 from Hungary

Siller is an easy drinking, traditional pale red wine style once widespread in Hungary, well pre-dating rose. It’s hard to find these days, and the ones I tried in the last few years weren’t that convincing, except one, the Piroska siller (reviewed here), which is made from top quality grapes – not a common thing at all.