WINE

THE END OF AN ERA AT TOKAJ OREMUS

CHANGING LEADERSHIP AT THE RENOWNED HUNGARIAN WINERY

One of Hungary’s best known, internationally renowned wineries, Tokaj Oremus was founded in 1993. The winery belonging to the Spanish Tempos Vega Sicilia group was managed by András Bacsó right from the beginning. Over the years, his name has become synonymous with that of Tokaj Oremus. A highly esteemed wine professional, András Bacsó played a decisive role in the creation of the winery, the development of the product range and it was under his management that Tokaj Oremus took the first steps towards international recognition.

Presented by Gourmand International, the Gourmand Awards for Drink Culture is the biggest competition for books about gastronomy and drinks, with more than 175 countries involved. Authors were informed in late January about their nominations. This time, for the first time in history, a Hungarian guide is nominated. It is written by Gergely Ripka.

Róbert Kindl, András Bacsó and Antonio Menéndez András Bacsó was born and raised in Tokaj-Hegyalja (east of Budapest) and worked in that wine region even before the foundation of Tokaj Oremus. Following his university years, he returned to the land of his childhood and dedicated the next 40 years of his life to strengthening the reputation of Tokaj wines. Now, he has decided to end his illustrious career and pass the baton to the next generation. The news was broken by the winery at an exclusive press meeting on January 21.

The life of a man is limited

“This Estate has been driven by three factors. First, the Tokaj terroir, which has been a given for centuries, second, the network of underground cellars both ancient and new, and third, the people working here. The life of a man is limited. The apprentice years are followed by the active years and then the moment arrives when it’s time to call it a day and responsibilities have to be handed over to the younger generation. At Tokaj Oremus, we have always worked with a constantly evolving active team. I’m stepping down and I wish from the bottom of my heart that those who follow me succeed in achieving their goals,” András Bacsó says.

The Hungarian leg of Tempos Vega Sicilia

The group Tempos Vega Sicilia is made up of five wineries, four of which are located in Spain and one, Tokaj Oremus in Hungary. The owner of the firm, Pablo Álvarez lauded the achievements of Tokaj Oremus and praised the 27-year tenure of András Bacsó. “This is a very special and at the same time undeniably sad moment as we have to say farewell to András Bacsó who has made an amazing contribution to the winery over his 27-year term. I want to express my gratitude for raising the Estate to such heights and for reinstating the esteem and fame that the wines of Tokaj had enjoyed historically. There is no doubt in my mind that actually, András will never be able to stop working and in his heart, he will carry on the legacy of Oremus. I consider his personality and unmatched professional experience an invaluable asset, therefore I’m hoping that he remains a member of our ‘family’ as a consultant.”

The successor

It took a year for Tempos Vega Sicilia to find the right person to succeed András Bacsó, but finally they have found a Hungarian professional who fits the bill. “We believe that Róbert Kindl has the ability to carry on András Bacsó’s legacy, to outline a vision for the future of Oremus and to achieve the goals he sets out. From now on, everything happening here is his responsibility. I wish him the best to succeed in this beautiful and challenging task,” Pablo Álvarez said in his introduction of the new Managing Director of Tokaj Oremus. In his reply, Róbert Kindl stressed that “I would like to say thank you to Don Pablo, Vega Sicilia and András Bacsó for putting their trust in me to be worthy of this role and giving me the opportunity to prove myself. I will do my best to meet the challenges lying ahead.”

TOKAJGUIDE NOMINATED FOR INTERNATIONAL AWARD

The four nominated books in ‘European wine’ category are: • Austria – Ruster/Ausbruch DAC, Rudolf

Lantschbauer, Yulan Cai (Vinothek) • Bosnia – Wine Stories, Bosnia & Herzegovina,

Zeljko Garmaz • Hungary – TokajGuide, Gergely Ripka (Scolar

Publishing) • USA – The New Wines of Mount Etna, Benjamin

North Spencer (Gemelli Press) “It makes me more than happy to see Tokaj and Hungary on this shortlist. My aim is to put Hungary (back) on the world’s wine map,” the Hungarian author says, revealing that the final winner of the competition will be announced in Paris, this summer.

Independent compass for the Tokaj region

guide is refreshed every other year, to keep it the most up to date and complete piece about the values of the historical Tokaj region. The book includes more than 150 wineries, along with restaurants and accommodation in the region, as well as festivals, and sights worth to visit. The book can be regarded as an international reference about Tokaj, and can be enjoyed by thousands of wine enthusiasts worldwide. The next edition is to come out in April, 2021.

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