The buyers at WWA do buy wines!

It is important to notice that a solid partnership needs more than a year to shape form, and in many cases buyers do not like revealing details of ongoing negotiations. It means that there are more deals under construction, which are not mentioned in this article.
 
The Polish are our trustworthy friends

The old saying about the eternal friendship of Polish and Hungarian people must be true, at least regarding the wine market. Ewa Hangel, the owner of a Warsaw retail, wholesale and import company is our frequent guest, as we reported in an earlier article of ours. Her portfolio consists of about 200 labels, all from Hungary, and her business is expanding gaining more and more restaurant partners. After the 2025 edition she started to work with Cseri Winery from Pannonhalma, BAK Estate (Kunság wine region), and – as Ewa commented – Garamvári is "on the way". She is attending this year's edition as well, and what is she looking for? "This year we are looking for some orange wines, and, likealways, wines made of indigenous Hungarian varieties."
Bartosz Makles, another Polish guest from last year buys small batches for a wine club called WINO.Klub, a project set up by Lech Olszewski, owner of SPOT Restaurant & Winebar very famous for its wine list and wine events in cooperation with Adam Pawłowski Master Sommelier. Earlier Bartosz delivered wines for the club from Kreinbacher, Steigler, Dobosi, Schieber, Nyari, Gallay, and after the Meet the buyer, he bought some wines from Eszterbauer Winery from Szekszárd.

Bartosz Makles (Poland) having a meeting with Haraszthy team

The Anglo-Saxon markets are tough

Mike Farelly came from Ireland, and even though he was fascinated by the wide spectrum of varieties and styles, by the local grapes and our expressive terroirs, he believes that Ireland is not yet prepared for the Hungarian wines. There was hardly any marketing activity in the green island, as a result customers have no knowledge of Hungary, what is more, the prices of our wines are relatively high. "Wine drinkers would experiment and try new wines, if they had attractively low price. But they are not willing to pay for an unknown and expensive wine." Farelly entered a Tornai wine in a tender or Air Lingus airline business class, but this time they did not win.
Isabella Rossi, buyer of Vindependent in the United Kingdom, has selected one winery, but to have one means a lot, as she commented. It is Géza Lenkey from Tokaj. "We introduced their wines into our portfolio ahead of Christmas and the wines were very well received!"
Credo Imports from the US is again a "usual" guest of ours, Daniel Satola and his partner, Matthew Goss are expanding their portfolio and the scope of their business. After last year edition Satola commented the following: "I have several updates for you on the negotiations and potential partners. We are talking to Jammertal from Villány, in regards to potentially bringing on several brands to the Pennsylvania market. Also speaking with Tornai for some of their very rare Somló ice wines. In addition to them, I met a Slovakia producer, Csernus, who has gotten us samples and we are awaiting an offer review from PLCB as well. No solid sales yet but I think we will get some soon!"

Lukasz Gorski sommelier (UK) tasting at Lenkey, in the background Daniel Satola (US) 

From Italy to Taiwan

Italy is not considered to be an important market for Hungarian wines, but this point of view might need an update. Wine drinking countries like Italy still consume more than many others, and a new generation is there, looking for adventures, thinking out of the box, searching for unknown varieties. Alessandro Candriella has already had partnership with Etyeki Kúria and Villa Gyetvai, and at WWA Meet the Buyer he found new gems: "I would put Eszterbauer in first place, as their reds are nicely and moderly crafted, also in the screw cap line, having fair prices too. I refer in particular to Kadarka, Kekfrankos and Bikaver. Then Kvaszinger, for good quality and good value, in particular their Tokay dry, if not also the Hatalos Furmint. Third is Haraszthy: their "Sir Irsay" is a "swimming pool wine", but very well made and a good run for the money." He added: "I will keep in contact with these producers and hopefully buy some of their wines later on this year. Last year has been just terrible business-wise, at least here in Italy, and it was all but the right time to introduce new references."
Bert Lemahieu from Belgium is the owner of Bíbor Wines, and every year he aims to pick something new fitting his portfolio. After the latest Meet the Buyer he returned to Hungary and visited EgerSoul, a winery he got to know at WWA. They are going to work together, and Bert particularly likes their gold medal winner Egri Bikavér. Another new partner discovered at Meet the Buyer is Illés Winery from Badacsony wine region.
Jusztina Kézdi, the owner of Vinebration importing company in Switzerland, found some potential partners as well. As a first step, she organized a Hungarian community booth at Weinfestival Basel, EgerSoul and Préselő from the Meet the Buyer session also participated. This wine event is different from the usual expos, people here do not only taste, but place orders, as a consequence these wineries could sell some bottles to the Swiss public.
And finally, a success story from the 2024 edition: Fabio Toro, the representative of a company in Taiwan has reported about the launch of Villa Gyetvai wines in the remote country. As he commented, the wines were extremely well received!

The 2026 edition of Meet the Buyer will take place on 9 June, on the first day of Winelovers Wine Awards. In case you plan to participate, contact our team.



Tornai representative Éva Dományházi with Alessandro Candirella (Italy) on the left, Péter Vida winemaker with Serdar Balkaya sommelier (UK) on the right


Koppány Nádassy from Etyeki Kúria having a meeting with Indiana Rossi (UK)

Meet the Buyer – the "speed dating" of wineries and their potential buyers