The Eger wine region is situated in the North East of Hungary and the town of Eger, itself, is said to be one of the most beautiful in the country.
On the volcanic slopes of the southern foothills of the Bükk Mountains grapes are grown for the famous wines of Eger and vines have been grown there in the volcanic soil for centuries. Originally only grapes for white wine were grown but in the 16th century blue and black grapes for producing red wine were brought to the area by South Slav refugees from the Balkans.

Due to Eger’s geographical position and the high mountain ranges of Bukk and Mátra protecting it against the cold north winds, the region enjoys and an average temperature of 17°C with a high number of sunshine hours during the growing season. These facts together with a subsoil of volcanic origin influence not only the grapevine production but also the quality of the grapes.

Today approximately equal quantities of white and red wine are produced in and around Eger but it is the Egri Bikavér – Bull’s blood of Eger – that has earned the region its world wide fame*.

Beneath the whole town of Eger there is a large cave and cellar system which is said to be some 140km long. The caves are of natural origin but the cellars have been carved out of the soft stone of the volcanic rock. The owners are very proud of their cellars and many are decorated with stone carvings. Over the centuries the cellars have been used for a variety of purposes such as burial vaults, churches, homes and stables. Their main purpose, of course, is the storage of wine and the quality of the wine produced in the area is credited to the fact that the wines are matured and stored for many years in them.

There are more than 200 wine cellars in the Szépasszony-völgy (Valley of the Beautiful Women) It is just west and approximately 30 minutes walk from the centre of Eger (or a short taxi ride). Each cellar offers its own vintage so it is the place to go to sample the local wines and, of course, buy some to take home.
The cellars are usually open between 10am in the morning and close at approximately 9pm.

The following web site gives a list of wine cellars, taverns and restaurants:-

http://www.utikonyv.hu/0-release-2/objektum.php?id=117&nyelv=2&sablon=310

The following web site gives a lot of information on Eger, its hotels, restaurants, the attractions of the city, how to get there, its history and the facilities it offers.

www.egeronline.com/guide/?lang=en

*see article on Bull’s Blood