A tiny wine bar in the District VII party vortex is everything but mainstream. Geared towards lesser-known libations, Wine&U has been a labour of love for a trio of emerging local entrepreneurs, Szilvi, Tündi and Ákos. Towered over by residential apartments, the terrace of this Holló utca hangout can seat 30 at a time. Homely settings compensate for the more limited space within the bar. Wines featured on the menu mostly come from micro wineries from all over Hungary.
The Wine&U team can often be spotted touring provincial Hungary, where the landscape is carpeted in vineyards. But instead of visiting well-established producers, the trio turn towards small-scale wineries to sample reds and whites, and occasionally rosés that are not so widely available elsewhere. These expeditions usually result in the launch of new items on the Wine&U menu, where all libations are sourced directly from the winemaker.
What’s most important here is feedback from guests. Several varieties are offered for tasting to ensure that even the most discerning oenophile gets that tannin-rich red or flower-scented white, and which is best paired with the mood for any given moment. The wine list spans Balaton, Villány, Tokaj and the southern city of Szekszárd.
But you’ll also find semi-sweet yellow muscat from the Mátra hills and an ancient Hungarian type from Eger, the turan. The drink made from this dark-skinned grape features purple hues, a strawberry flavour and the scent of a violet – it’s currently been selected as the leading wine of the bar. The menu is crowned by special libations exclusively bottled for the Wine&U bar and marked with their logo on the label.
