Behind the venture is wine enthusiast Dr Ferenc Tar, whose team also includes co-owner Li JiaLei and sommelier Roland. Carpe Diem is filled with fine wines, with a focus on Riesling, and German labels in general, quite unusual for Budapest. In fact, you’ll find many types you wouldn’t taste elsewhere, meaning that Carpe Diem could almost be described as a wine club rather than a wine bar. Opening hours are limited to three evenings a week, as well as booking for groups of six or more.
As staff impart their knowledge, the guest not only enjoys the taste of what has been poured into their glass, but finds out more about it. This is done without bombarding the customer with information, rather allowing them to take in as much as the server feels necessary. Sommelier Roland is expert at judging this, helping you find the right flavour and style of wine to suit your taste.
The notion of a wine club is enhanced by samplings, blind tastings, presentations and evenings with winemakers, who find a receptive audience here. Many professionals have already paid Carpe Diem a visit.
While Feri and company have a genuine love of wine, lending Carpe Diem spirit and atmosphere, the bar is not their primary source of income. There’s almost a workshop element to the place, allowing the customer to taste wines they wouldn’t have sampled elsewhere, and at affordable prices.
Out of sheer curiosity, Feri might break open a rarity or two. A famous or outstanding vintage can even be sampled by the glass rather than the bottle, a memorable experience all round. The wine list changes in dynamic fashion, and new items come in on a daily basis. Bottles produced by the most renowned winemakers form part of the décor, making it a thrill to browse and scan the shelves.
In addition to maintaining a good relationship with the Hungarian wine industry and keeping in touch with current smaller and larger wineries, Carpe Diem casts its net wide. Wines could come from Austria, Germany, Italy, France or the US, even Oregon. They also stock exclusive bottles from Burgundy and Champagne that you wouldn’t find elsewhere in the city, the lesser-known Bruno Paillard from Reims, for example. A few visits might give you a different approach to a certain wine type or brand, such as the many faces of Rhine Riesling, clearly a favourite here.
Sometimes Carpe Diem also hosts gastronomic evenings with the help of Anatoli Belov and Husikám. These have included pairing wine with sushi and vice versa. This series can run and run, so expect a few surprises. In addition to wine and gastronomy, Feri also wants to bring in other aspects of culture, so-called Homage Evenings, showcasing the life and career of a specific artist. Obviously, with suitable wine as support.
Carpe Diem can be recommended to wine lovers, experimental gourmets and laymen looking for something more personalised and out of the ordinary
Carpe Diem District V. Zoltán utca 9
Open: Thur-Sat 5pm-midnight; Tue-Wed group bookings only.
