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Monarchia Winery wins prestigious prize

Eger-based Monarchia Winery has awarded the merit “Wine Marketing of the Year” in 2008. A panel of eight industry expert judges reached their verdict based on a total of nine criteria. In a fierce competition for the top honor during the final voting, Monarchia triumphed over its contenders, defeating runner-ups Árvay és Társa Pincészet (Árvay and Co. Cellars) from Tokaj and Villány-based Sauska Borászat (Sauska Winery).

A brainchild of István Kele, founder of both the Év Bormarketingje (“Wine Marketing of the Year”) prize and the Magyar Borok Évkönyve (Almanac of Hungarian Wines), this coveted annual recognition of winemakers and wineries is to honor the very best in the trade each year, with the contestants being judged by such categories as demonstrating consistency and uniformity in their brand image and communication, as well as performing their business practices in the most integrated manner. In coming to their verdict for the top wine marketing award of the given year, the most important factors the jury takes into consideration – regardless of annual sales figures - are those related to how synchronized, dynamic and thought-out the utilization of different marketing tools and techniques are, ranging from the labels on the wine bottles through the relevant websites to the sales advertisements.
It was in the 2006 issue of the Magyar Borok Évkönyve (Almanac of Hungarian Wines) for the first time that the „Év Bormarketingje” (Wine Marketing of the Year) title – in accordance with the nature of this publication – was awarded, honoring the St. Andrea Szőlőbirtok és Pincészet (St. Andrea Vineyard and Cellars), followed by such subsequent recipients of this illustrious recognition as Vylyan Pincészet (Vylyan Vineyard and Winery) and Pannonhalmi Apátsági Pincészet (Pannonhalom Abbey Cellars).
The year 2007 marked the unanimous decision in which the invited expert jury first initiated the division of this title. Hence, in addition to the victor, Pannonhalmi Apátsági Pincészet (Pannonhalom Abbey Cellars), the top award was bestowed upon the Soproni Bormarketing Műhely (Wine Marketing Workshop/Guild of Sopron) in recognition of its exemplary involvement in the community.
This year was no different; besides Monarchia Winery, Egri Borvidékért Alapítvány (Foundation for the Eger Wine Region) was awarded the best community marketing prize. The award-winners are entitled to the honorary title of “Wine Marketing of the Year” throughout the given year, and may proudly publicize this honor in its communications.
Apropos the extensive, quality-oriented and highly successful marketing performance demonstrated by this year’s winner, Monarchia Winery, with its unfailing dedication to building a superior-quality brand, the business’ majority owner, who happens to be the President of UPC Central Europe as well, Nimród Kovács expressed the following thoughts:
- Our goal is to create a top brand, a cult-wine for which the quality-conscious customer wouldn’t mind paying the relatively higher price. Our version of such a brand is called NJK, which we expect to be a good seller despite its price of HUF 15,000. It is crucial that the product is of superior quality and be presented in an elegant bottle with an attractive label and eye-catching overall aesthetics, and be consumed by prominent figures so that it appeals to many. Equally and highly importantly, only limited quantities must be marketed.
We will continue to release NJK every year as we are confident – and our firm such belief is also backed by our partner winery in the USA – that we have everything readily available to be able to produce premium quality wine each year. And while each vintage may slightly vary, its essential characteristics must never fail; the consistency must persist. Let me also point out four other excellent labels that clearly stand out - in addition to the 2005 NJK -among the new generation of our prior brands, namely the 2007 Chardonnay Battonage, 2007 Pinot Noir, 2005 Bazilika, and the 2005 vintage Rhapsody. It is this “quintet of masterpieces”, this solid foundation supported by five exceptional pillars that we plan to build the winery’s future on.
The more prominent figures taste our wines, the further our reputation will spread. We take pride in our exquisite, superior-quality wines that are unique, individually handcrafted works of art in their own, reflecting the natural beauties of the terroir of the Eger wine region and manifesting the talent of the composer, artist, creator – the winemaker, as well as integrating the expertise of our Hungarian and American consultants. Upon looking at the nation’s image, I can’t help but urge the other domestic wineries to follow our example in an effort to focus their production on high-quality terroir wines, rarities and unique specialties, which should also prove by far more profitable than struggling to compete with the endless array of wines from the New World.
Monarchia Winery is an artisan boutique winery with a current total annual production of approx. 80,000 bottles, which figure is projected to increase up to a maximum of 150, 000 per year on average and will be sourced exclusively from its own 30-hectare vineyards situated in Nagy Eged and Noszvaj as of 2012. The winery maintains production facilities as well as a tourism center at Veroszala 66, Eger, Hungary.

Photo: Apacs Studio/Peter Benke

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Photos: Apacs Studio/Peter Benke and Magyar Borok Évkönyve (Almanac of Hungarian Wines)