Drinking Bull's Blood in Hungary's Valley of the Beautiful Women {Gadling}

Nov 2nd 2010 6:59PM You are wrong to say that Hungarians never clink their glasses - you are confusing wine drinking with beer drinking (a cardinal sin in many countries!) Hungarians swore not to clink beer glasses for 150 years after the execution of some of the generals who led the Hungarians in the 1848/9 war of independence. Although that period has since lapsed, the custom lives on. On the other hand, Hungarians are very keen clinkers of wine glasses - there are very specific rules of etiquette surrounding this, the most important of which is to look into the eyes of your fellow clinker.

And by the way, most Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood) is inferior wine by Hungarian standards. They haven't even tried to export them since the collapse of the Soviet Union. If in Eger then try a Pinot Noir or a white wine. Then head south to Villány and Szekszárd for the best Hungarian reds. Or, for the best Hungarian wines of all, head east to Tokaj.