As a legacy of the Veszprém-Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture programme, the Balaton Wine & Gourmet gastronomic festival will be held for the third time this year in Veszprémliget. From 6 to 8 September, in addition tot he more than 50 restaurants and wineries of the Balaton region the festival will present the culinary specialities of Italy.
Alongside the exhibition pavilions, five venues – several stages, tents and the Jesuit Church – will host presentations and workshops and the visitors can also enjoy exciting gastronomic demonstrations.
The main stage will host cultural programmes and food and drink demonstrations with free tastings. There will be an aperitivo session with a DJ, the organisers will evoke the Italian dolce vita of the 50s and 60s with music and scooters, the intoxicating world of Italian bar culture – the bitters and aperitifs of the sweet life – will be on show, and a master Italian sommelier will demonstrate the wonderful variety of olives. The pizza-pasta-gelato triumvirate will also be on show: tasters will sample the basics of Italian gastronomy on a stage reminiscent of the Italian market.
The programme will also include round table discussions: CEWI founder András Horkay will lead a discussion on the pressing issue of the sustainability of Lake Balaton and the consequences of climate change from a winemaking perspective, while Dr Gabriella Mészáros will discuss the role of women in winemaking and wine culture with her guests.
A traditional part of the festival programme are the experiantal dinners held in the Jesuit Church. This year there will be three, two of which will be presented by two Michelin-starred Italian chefs who will showcase the best of their art, both together and separately. The food will be accompanied by a tasting of the finest Italian wines and a separate tasting of the best of Italian drinking culture, from Prosecco to Franciacorta and traditional bottle-aged champagne.
Of course, the little ones will not be left out during the three days: there will also be a children’s tent where they can enjoy the culinary delights of the festival area, led by gastronomic writer and journalist Györgyi Kalas.
Tickets for the event are on sale now, and early bird tickets are available on the Balaton Wine & Gourmet website.