They have a shop on Dohány utca with one of the widest selection of wines available, but most business is done through their website where you can order pretty much any wine you can think of.

Veritas owns the bar next door too where you can sample around 380 kind of domestic and international wines in a stylish yet comfortable setting. Perfect for drinking with friends or passing the time people watching.

Every so often they hold wine tasting events held by experts or the actual producers themselves from all over the world. The events are tailored for both wine novices and/or connoisseurs and are supposed to be a mixture of fun and education.

So, when I saw that they had a champagne tasting event coming up, and that the sum of what I know about champagne is that it is a sparkling wine that I prefer to drink with orange juice, I jumped at the chance to learn more.

The events are held in the basement of the wine bar.

What struck me immediately upon entering is how relaxed and welcoming they make you feel. The events are kept to around 20-25 attendees to make each tasting as interactive as possible.

The events are held around two long tables, so its like having a dinner amongst friends or friends you are about to make.

This event was hosted by Champagne Pommery, one of the biggest and best champagne brands in the world, with 3-3.5 million bottles sold per year and 16.9M bottles from the total Pommery group as a whole. I spoke with the host, Charlotte Borry-Castagnio, to ask her what she wanted from the event.

So, why Budapest?
In 2017, the export of champagne into Hungary increased by almost 48 % since 2014 (data from CIVC). There is a real trend for champagne consumption in the country because of both the tourism boom and also due to locals being more and more willing to pop open a bottle of champagne. 

Champagne Pommery did not have a strong representation on the market. Today we are happy to be here in Budapest, to present our cuvées and charm Hungarians. 

Which one is your favourite from the selection and why?
My favourite champagne is Royal Blue Sly. It is a champagne to be drunk on ice in a large glass. This is an unconventional, modern way of drinking champagne, a synonym of a freedom, freshness, and delicacy. In Pommery, we love to create a special moment for our customers. Royal Blue Sky is the new experience by Pommery. 

What do you think people get wrong about champagne? 
Champagne is the king of wines, and as a luxury product, it is kept only for special moments.  Champagne often comes along a ceremonial, an obligation, a mandatory spending for a specific moment. Kept only for birthdays or New Year’s Eve.

While, many people don’t see champagne as what it is by its nature: champagne is first of all a wine, a product of Nature. I truly believe that it should not only be considered as an accessory to a celebration but as an exceptional wine, as a Grand cru in Bordeaux or Burgundy.  This is why, a bottle of champagne can be open for an unformal occasion, a casual moment or during a special diner. 

So, what did I learn? I learnt there is more to champagne than Mimosa and that, if you do have someone to guide you, then you can really find delicious varieties to suit your taste.

Keep an eye on their facebook page @veritaswinebarbp for future events like this. 

About the author: 
I write reviews for fun as a hobby, and was not paid for this review. There are probably grammatical errors in the above, I just got a C for English at school, so what do you expect! This review does not reflect the opinion of XpatLoop, please just treat it as friendly expat advice. Enjoy!