Chief winemaker: young people don't drink wine because of binge drinking, there will be a campaign to encourage them to drink more, and it would be good if they could drink wine before driving as well.

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Hungarian winemakers are still not in an easy situation, he gave an interview to Pénzcentrum Máté Varga, a member of the presidency of the National Council of Wine Regions and vice president responsible for interprofessional affairs. These were his strongest statements:

The export transfer price of Hungarian wine per liter barely exceeds one euro, or 400 forints, making us the last within the Union.

Alcohol consumption - not just wine - is continuously decreasing among young people, to which one reaction from the National Council of Wine Regions is a soon-to-be-launched "serious domestic promotional project", or advertising campaign, which would entice younger consumers to drink wine instead of non-alcoholic beverages.

According to Máté Varga, the grass is also to blame for the fact that Hungarian young people are not willing to drink alcohol at all. He literally stated that

„probably the consumption of soft drugs also negatively affects the consumption of alcoholic products and wine.'

The Mountain Communities would also see an opportunity if zero tolerance were abolished and it were allowed to drive after consuming a small amount of alcohol. Therefore, they are actively lobbying, although Varga also admits that this is not a clear-cut issue:

“Yes, it is not certain that Hungarian society is mature enough to abolish zero tolerance, but I, as a winemaker, as a wine producer, think it is not necessarily a bad direction if, for example, I can enjoy a glass of wine with lunch on an outing and then still get into a car afterwards.”

Varga revealed that the legalization of spiced leadership, according to their knowledge, also divides public opinion:

"By the way, the HNT also conducted a social survey on this issue, and I must say that the social support for the matter is not uniform, however, it is certain that this also influences wine consumption to some extent."

As long as the young people are not deprived of their joints and the older drivers are not made to drink, the council of the mountain communities sees the acceleration of the spritzer market as one possible way out:

“What is currently fashionable among young people among the wine products are the sparkling products, cocktails, which is why we are actively working in the HNT to make wine-based cocktails popular again.”

Summary
Hungarian winemakers are facing significant challenges, as highlighted in an interview with Máté Varga, a member of the National Council of Wine Regions. He noted that the export price of Hungarian wine is just over one euro per liter, placing Hungary last within the EU. Alcohol consumption, particularly among the youth, is declining, prompting the Council to launch a domestic promotional campaign aimed at encouraging younger consumers to choose wine over non-alcoholic beverages. Varga also pointed out that the use of recreational drugs may negatively impact alcohol consumption among young people. He suggested that relaxing zero-tolerance laws regarding drinking and driving could be beneficial, allowing individuals to enjoy a glass of wine with lunch before driving. However, he acknowledged that public opinion on this issue is divided. The Council is also focusing on revitalizing the spritzer market, as sparkling wine and cocktails are currently popular among younger consumers. They are actively working to promote wine-based cocktails to adapt to changing preferences and boost wine consumption in Hungary.