Egri Bikaver Bull's Blood of Eger
Egri Bikaver Bull's Blood of Eger is a dry red blend in a 750mL bottle from Eger, in the foothills of the Bükk Mountains in northern Hungary — the original "Bull's Blood," a regulated multi-variety blend led by Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch). It is Hungary's most famous red wine style: dark-fruited, spicy and structured. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Dry red blend — Egri Bikavér ("Bull's Blood of Eger")
- Blend: A regulated blend of several permitted grape varieties, led by Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch)
- Origin: Eger, northern Hungary — volcanic tuff, clay and limestone soils
- Appellation: Eger — home of Hungary's first district appellation system (DHC, 1997)
The Bull's Blood of Eger
Bikavér means "bull's blood," and legend ties the name to the 1552 siege of Eger Castle, when the city's defenders — so the story goes — fought with such ferocity, beards stained red with wine, that the attackers believed they had been drinking the blood of bulls. Whatever the truth of the tale, the wine is real and tightly regulated: Eger created Hungary's first Districtus Hungaricus Controllatus in 1997, and Bikavér must be blended from several permitted varieties with Kékfrankos — the same grape Austria knows as Blaufränkisch — as its backbone. Historically the blend leaned on the native Kadarka grape; today Kékfrankos leads, supported by grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Kadarka. Explore more Hungarian and European reds in our wine collection.
Tasting Notes
Bikavér as a style pours garnet to deep ruby and drinks dry and firmly structured: red and black berry fruit — sour cherry, blackberry, plum — with black pepper, paprika spice and an earthy, forest-floor depth, carried on vivid acidity and medium-to-full body. It is a food wine first and foremost, built by its blend rules to balance richness with freshness.
How to Enjoy
Pour it with the dishes it evolved alongside: goulash, lamb or game stews, grilled and roasted meats, and mushroom dishes. A short decant or an hour open softens the tannins and lets the spice come forward. Find more old-world reds through the Egri Bikaver page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Egri Bikavér?
It is the protected red blend of Eger, Hungary — "Bull's Blood of Eger." Appellation rules require a blend of several permitted grape varieties, with Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) as the leading grape, and the tiers of the appellation set minimum oak ageing.
Why is it called Bull's Blood?
Legend credits the 1552 siege of Eger Castle: the wine-stained defenders supposedly convinced the Ottoman attackers that their strength came from drinking bull's blood. The name has stuck to Eger's strongest red blend ever since.
What does Bull's Blood wine taste like?
Dry, dark-fruited and spicy — expect sour cherry, blackberry and plum with black pepper and earthy notes, firm tannins and bright acidity. It is made for the table, especially with goulash, stews and grilled meats.
A Hungarian classic with five centuries of legend in the glass — order Egri Bikaver Bull's Blood of Eger online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.