Janus Winery - A Vineyard like no other..!

During my time in Budapest, I have had the pleasure of tasting many wines, some good - some not so good, but a vineyard that I stuck out to me the most, not just because of the incredible taste of the wine, but the experience it brought with it, was the Janus vineyard in Villány.
My first real Janus experience brought me out of Budapest, into the wonderful region of Villány in southern Hungary, where the 'Janus Szülinapi Borzsongás' (The Janus Birthday Bash) of 2011 was happening.



In essence, this mini-festival consisted completely of wine, music, food, sun and fun... with the refreshing Rosé Spritzers, the constant supply of BBQ and traditional Hungarian food, the live music (Including Ivan & the Parazol, and Mary Popkids), the camping, the shisha, and the absolute ease of finding new friends and the beauty of the surrounding vineyard, this weekend at Janus was easily one of my favorite weekends I've had since moving to Hungary.

The Mindset:
Denes Pecsi-Szábo, Janus' frontman, once described the ethos of the Janus wine, and the direction he's always taken with it. He explained that enjoying wine isn't limited to what is in the bottle, it is about the environment around you, the people and even the music. On the back of many Janus bottles you will find suggestions on how to completely enjoy each particular wine. An example of this can be found on their Cabernet Franc 2008:

'Music in A Bottle'

"I like the nice evenings, I like the calm silence but I also like the noise, Especially when I hear jazz... I like to be in the center of attention or just lie snug in a cosy corner. Wherever I am I fill the space with depth, red berries and an enormous amount of joy."


Balaton Sound 2011:
Another Janus experience worth noting was found in one of Hungary's biggest music festivals - Balaton Sound! I still remember approaching the little wine village at the back of the festival along the lake, and hearing intense party music coming from one of the huts in the middle...! I really didn't need to think twice to figure out which hut it was... as I approached the busy stand, I was greeted by smiles, dances and high-fives as I ordered my favorite Hungarian Rosé...
The atmosphere was incredible, and they really succeeded with ease to merge the traditional values of the Hungarian wine culture with this new generation of consumers...

I later found out that the organizers of this festival actually asked the Janus staff to stop their music, as it was attracting too many people..! Everyone was stopping at the Janus Hut, and no one past their stand saw a customer for hours..! This just goes to show that at Janus, they are doing something right in reaching new customers... simply put, they know what people like, and they give it to them...

Janus, for me, represents fun, friendship, good music & good times. In every wine festival (from Etyek to Eger) Janus has always brought joy to everyone who comes to try that one little glass, and entices them to stay not just for another drink, but to feel the full experience that Janus has to offer...

To end, I give you the writing on the back of the 2011 Rosé, which, I am happy to say, I have experienced last summer with Janus...
"I like the southern breeze, I like the sunshine, I like good company, to hang out in the vineyard in the summer, I like music and the fact that I can bring joy to you..."




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Written By Ciaran Jackson
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Useful Links
Janus Website:              http://www.janusbor.hu/index-en.html
Janus Wine Selection:   http://www.janusbor.hu/index-en.html
Janus Facebook:           https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000588794766
Next Janus Festival: May 4th - 6th 2012