Sherman's Travel

Confession: I’ve never watched any of the Die Hard films. It’s understandable as the movies are in no way marketed to me (or my gender, for that matter). Sure, every once in a while I’m as game as any guy is for a high-adrenaline action film, but I’ve never felt compelled to watch them. But, with the newest installment, A Good Day to Die Hard, the allure of having it set in Russia (a place I’m eager to visit), and filmed in Budapest, Hungary (a city I’ve heard amazing things about), makes me think twice about catching the film. Below, three reasons I’m reconsidering skipping the action-packed flick. Read more

Many people have heard of Hungary’s Tokaj wine region – famous for its sweet wines – but did you know there are a total of 22 wine regions in the country? For an easy day trip from Budapest, head to Etyek, just over 30 minutes west of the city. Etyek is one of Hungary’s youngest wine regions, with a viniculture that dates back to the 18th century. Originally, Etyek produced sparkling wines, and it wasn’t until the 1980s and 90s that wineries began making the switch to other varieties.

Today there are about 30-35 wineries in Etyek. Many are small operations whose vintages rarely leave the region, let alone wind up exported to the U.S. On my recent trip to Budapest, I visited the Rókusfalvy winery (www.rokusfalvypince.hu). The winery – with just 13.5 acres of vineyards – started as a hobby for its owner in 1999 but expanded production in 2006. The majority of grapes grown are whites, including Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and pinot gris.

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