Tomorrow sees the start of the Franc&Franc conference and tasting programme in Villány. The first day will welcome experts from Hungary and around Europe to discuss the future of Villány Franc and consider its positioning on the world market. It will also look at some Francs from elsewhere in Europe, such as Croatia, Bulgaria and Friuli Grave in Italy. Presenters include key winemakers from Villány, including József Bock and Adrea Gere, two Masters of Wine from the UK, Caroline Gilby and Elizabeth Gabay, and Croatian wine writer and consultant, Saša Špiranec.

Conference programme

10.00-10.15 Greetings:
József Bock (president, Council of the Villány Wine Region Wine-Growers’ Association) Andrea Gere (representative, Villány Wine Region marketing workshop) Sándor Fazekas (minister of agriculture) 

10.15-11.15 Cabernet Franc, Villányi Franc
Romsics László AIWS 

11.15-12.45 Positioning the Villányi Franc on the world market
Elizabeth Gabay MW, Horkay András AIWS 

12.45-14.00 Lunch break 

14.00-15.00 Friuli Grave and Cabernet Franc
Győrffy Zoltán 

15.00-16.30 New Europe: Cabernet Francs of Central and Eastern Europe
Caroline Gilby MW, Saša Špriranec 

16.30-16.45 Coffee break 

16.45-18.00 The opportunities of Cabernet Franc and the Villányi Franc
Round table: Caroline Gilby, Elizabeth Gabay, Saša Špriranec, Horkay András, Moderator: Romsics László 

18.00 Closing of the conference 

On the second day, visitors will have the chance to tour some Villány wineries, where each winery will be hosting other local wineries along with guest wineries from Bulgaria, Italy, Slovenia and Turkey. By the time the visitors have concluded their spin around Csányi Winery, Gere Tamás and Zsolt Winery, Polgár Winery, Tiffán Ede and Zsolt Winery, and Vylyan Winery, they are sure to be experts in Villány Franc and its brothers from elsewhere in Europe.

Organizations of the wineries

Csányi Winery and their guests
Mokos Családi Pincészet, Sauska Pincészet, Szemes Pincészet, Degrassi (Croatia) 

Gere Tamás and Zsolt Winery and their guests
Hummel Pincészet, Lelovits Pincészet, Malatinszky Kúria Organikus Szőlőbirtok, Bratanov-Miroglio (Bulgaria) 

Polgár Winery and their guests
Bock Pince, Mayer Pincészet, Ősi Gábor Pincészete, Bosco Albano-Butussi (Italy) 

Tiffán Ede and Zsolt Winery and their guests
Gere Attila Pincészete, Günzer Tamás Pincészete, Jekl Pincészet, Maczkó Róbert Pincészete, Emeran Reya (Slovenia) 

Vylyan Winery and their guests
Heumann Pincészet, Janus Borház, Kiss Gábor, Ruppert Borház, Chamlija (Turkey)

Let’s hear it for Villány Franc!