Hungry Grape Guests: Style, history in Tokaj’s gem

The guest studio is part of a centuries-old, stylishly renovated stone house in the beautiful village of Erdőbénye, at the heart of Hungary’s Tokaj wine region. It features original art, travel mementos, modern fittings and a private terrace. Renovated with warmth and style, the Okanagan guest studio — named for the Canadian wine region where I grew up — reflects tradition, history and memories through its 100-year-old ceramic tiles, original art, retro and industrial furniture, and travel mementos from around the world. The studio features a queen-size bed, foldout sofa bed suitable for a child, private bathroom with walk-in shower, dining area, and well-equipped kitchen complete with induction cooker, fridge-freezer, electric kettle, toaster, French press coffee maker, kitchen utensils, cookware and crockery. The house is set in a lavender-filled garden shaded by a huge walnut tree, and the studio has its own garden entrance as well as a private terrace with furniture, sun umbrella and barbecue. I’m a Canadian with Hungarian heritage and have lived in Europe since the early 1990s. A keen follower of the Hungarian food and wine scene, in 2019 I purchased and renovated an old stone house in Erdőbénye, in the heart of the Tokaj wine region. As an avid traveller, I’ve sampled traditional cuisines and sipped my way through local tipples in close to 80 countries in the last 25 years. Together with my long-time travel partner, in 2018 I started Hungry Grape, offering bespoke tours that introduce small groups of guests to top winemakers in Hungary’s most renowned wine regions. Hungary Grape Guests was launched recently to enable me to welcome visitors to my village home. Okanagan makes a perfect base for exploring the region, starting with beautiful Erdőbénye, birthplace of the sweet dessert wine Tokaji aszú and home to the annual “Bor, mámor, Bénye” wine festival. There are hiking and biking opportunities in the surrounding Zemplén hills, as well as cultural and historical landmarks to visit in the surrounding area. You can also take part in a Hungry Grape tasting tour! There are 14 wineries within walking distance of the house, and on request tours can be organised to cellars in the nearby towns and villages.