Zoltan Kopacsi is a co-founder of Best of Hungary, the family business he established with his mother, Monika Gyenes. He combines an academic background in economics with specialist wine education and first-hand experience of Hungary’s diverse wine regions, helping shape Best of Hungary’s portfolio of Hungarian wines for customers across the UK.
From Economics to Hungarian Wine
Before joining the family business full-time, Zoltan completed a PhD in Economics at Kingston University. To deepen his understanding of wine and place Hungarian vintages in a broader international context, he completed WSET Level 2 and later joined the inaugural postgraduate Wine Business Management course at the University of Tokaj.
During his studies, Zoltan met winemakers from across Hungary and took part in wine tours organised by Wines of Hungary, the Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency. These visits took him through most of Hungary’s 22 wine regions and gave him first-hand experience of the country’s contrasting terroirs, indigenous grape varieties and regional styles.
From the volcanic slopes of Somló and the historic vineyards of Tokaj to the red-wine regions of Eger, Szekszárd and Villány, this experience helped him develop a broad understanding of the diversity and potential of modern Hungarian wine.
Curating the Best of Hungary Wine Portfolio
Zoltan has deliberately built the Best of Hungary wine portfolio around the qualities that make Hungarian wine distinctive.
The portfolio focuses on native grape varieties such as Furmint, Juhfark and Hárslevelű, alongside two of Hungary’s most celebrated wine styles: Bikavér, also known as Bull’s Blood, and the renowned sweet wines of Tokaj.
The range is complemented by wines made from familiar international grape varieties interpreted through Hungarian terroir, together with carefully selected mature and age-worthy vintages for enthusiasts, collectors and customers looking to explore beyond mainstream wine regions.
Rather than simply offering the largest possible selection, Zoltan aims to create a balanced Hungarian wine portfolio that introduces newcomers to accessible styles while also offering more distinctive and serious wines for experienced connoisseurs.
First-Hand Sourcing & Producer Relationships
Zoltan believes that understanding a wine begins with understanding where it comes from. He values direct relationships with winemakers and regularly visits vineyards and cellars to learn more about the soils, climate, vineyard practices and winemaking philosophy behind the bottles selected for Best of Hungary.
Walking the vineyards provides valuable context for each region's character, while cellar discussions help him understand decisions around grape selection, fermentation, ageing, and style.
This approach means wines are considered not only for how they taste, but also for provenance, regional identity, and the philosophy of the people who make them.
Independent Recognition of Wine Buying
In 2023, Zoltan was shortlisted in the Rising Star category at the Wine Buyers Awards, alongside other emerging professionals recognised for their contribution to wine buying and selection. The Wine Buyers Awards formed part of the London Wine Fair programme and recognised buyers working across the UK wine trade.
You can read more about this and other independent recognition received by Best of Hungary on our Press & Awards page.
Using Independent Wine Awards as a Benchmark
Independent wine competitions also play an important role in validating the portfolio's quality. Following Monika's approach with the Great Taste Awards for food, Zoltan uses results from the Decanter World Wine Awards as an external benchmark when assessing and presenting wines selected for Best of Hungary.
Several wines from the portfolio have received significant recognition. Gróf Degenfeld Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2017 received 97 points and Platinum at the Decanter World Wine Awards and was subsequently featured by Decanter among the world’s best sweet wines.
View Decanter’s feature on the world’s best sweet wines.
Decanter has also highlighted the breadth and quality of the Best of Hungary range, including award-winning wines from several Hungarian regions. Best of Hungary was named Runner-up for Central & Eastern Europe Specialist Retailer of the Year at the 2022 Decanter Retailer Awards.
Working with Winemakers & Developing New Ideas
Zoltan particularly enjoys working with progressive winemakers and winery owners who are open to collaboration, new ideas and changing consumer tastes.
These projects can range from developing distinctive labels and limited releases to exploring lighter, more contemporary interpretations of traditionally heavily oak-aged wine styles.
He also stays close to current trends in the UK wine market by collaborating with sommeliers, educators, and industry professionals, including young sommeliers and beverage directors such as Rory Eaton and Jake Nutt.
Building Awareness of Hungarian Wine in the UK
Beyond selecting wines for Best of Hungary, Zoltan works with the Association of Wine Educators and local wine schools to help introduce more British consumers to Hungarian wine, its indigenous grape varieties and its lesser-known regions.
His aim is to make Hungarian wine easier to understand and more widely appreciated in the UK, while maintaining close relationships with the winemakers and regions that give the wines their identity.