After more than 30 years, it has become almost natural for many of us to say goodbye to summer in a fitting way, with an unforgettable party. 

Photographer, Márton Mónus

There's no better occasion than the Budapest Wine Festival, which this year offers wine lovers a wide range of new features, a dazzling selection and a huge area to sample the best of Hungarian wine culture from a diverse selection of wines and sparkling wines from renowned Hungarian wineries, while South America is the guest of honour, presenting the distinctive flavours and aromas of its wines and cuisine. It will be worth trying a Malbec spiced with Latin temperament with a traditional dish.

Photographer, Márton Mónus

This year, for the first time in the history of the Wine Festival, the Borkult - SPAR VIP tent and the Mitiszol? Party VIP tent opens its doors tot he general public, which will offer special experiences and privileges to guests with VIP wristbands. Also new is the Sunday Brunch, which aims to create the experience of fine dining in an inimitable atmosphere and setting, all accompanied by live music.

Real treasures can be found at the VinAgora Discoveries stand. On two consecutive days, a total of four wineries that have won medals or special prizes at the VinAgora International Wine Competition will have the opportunity to present themselves to the public.

For the umpteenth year, wineries will be adding to the excitement by bringing their newly made wines straight from the harvest for the September event, and the All-Starts programme will also include tastings of wines that have excelled in highly-regarded international competitions this year.

The Budapest Wine Festival will set up its interactive tent, which has been popular for years, where visitors can test their wine knowledge in a playful environment. Those who take the quiz questions, created jointly by VinAgora and Kóstolom Borbár, can find out whether they are a "novice wine taster", "advanced wine consumer" or "true wine enthusiast". At the end of the game, the participants will receive a nice gift and a souvenir.

Twenty percent of the wineries are exhibitors for the first time, adding a lot of variety to the line-up. Every year, more and more wineries want to join the circuit and enjoy the positive benefits of participating in the event, to the delight of visitors.

In one of the most beautiful parts of the Buda Castle, on the terrace of the Fishing Children's Palace, adjacent to the Habsburg Gate, the Chef Market Gourmet Court will once again be home to five exceptional restaurants. The restaurants will also offer wine and food pairings, because we believe that a good wine paired with the right flavours can create a unique wine experience. To accompany the sumptuous food, the excellent wine selection will be complemented by the excellent wine list of Mitiszol? Wine & Champagne Bar, which will be present with organic, natural and sparkling wines.

This year, the Wine Festival is changing a long-standing tradition: when arriving at the cash desks, visitors will no longer automatically receive the elegant, neck-hooked glass holder with their glasses, but can simply ask for it at the Maltese Manufactory Point stand. At the stand you can also admire and buy other beautiful handmade products from the Maltese Manufactory.

The SPAR Borplacc is waiting for everyone with a selection of Hungarian wines, where for every third drink consumed, the fourth is a gift! In addition to the unmissable promotions, visitors will be able to learn the secrets of Hungarian wineries and get to know the sparkling wines better through exciting panel discussions.

All you have to do is grab a pen and write in big red letters on your calendar "Wine Festival with friends at the Buda Castle Palace from 7-10 September!"