The first large-scale celebration called “Together for the Hungarian House” organized by the Hungarian Canadian Cultural Centre's new management was the first major event of the Canadian wine promotion program, too realized by Vinum Tokaj Canada Inc. Held on the January 23, the ball had as chief patron the Hungarian Ambassador to Canada dr. Bálint Ódor, and as patron dr. Stefánia Szabó, Consul General in Toronto who was present at the event, too.
Prior to the dinner, within the framework of a mini-conference and wine tasting, Joseph Safian sommelier presented real Hungarian specialty wines to the invited guests: the Dry by Tokaj selected by the Top Choice as Canada's best imported white wine developed for and delivered to the Canadian market by by Mad Wine Ltd.; the Juhfark, a dry white produced from another Hungarian indigenous variety in Somló wine region by Tornai Winery, and as reds the Kadarka and Bull’s Blood from the cellars of Pál Mészáros, Szekszárd wine region.
Sándor Balla, president of Vinum Tokaj Canada and sommelier Joseph Safian described the aims and actions of the Canadian wine promotion program as well as the Hungarian wine regions, particularly addressing the Tokaj wine region and wineries in their presentation. During the conference great emphasis was placed on the relation between the Hungarian House as the central unifying institution of Toronto Hungarians and the Hungarian wines, as products to strengthen national identity. Future co-operation possibilities and sales opportunities arose and were discussed as well. The Hungarian "Wines of Excellence" new wine package was also introduced, which can serve as an excellent tool for the future to display the Hungarian wines in a unique and unified design on the foreign markets, including Canada, too.
A first action of co-operation was already taken with the order placed by the Hungarian House for nearly 6,000 bottles of Dry by Tokaj which is already on its way to Canada and is expected to be available in early March at the events.