A 1998 Tokaji, the year we met, called for something equally special: homemade foie gras torchon. Three days, a bamboo sushi mat, a pair of tweezers and one very good bottle of wine later, Thanksgiving suddenly felt rather luxurious.

A cloudy glass of my grandfather's homemade wine became the starting point for exploring Hungary's remarkable native grape varieties - from the legendary Furmint of Tokaj to the rare volcanic wines of Somló and Badacsony - and the stories, traditions, and landscapes they still carry today.