Egerszalók sits in the heart of the Eger wine region, one of Hungary's most celebrated. The city of Eger, just ten kilometres north, is surrounded by vineyards and the valley known as Szépasszony-völgy — the Valley of the Beautiful Women — is the classic destination for wine tasting. Dozens of small cellars line the valley, most of them serving their own wines directly from the barrel at very reasonable prices.
The signature wine of the region is Egri Bikavér, translated romantically as Bull's Blood — a robust red blend whose name comes from a legend about the 1552 siege of Eger Castle. The castle held off an Ottoman army many times its size, and the legend has it that the Hungarians drank so much red wine that it stained their beards, and the terrified Turks concluded they must be drinking bull's blood. Today the blend typically combines Kékfrankos, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and other varieties. The region also produces excellent white wines from Leányka, Hárslevelű, and Chardonnay grapes. A thermal soak in Egerszalók combined with an afternoon tasting wines in the valley makes for an ideal Hungarian day.