Hungaricum

The Carpathian Basin, surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains is the cradle of ancestral, as well as new grape varieties. The grapes living in this territory were either selected in a natural way during the development period, or they are the products of conscious sublimations.
The origin of domestic and mainly ancestral types is not known in every case. However, these Hungarian grape varieties came into existence, they have endured in the ecological and economical environment of the Carpathian Basin and they are still being grown. These grape varieties are called "Hungaricum".

The word "Hungaricum" refers to everything that is Hungarian or that relates to uniquely being Hungarian.

"Hungaria" is the Latin name of Hungary.
"Hungarus" means Hungarian.
The definition of "Hungaricum" by Ferenc Bakos is the following: "Hungaricum is a Hungarian-related old or new intellectual creation, historic or natural historic finding that can be literature, invention or living being".
The word "Hungaricum" has several more extended definitions as well, however, there is one thing in common: those objects, products, intellectual creations, living beings etc., that we call "Hungaricum" are all products of Hungarian traditions.

In the book titled Hungarian Grape Varieties, written by Dr. Edit Hajdu , Botos and his co-workers in the field of grapes and wine call "Hungaricum" such wines that have a special geographical origin and they are stemmed from a combination of knowledge that was passed on from generation to generation. These products need to be unique and cannot be repeated.

Why is it important for us – Hungarians – to have this distinct interpretation?

Nowadays, because of the diversity and expansion of globalization, we are eyewitnesses as well as victims of a process that is difficult to describe. However, we also benefit from this new situation.
Defining globalization is really difficult because the act of Magellan in 1525, sailing around the Globe, was also globalization and his act made it possible to have global access.

It is also globalization that in the 19th century the great powers divided the world among themselves. Today the visible appearance of globalization is mainly an economic process that goes on by liberalization of the capital, opening the markets of further trade and investments, and of course the leading position of information and communication technologies. This process has advantages, but also a lot of significant disadvantages for the mankind.
We cannot say that computers, which make globalization possible, are a base of information and communication technologies, they have become capital equipment and means of production, which is a real disadvantage.
We need to get used to the fact that time has shrunk into a moment due to computers and the importance of place has disappeared. People, on the other hand, live in different places, they work, do business and make a living and these places are essential from the aspect of cultural and identity of those living there.
Globalization, with its crystal palaces, glamorous cars, the appearance of luxurious way of living and the powerful feeling of possessing money has made people be at the cross-roads. There is no doubt that the consequence of this process will go with the negligence of local decisions and local culture as well as tradition and history. As a result, the loss of identity will also occur. Global identity – per definitionem – does not exist.
People have developed different anti-globalization identities, which can be aggressive, defensive or constructive. It's not sensible to march against a worldwide phenomenon, especially when there are much significant positive potential in the phenomenon that could help to achieve our goals.

Thus we imagine in our little world a constructive type anti-identity as taking advantage of the opportunities of globalization as well as appreciating our traditions and culture and make them appreciated by other and this way serving and passing them on to future generations with responsibility as our cherished values. In order to maintain our tradition and pass it on we need to be devoted to our culture and handle it as an unalienable value.

A "Hungaricums" came into existence through traditions, which have become unalienable products of the Carpathian Basin and the people living there, especially the Hungarians.