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Bas du formuHungary’s Wine Regions

January 21, 2010 | The Hungarian Girl

Vineyard in the Zemplén Mountains near Tokaj. The region is known for producing the sweet Aszu wines.

Hungary has a long and distinguished history of winemaking. Grapes were first known to be cultivated in the area by Romans over 2000 years ago.

The country’s diverse climateof hot and humid summers, dry autumns, and rainy springs to cold winters makes it an ideal place for winemaking.

Its best-known wines are Tokaji Aszu, a sweet dessert wine and Bull’s Blood (Egri Bikavér), a full-bodied red wine.However, there are many other types of wines to be enjoyed and appreciated within this beautiful country as well as magnificent scenery and landscape. It can be easily stated that Hungary is truly a wine lover’s paradise!

There are currently22 wine regions throughout the country.Here is a brief description of each region along with their grape varieties.

Aszar-Neszmely

Aszar-Neszmely lies northwest of Hungary near the Danube. The region is well known for its Hilltop Neszmély winery as well as for its plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Királyleányka, and Olaszrizling.

Badacsony

Badacsony wine region located on the Northern shores of Lake Balaton.

Badacsony is located on the Northern shores of Lake Balaton and is approximately 1600 hectares. The leading grape variety is Szürkebarát, a descendant of Pinot gris, brought to Hungary from France in the Middle Ages. High-quality dry white wines can be found in this area.

Balatonfelvidek

This region produces acid-rich, full-bodied whites. Grape varieties include Italian Riesling, Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris), Szürkebarát, Rizlingszilváni, Chardonnay and Muscat Ottonel.

Balatonmelleke

Balatonmelleke is a small region located in the Zala Hills that is approximately 1623 hectares. The area was just recently designated as a wine region in 1998. Although, there hasn’t been any significant process in winemaking there is hope for potential in the future. Whites are mainly produced here.

Balatonfured-Csopak

Located on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, this region produces mostly full-bodied, mineral-rich whites. Balatonfured-Csopak is also known for its mineral water.

Bukkalja

Bukkalja is a sizeable district, in the foothills of the Bukk Mountains. It’s known for its beautiful landscape consisting of forests, mountains, and lakes. The most important wine of this region is the Olaszrizling, a full-bodied white wine. The area is also well known for the German-owned Gyongyos Estate.

Csongrad

Csongrad is Hungary’s warmest wine region located in the Southern Great Plain. This historical settlement produces excellent reds. Grapes varieties include Kadarka, Kékfrankos and Zweigelt.

Del-Balaton

Del-Balaton is one of Hungary’s newest wine regions. It produces both reds and whites. Grape varieties in this area include Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Muscat and Semillon.

Eger

This beautifuland historicaltown is located in Northern Hungary at the foot of the Bukk Mountains.It’s most famous forits Egri Bikavér also known as “Bull’s Blood”, an elegant red blend mainly based onKékfrankos. According to legend, the drink was established after the Turks try to invade the town of Eger. It wasrumouredthat soldiers drank bull’s blood mixed with wine to frighten off their enemy. Other grape varieties include Leányka,Olaszrizling, and Hárslevelü. Tibor Gál’s GIA, Grof Buttlerand Ostoros are just a few of the leading wineries in the area.

Etyek-Buda

Located northwest of Budapest, this region produces whites. Sparkling wine is also made here.

Hajos-Baja

Furmint grapes, one of the most widely grown varieties in Hungary.

Hajos-Baja produces mostly whites. The area is most known for its historic cellar village, consisting of 1,200 unique wine cellars. It is the largest continuous cellar district in Europe stretching over 2 kilometers.

Kunság

Kunság is one the largest wine regions in Hungary, consisting of over 28, 000 hectares. Its wines are milder in taste due to the sandy soil. One particular winery that should be noted is Frittmann.

Mátra

Hungary’s second largest wine region located in the foothills of the Mátra range. Mainly white wines are produced here. Leadingwineries are Szoke Mátyás,Borpalota, andformer state farm cooperative Szoloskert.

Mecsekalja

This region is located within a mountain range betweenVillány and Szekszard. It’s most prominent grape is the unique Cirfandli and Juhfark.

Mór

The picturesque Valley of Mór runs between the Vértes and the Bakony mountains. It’s most popular variety is the Ezerjó, which produces a full-bodied spicy red wine. Other grape varieties include Leányka and Tramini.

Pannonhalma-Sokoroalja

ThePannonhalma-Sokoroalja wine region mainly produces white wines. The grape varieties grown here are Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rhine Riesling and Italian Riesling, Királyleányka and Traminer (Gewürztraminer). An ice wine variety is also produced from Riesling. There are some red wines in this area such as Kékfrankos.

Somló

Somlóis the smallest designated wine region in Hungary. Located on a hill midway between Pannonhalma-Sokoroalja and Balatonfeldvidek, the region produces both red and white wines. Main varieties are Kékfrankos, Olaszrizling, Hárslevelü and Furmint. During the 18th century, the region wasfavored and respected by the Habsburg dynasty.

Sopron

Sopron is a significant wine producing region, one of the few in Hungary to make both red and white wines.It’s mostsignificant grape is Kékfrankos. The area’s top winery is Weninger.

Szekszárd

Szekszárd produces some of the country’s top red wines. Unlike the robust wines of Eger or Villány, these reds are softer with a distinctive flavor. Among the grape varieties are Kékfrankos, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zweigelt and Kadarka.

Tokaj-Hegyalja

Tokaj-Hegyalja or Tokaj is Hungary’s most famous wine region. The region lies on the edge of the great Hungarian plain, dominated by the extinct Tokaj volcano and the Zemplen Hills. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2002 on account for its viticulture traditions and landscape. Best known of Tokaj’s unique wines is the sweet aszu, made from late-ripened grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea, a mold that concentrates grape sugars and flavors into honeylike sweetness.However, the most prizedis Eszencia, made the juice of aszú berries that is highly concentrated in sugar and aged in oak barrels for a minimum of10 years before bottling.The region also has a variety of dry and semi-sweet wines. Grape varieties includeFurmint, Hárslevelü, Zéta, Kabar, and Muscat. Well-known wineries are Royal Tokaji Wine Company, Disznóko, and Crown Estates.

Villány-Siklós

The most southerly of Hungary’s great wine regions, Villány-Siklós covers an area of about 2000 hectares. It’s divided by two towns – Villány and Siklós. Reds are produced in Villány while whites are made in Siklós. Top wineries in the region are Csányi, Bock, Táffin, Attila Gere, and Gere Tamás.

The Hungarian Girl

Mise en page et traduction en français sur le blog par Joël Kuhlmann.