The Duna region is the most important in Hungary, with the largest total vineyard area and the longest wine history – dating back over a thousand years.
The Duna region is the most important in Hungary, with the largest total vineyard area and the longest wine history – dating back over a thousand years. The warm and dry climate combined with light, fertile soils are ideal for growing vines. There are primarily two distinct subregions:
- the northern part of Transdanubia which includes some great vineyards around Budapest like those in Etyek-Buda and Szentgothárd, near the Austrian border;
- and the southern part of Transdanubia which includes Sopron near the Austrian border, Villány on the Croatian border and Mór in Somogy County.
The region’s name, Duna, is Hungarian for the Danube river, which forms its southern border.
The word Duna is Hungarian for the Danube, a river that forms the southern border of this region. The Danube (or Duna in Hungarian) flows through or forms the borders of no less than ten countries, making it Europe’s second-longest river after Russia’s mighty Volga.
The northern edge of the wine region follows the Ybl mountains, though several appellations extend further north as far as Lake Velence.
Duna is Hungary’s largest wine region, and it encompasses several sub-regions: the most famous of which include Szekszárd, Villány, Etyek-Buda, Mór, Balaton and Tokaj. The northern edge of the wine region follows the Ybl mountains, though several appellations extend further north as far as Lake Velence.
3 wines to try:
- Béla Oak Aged Cabernet Franc (Balaton)
- Mészáros Furmint (Mór)
- Árvay Pinot Noir (Etyek-Buda)
Much of Hungary’s white wines are made from Furmint grapes.
Much of the country’s white wine production is devoted to Furmint, a grape varietal that is also used in the sweet Tokaji wines. In addition, Furmint is also grown in Austria and Slovenia. It’s a versatile grape that can make dry whites, sweet wines and everything in between.
Tokaji Aszu and Tokaji Szamorodni are distinctive sweet wines.
Tokaji Aszu and Tokaji Szamorodni are both sweet wines, made from botrytized grapes. However, there is a difference between the two styles.
“Botrytis cinerea” is an infection that causes noble rot on grapes, which are then picked later in the season, at a higher sugar content. This grape is used to make Tokaji Aszu. Furthermore, Tokaji Aszu is made from picking individual berries from the cluster, one by one – thus requiring more labor than other wine-making processes. The result of this process is an incredibly concentrated wine with high acidity and sweetness–one of Hungary’s most recognizable products!
Szamorodni (which translates to “as it comes”), however, is a lesser known dessert wine produced in this region. It can be made using barley sugar or caramelized sugar as well as botrytized grape clusters that have been left on the vine longer than normal to increase sugar levels in the fruit and allow them to shrivel slightly–a process that occurs naturally as harvest gets closer to late fall
Eger is the best-known appellation in Hungary.
Eger is a wine region that sits just to the north of Tokaj. It has a few subregions, but we’re going to focus on the town of Eger itself—the first part of the appellation name.
It’s known for its red wines, particularly Kekfrankos, which is also called Kadarka (you’ll see why in a minute), and its white wines, particularly Furmint. The best-known red wines from Eger are made from Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Portugieser, while Olaszrizling (Welschriesling), Italian Riesling and Harslevelu fill out the white offerings.
Badacsony is a hilly volcanic region three hours from Budapest.
Here’s a bit of information about Badacsony for the wine lover.
Badacsony is a hilly volcanic region, which stems from the Latin word badacum, which means “wine.” The area has been producing wine since the 12th century, when it was inhabited by Benedictine monks. They planted the first vines here and began making wine using the techniques they learned while traveling through Italy and Spain.
The region is most famous for its white wines, but reds are produced too. There are many places to stay in Badacsony because it is a popular tourist destination (only three hours or so from Budapest). Some of the best known wineries in Badacsony include BalatonBM and Heimann Winery.
There are some exciting developments in Hungarian wine production these days!
Hungary has great potential for producing exceptional wines and is a good value in the wine market. In addition to their traditional native grape varieties, new grape varieties are being introduced. Innovations in production, marketing and winemaking have increased the quality of Hungarian wines.
Hungary is a good place to visit because it offers diverse cultures, hospitable people, beautiful natural vistas and an abundance of history. One cannot contemplate Hungary without thinking about its world-renowned music, from Bartok to Kodaly to Liszt.