The North Transdanubia region is a diverse mix of Tokaj, Sopron and Eger.
North Transdanubia is one of the six wine regions of Hungary, stretching from Lake Balaton in the west to the country’s border with Slovakia in the east. This diverse region includes the famous Tokaj region and two other smaller sub-regions: Sopron and Eger. The three main areas—Tokaj, Sopron and Eger—are not far from each other, making it ideal to visit all three sub-regions in one trip if you’ve got a few days for a wine tour around this part of Hungary.
Sopron is located on the Austrian border in northwestern Hungary; if you’re visiting Vienna or Graz, this small wine town has some great wineries that are worth a day trip. Eger is best known for Egri Bikaver (Bull’s Blood), which today is mostly made from Blaufränkisch but once was made strictly from Kékfrankos grapes. Tokaj-Hegyalja is famous for its world-class sweet wines but also produces some excellent dry wines as well.
The region has several types of winegrowing areas.
Hungary’s wine region of North Transdanubia has a long and rich history. Since the year 1000, it was already common to produce late harvest wines in this area, which is why its name translates from Hungarian one by one: “Transdanubia.” This relatively short region (covering an area of about 100 km²) is located in the north-east of Hungary and is bounded on the east by Slovakia and on the west by Romania. The climate of this area is continental Mediterranean with mean annual temperatures varying between 12-18°C. The wine regions are divided into four subregions: Tokaj–hegyalja (stone hills), Tokaj–baranya (baron hills), Upper Alföld (coastal plains) and Lower Alföld (depositional plains).
The most characteristic feature of the dryland cultivated vines is their remarkable resistance to drought conditions. A variety raised here requires significantly less water than that grown in a similar region elsewhere in Central Europe—that means that it does not have to be irrigated at all during extended periods of drought. In North Transdanubia, grapes are usually pressed only once per year, which makes wine aging more consistent with local traditions; grape juice may retain its original characteristics for five years or longer before fermentation begins.
Tokaj can be found in the Northeast corner of the country.
The Tokaj region can be found in the northeast corner of the country. This is Hungary’s most famous wine region, and for good reason. Tokaj is well-known for its sweet wines, but also produces some dry wines that are gaining popularity internationally.
The region produces primarily white wines and some dessert wines.
North Transdanubia is known for its dessert wines, but they also produce dry wines. The wine region has three main grapes: Furmint, Harsvelu and Juhfark. Those three vines are used to produce primarily white wines, but they also make some red wines.
For those looking for something other than wine, North Transdanubia produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables including quince, apple, pear, cherry and several types of peppers.
Famous sweet wines include Furmint, Sargamuskotaly, Late Harvest Furmint and Tokaji Aszu.
Famous sweet wines include Furmint, Sargamuskotaly, Late Harvest Furmint and Tokaji Aszu. The Tokaji Aszu is made from the Furmint and Harslevelu grapes that grow in one of the northern districts around Tokaj.
The Sargamuskotaly is a drier style of hungarian sweet wine comparable to a port wine. It has been also produced by Oremus Winery and it is also produced by Pannonhalmi Apatsagi Foapatsag Paprikavar.
Popular dry wines include Furmint, Harsvelu, Juhfark and Cuvee Futorvos.
If you love dry whites, there are plenty of options to choose from. Furmint is a medium-bodied white wine with a light straw color. It can be fruity with notes of citrus, peach and honey. Harslevelu is a well-known white wine that has a green-yellow color and often used in blends. It has a pleasant aroma with hints of apricot and lemon blossom. Juhfark is another dry white that has a light yellow color and a soft, fruity flavor.
In addition to wine grapes, the area also produces apples, pears, plums, cherries and strawberries.
The North Transdanubian region is a great spot for wine lovers. The area, known primarily for its production of Eger and Tokaj wines, also has orchards that produce apples, pears, plums, cherries and strawberries.
Eger is known especially for its red wines, while neighboring Tokaj is best-known for dessert wines. Eger is located in the northeastern region of Sopron.
Places to visit:
- Hegyalja Wine Route
- Tokaji Wine Region
- Herend Porcelain Factory
Sopron is to the West with two villages known for wine production.
When you hear Sopron, think West. You’ll find it on the Austrian border, and this city is known for its wines. There are two villages that are particularly well known for their wine production: St. Margarethen and Schützen. The wine region itself is distinguished by its full-bodied reds, dry whites and fierce dessert wines. If you’re in a more effervescent mood, look out for sparkling wines as well!
Sopron has several varieties of wines produced in the area including Keknyelu and Muscat Lunel.
Sopron is the largest wine-growing region in Hungary. The city itself, located right at the border with Austria and only a one hour drive from Vienna, has been an important settlement since Roman times.
You will find several varieties of wines produced in the area including Keknyelu, Muscat Lunel and Zweigelt. Sopron is also famous for white wines that use grapes native to the area: Harslevelu (Burgundy grape), Furmint (Tokaj Aszu) and Juhfark (the ‘sheep’s tail’ – very rare).
The two major wine producing villages are Ruster and Szurdokpusta.
Eger lies to the North East of Sopron and is a volcanic region.
Eger lies to the North East of Sopron and is a volcanic region. The soil here is rich in minerals which make it very suitable for growing grapes. Eger is known for Egri Bikaver (Bull’s Blood) which is a blend of Kadarka, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines from this region are known for their deep red color and intense flavors. Eger has been producing wine since the 14th century, so you can experience the old charm here, although modern wine making methods have improved quality substantially over time. Despite its fame as a red wine producing region, Eger also produces white wines from Furmint, Juhfark and Irsay Oliver grape varieties.
Egri Bikaver (Bull’s Blood) is probably the most famous of Egri’s wines that are made primarily from Bordeaux grape varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a minimum of 50% Kadarka grapes added in order to qualify for Hungarian appellation status.
We found ourselves here in the town of Egri Bikaver, Hungary, driving up a road that seemed to be barely wide enough for a single lane. At least 100 meters ahead of us, right in the middle of the pavement, was what appeared to be a giant bull’s head—but it was no bull. This was the limestone-paved “passage way” that leads into one of the most famous wine regions in all of Hungary: Ökörhalom. The road is lined with large oak casks used for aging Ökörhalom wine. They were constructed by people near and far, each piece coming from somewhere else—from France via Romania or Austria to Hungary (and potentially beyond)—but made from Hungarian oak grown on local vineyards. The Csárda family has been making wines from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for two centuries now, but as we learned about their history in this region and witnessed just how much quality work goes into producing a bottle of Ökörhalom—literally “Bull’s Blood”—we could not help but feel even more excited about visiting them someday ourselves.
Hungary has many beautiful regions known for their wines that are worth exploring!
Hungary has many beautiful regions known for their wines that are worth exploring!
Kéknyelű, a white wine originated from Kéknyelű, is the most popular grape variety of North Transdanubia. The name of this grape comes from its blue-green coloured stem. Its taste is similar to that of Sauvignon Blanc.
Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris), Tramini (Gewurztraminer) and Furmint are also popular grapes in this region.