The geography and climate of the Pannon region
Located in east central Hungary, the Pannon wine region is home to the country’s largest wine-growing area and one of its most popular wines: Egri Bikavér. You’ll find this region near Lake Balaton, which is a magnet for tourists across eastern Europe during the summer months.
It has a continental climate and experiences warm summers, cold winters and annual rainfall of around 560 millimeters. There are over 6,600 hectares of land devoted to vineyards here and they are mostly located on flat plains – it can get very windy in this region.
History of wine in the Pannon region
If you’re interested in Hungarian wine, the region of Pannon is a good place to start. Viticulture has been practiced there pretty much ever since the Roman Empire arrived in Hungary around the first century AD. Although some folks drank wine for medicinal purposes, it wasn’t an especially popular drink until the Middle Ages—and even then, many preferred beer. (The Habsburgs introduced brewing techniques from Germany.) Still, wine culture was certainly alive and well by the time of King Béla IV’s law: “those who make wine will also drink it.”
Wine production really picked up in Hungary during the 19th century thanks to German, Swiss and Austrian settlers—all of whom brought with them vast knowledge of viticulture and oenology. The Communists took over after World War II; they didn’t have much interest in quality, but they did produce plenty of quaffable wine—making it possible for people to buy bottles at a reasonable price that didn’t require being drunk in secret or costing a fortune on the black market. Today’s modern style of Hungarian winemaking dates back to this era: dry whites made from Furmint are now ubiquitous across the country.
Appellations in the Pannon region
Each region can be broken into appellations, or “villages,” each one containing a specific type of grape and soil. Although the Pannon region is not as famous for its wines as other parts of Hungary, it still produces some top-quality collections.
Before you go to any Hungarian restaurant with a bottle list that includes wines from this area, it’s important to know the major appellations in Pannon. Here are some brief definitions:
- Balatonboglár-Szőlőskislak
A town on Lake Balaton where grapevines were planted as early as the Roman Empire. It produces both white and red wines from several varietals.
- Badacsony
A volcanic mountain situated on the north shore of Lake Balaton; Badacsony wines are known for their high acidity and low alcohol content.
- Bükkalja
This region is located in the northern part of Hungary near Slovakia; it produces red wine with soft tannins and well-balanced acidity.
Grape varieties of the Pannon region
The grape varieties that grow in the Pannon region are an interesting mix of native grapes, vines imported from neighboring countries, and wine-producing plants that were cultivated in Hungary. The climate is typically fairly dry and warm, with temperatures ranging anywhere between 78°F and 102°F, depending on the season. If you want to get personal with your grapes (and let’s be honest—who doesn’t?) there are a few varieties of grape that thrive specifically in this region: Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It turns out that these grapes enjoy getting their feet wet occasionally as well as being exposed to heat (a response I am familiar with from my own experience). Kéknyelű is another variety of vine which responds well to this environment, but it seems less popular for wine-making purposes than its counterparts.
Famous wines from the Pannon region
Vylyan Villányi Franc
Label: Blah blah blah blah
Perspective: 1st person (we/our) and 3rd person (he/she/it/they)
What this section does: Informs the reader
Talking points of this section:
- In Hungary, a lot of wine is drunk with food or with water, not just by itself
There are many excellent Hungarian wines from outside the famous Tokaji appellation.
If you were to ask any Hungarian which wine region they are most proud of, chances are they would say Tokaji. The region has been famous for centuries, and it is the home of some of the best sweet wines in the world. However, there is so much more to Hungarian wine than Tokaji – I’d like to introduce you to one of my favourite wine areas, close to Lake Balaton: Pannon.
Pannon is a relatively new region; established only in 2002 but it has quickly developed into a very exciting area for both winemakers and consumers alike. It’s a beautiful part of Hungary, with rolling hills and vineyards surrounded by forests. The name Pannon comes from the word ‘Pannonia’, an ancient Roman province that once occupied this area.