Thousands and thousands of years in the past, ash- and lava-spewing volcanoes lurked beneath the shallow Pannonian Sea, now the Pannonian Basin, on historical land that has developed into modern-day Hungary. Though these once-menacing formations have lengthy been dormant, their influence on the nation’s topography is profound.
Vestiges of those geological phenomena are evident in Hungary’s ample scorching springs, giving rise to a sought-after thermal bathtub tradition. Likewise, distinctive, mineral-laden wines born from volcanic soil within the Balaton, Eger, and Tokaj areas are fascinating reminders of this previous.
Simply as no journey to Hungary is full with out bathing in its therapeutic waters, tasting these wines—at turns salty, flinty, and smoky—within the magical settings that spawned them is crucial for visiting oenophiles. These three excursions, straightforward to orchestrate from Budapest, Hungary’s vibrant capital, spotlight a terroir formed by an interesting historical past. Remember to e-book forward at any cellars, since they aren’t all the time open to the general public.
Hungary includes six wine areas and 22 districts, most of that are present in larger Balaton. Revolving round Central Europe’s largest lake of the identical identify, its northern shore swells with revelers come summertime, evoking a resort vibe.
Central to this blissful environment is the native wine scene. The Badacsony wine district is outlined by its placing hill—a basalt marvel shaped by volcanic exercise of yore. Resilient olaszrizling, pinot gris, and native kéknyelű are the grapes that dominate right here, however there are many surprises alongside the best way, too.
Contemplate Csaba Török, founder and self-taught winemaker at 2HA Winery and Vineyard in Hegymagas, on Szent György-hegy (Mount Saint George). His ardour for Italian varieties manifested within the pioneering Tabunello, Hungary’s solely wine made with the sangiovese grosso grape. Reinforcing the Mediterranean wine is extra-virgin olive oil—one other Balaton first—courtesy of the olive bushes Török boldly planted on the vineyard’s grounds.
Close by in Gyulakeszi awaits Villa Tolnay Wine Home, backdropped by the dramatic Csobánc hill. Swiss expat Philipp Oser instantly fell for the location—the previous residence of Twentieth-century Hungarian actress Klári Tolnay—and reimagined it as a vineyard. Among the many wines he seems is the floral Villæra I, a mix of furmint, olaszrizling, and riesling crafted from a number of vintages by the solera methodology.
Over in Badacsonytomaj, Péter Váli’s long-brewing ardor for the intertwined realms of wine and meals are illuminated at Váli Vineyard. Within the idyllic backyard, leisurely sip your method by 9 natural wines, appreciating the singularity of kéknyelű and fellow native grape zeus. Ever-changing dishes like tender buffalo straight from the oven heighten the homey temper.
To the north of Badacsony is the tiny Somló area, decidedly romantic terrain marked by a lone hill jutting out from the plain. It’s a powerhouse of well-structured white wines sprung from grapes like furmint, hárslevelű, and juhfark, a range primarily grown within the area. A perfect place to find them is in Kőfejtő Cellar’s quaint press home hidden within the vineyards, the place proprietor and winemaker Péter Tóth shares his syrah, a regional curiosity.
Head east from Badacsony to the Balatonfüred-Csopak district, Balaton’s cultural epicenter. Balatonfüred, residence to spectacular wineries together with Figula and natural Gyukli, is posh and filled with gliding yachts and eating places that conjure the French Riviera.
Additional east is Csopak. Household-run Jásdi Cellar and Wine Terrace, based by spry septuagenarian István Jásdi, is without doubt one of the standouts on this stretch of the area. Its monumental cellar, relationship from the 18th century, elicits an nearly religious aura—becoming, given it as soon as housed a Bishop of Veszprém’s assortment. On the terrace, the winery views are staggering—all the higher for relishing vibrant chardonnay and the velvety, coveted cabernet franc.
Savor Gilvesy Vineyard’s natural, low-intervention wines alongside fried hen sandwiches on the chic-industrial Gilvesy B-üzem in Nemesgulács. On Sundays, the open-air market Liliomkert in Káptalantóti teems with family and friends gathering over bitter cherry rétes (strudel) washed down with elderflower lemonade. In Balatonfüred, Arácsi Cukrászda, aptly located in an outdated vintner’s residence, bakes scrumptious scone-like potato pogácsa, and Zelna Vineyard serves its personal natural wines within the firm of hen supreme on an expansive patio.
The place to remain: Domaine Edegger in Badacsonytomaj additionally regales company with a sauna and comfy residences. Or stability wine tastings with dips within the heated infinity pool on the swank Anna Grand Lodge. A Balatonfüred landmark, the revamped constructing traces its roots again to a mid-18th-century guesthouse spa.
Higher Hungary Wine Area
Some 90 minutes from Budapest, Eger is essentially the most well-known district on this area—for its Romanesque-Gothic citadel as a lot as its intense Egri Bikavér cuvées that rely closely on the kékfrankos grape.
Dubbed Bull’s Blood due to an Ottoman-era legend, Egri Bikavér’s popularity was tarnished for many years when low-quality variations had been churned out throughout communist occasions. However such distinguished Eger wineries as Gál Tibor, Kovács Nimród, and St. Andrea have labored laborious to revive it, proving these lush, ruby-red wines exude character.
On the latter, run by founder György Lőrincz and his son, György, Jr., tour the labyrinthine underground cellar after which, within the loungey tasting room, discover the vary of Bikavér. The Agapé, a grand superior from the Nagy-Eged-Hegy winery, is a chic expression of the mix bursting with black fruit and spice.
However don’t overlook Egri Csillag. Centuries in the past, Eger was synonymous with white wines. Due to unexpectedly complicated Egri Csillag blends—made with grapes like furmint, hárslevelű, olaszrizling, pinot gris, and sauvignon blanc—one other trailblazing transfer from St. Andrea, white wines are more and more wanted in strong crimson wine territory.
Macok Bisztró places the highlight on refined Hungarian delicacies spanning beef tartare and heat túrógombóc—cottage cheese dumplings accentuated with bitter cream mousse. Mályinka, lower than an hour from Eger, is on the foot of the Bükk Mountains, a hiker’s paradise. Right here, Iszkor, a no-frills pub, is unpretentious eating at its finest. Order the juicy apricot pálinka, Hungarian fruit brandy from the village of Bükkaranyos, adopted by trout buoyed by coconut cream and zucchini-dill lasagna in an inviting setting harking back to a ski chalet.
The place to remain: Hunguest Lodge Palota in Lillafüred is a classic fever dream. Inbuilt 1930, its grand public areas are awash in wooden paneling and stained glass.
Arguably Hungary’s most well-known wine area, Tokaj is a UNESCO World Heritage web site that produces glowing, dry, late-harvest, and candy wines primarily from the white grape varieties furmint and hárslevelű. Aszú, the area’s flagship, is without doubt one of the world’s most lauded dessert wines; hand-picked grapes reworked by noble rot are the results of a singular microclimate on the intersection of the Bodrog and Tisza rivers.
Furmint and hárslevelű are versatile workhorses, unleashing white wines which might be as crisp as they’re pretty. Guided tastings reveal the breadth of those grapes. For one, descend into the Rákóczi Cellar, a wonderful medieval construction within the city of Tokaj. It belongs to the natural vineyard Tokaj-Hétszőlő, a part of France’s Michel Reybier Hospitality assortment. Its 136-acre winery was first shaped in 1502, when the Garai household merged seven parcels of prime land into one.
Füleky Tokaj Property in Bodrogkeresztúr must be one other cease. Go to the native stone-clad cellar with a Brutalist air earlier than settling into the wine store and dealing your method as much as the honeyed szamorodni and aszú.
Mád, a picturesque Tokaj village, is far buzzed for its single-vineyard dry furmints from high producers like Barta, Szarka, and Szepsy. Wander by, then set off for Sauska on the outskirts. Based by husband-and-wife duo Krisztián and Andrea Sauska, the vineyard, which additionally has outposts in Budafok and Villány, beckons with its futuristic, UFO-like structure. Inside, there are modern artworks, a glowing wine bar, and an intimate restaurant looking at Tokaj’s rolling hills.
On the best way to Tokaj from Budapest, take a 40-minute detour as much as Boldogkő Fortress in Boldogkőváralja, a shocking Thirteenth-century stone-walled fortress. Minutes away is Bestillo, a family-owned pálinka home with an particularly zippy raspberry rendition. Kick off lunch at ethereal Anyukám Mondta in Encs with a glass of the home glowing wine earlier than gorging on eggplant schnitzel. Karám, in Bodrogkeresztúr, guarantees elevated takes on Hungarian favorites like veal paprikash, whereas in Mád, Első Mádi by BG melds Italian and Hungarian flavors.
The place to remain: Füleky Tokaj Property has lodging, too. Spend the evening in an 18th-century mansion full with terrace and backyard.
Bonus: Between Tokaj and Budapest in Miskolc, Anyukám Mondta’s sister restaurant Pizza, Kávé, Világbéke hits the spot with informal Roman-style pizza slices in a cheerful, greenery-bedecked area. From there, it’s solely a minute to Desszertem Cukrászműhely & Kávézó for a hefty serving of Rákóczi túrós—a mélange of candy curd cheese, meringue, and apricot.
The wines talked about above can be found to buy by plenty of U.S.-based importers: Villa Tolnay (Palinkerie); Kőfejtő (East West Wines); 2HA (Style Hungary Wine Store); Váli (Danch & Granger Alternatives); St. Andrea (Aqueous Spirits); Hétszőlő (Duclot La Vinicole); Füleky (Completely happy Hearts Wine); Sauska (Sauska Wines LLC)
