Hungarian Wine Wines of Hungary

Hungarian Wine

Wines of Hungary

The Arabian writer, Ibn-Rostech, mentions Hungarian vine growing in his 10th century chronicle (Hungarian pp). After the Original Settlement of the Magyars, vine growing and wine production was based on three things, the Greek-Celtic tradition, the Roman tradition, and the knowledge of the Hungarians brought along from the East (Hungarian pp). There are seventeen Hungarian wine regions, Tokaj, Plains (Alfold), Tapolca, Badacsony, Csopak, Balatonfured, Balatonboglar, Barsonyos-Csaszari, Eger, Matralja, Mecsek, Mor, Sopron, Szekszard, Villany-Siklo, Nyirseg (Word pp).

The best known region is the Tokaj where the Tokaji Aszu and the Tokaji Furmint are produced (Word pp). Tokaji Aszu is referred to as Wine of the Kings and King of the Wines (Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum), however, it is more an aperitif-desert wine (Word pp). The Tokaj-Hegyalja region produces wines with the highest alcohol-sugar-acid-content (Hungarian1 pp). It is the long, hazy, sunny autumn climate that is favorable for the shriveling of the ripe grape berries and for the development of noble rot (Hungarian1 pp). The famous Szamorodni and Aszu wines are made by adding these berries with noble rot, and "the more aszu grapes the wine contains the more precious it is" (Hungarian1 pp).

Vine varieties, wines: Furmint - developing noble rot best, acidic, fine fragrance. Harslevelu - more robust, full-bodied. Yellow Muscat - developing noble rot under favorable conditions, hard acid, extraordinarily fine, elegant fragrance" (Hungarian1 pp).

After nearly a century, the Balatonmelleke became a wine region again in 1998 (Hungarian1 pp). The climate is mild, consolidated and wet, producing vine varieties that include Olasz rizling, Rizlingszilvani, Zold veltelini, Red Tramini, Chardonnay, Kekfrankos, Zweigelt, Oport (Hungarian1 pp). The Balatonfured-Csopak region is divided into two wine producing regions, the wines of Balatonfured, made with mineral water, are more full-bodied, warming and higher in alcohol content, while the wines of Csopak are more modest, lighter, and richer in fragrance and bouquet (Hungarian1 pp). The climate provides a lot of sunshine, weather serving vine production, with varieties including: Italian Riesling, Furmint, and Rieslingszilvani (Hungarian1 pp). The Balatonfelvidek climate is varied, with Mediterranean character and a lot of sunshine, producing varieties which include Szurkebarat, Italian Riesling, and Chardonnay that are full-bodied, rich in bouquet and lively acidic (Hungarian1 pp). Balatonboglar, on the south shore of Lake Balaton, produces mainly white wine, but there is some red wine production as well (Hungarian1 pp). The climate is consolidated and produces Italian Riesling, Yellow Muscat, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, and Kekfrankos wines (Hungarian1 pp). The climate of the Csongrad region is dry, extreme, with a lot of sunshine, producing vine varieties of Kovidinka, Zweigelt, Italian Riesling, Kadarka, Kekfrankos (Hungarian1 pp). Pannonhalma-Sokoroalja region's climate is moderately dry, moderately warm with a mild winter. Vine varieties, wines: Italian Riesling, Rhine Riesling, Tramini, Chardonnay, and Irsai Oliver (Hungarian1 pp). Somlo is the smallest, yet one of the most famous wine regions and at one time its fame preceded that of Tokaj (Hungarian1 pp). The region is very windy, moderately warm, and rich in sunshine, and produces only white vine varieties, such as Furmint, Italian Riesling, Harslevelu, Rhine Riesling, Juhfark (Hungarian1 pp). Sopron is one of the most ancient wine growing regions, with sub-alpine character, frost free springs, cool and rainy summers, sunny autumn, and mild winters, producing pleasant tart Kekfrankos wines (Hungarian1 pp). The Valley of Mor runs between the Vertes and the Bakony mountains, and is the home of the Ezerjo, where the climate is cooler than average, mild winters, and long summer days (Hungarian1 pp). Vine varieties include Ezerjo, Rizlingszilvani, Leanyka, and Chardonnay (Hungarian1 pp). The climate in the Mecsekalja region, where vines have been grown for some 2,000 years, is sub-Mediterranean, sheltered from the north wind, hot summers with lots of sunshine, and mild winters, producing varieties that are full-bodied and high in sugar, and include Cirfandli, Italian Riesling, Chardonnay, and Furmint (Hungarian1 pp). The Etyek-Buda region is windy, sunny, and dry, and vine varieties include, Chardonnay, Italian Riesling, Rhine Riesling, Pinot Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc (Hungarian1 pp). The Szekszard region has mild long winters, and sunny dry summers, producing, Kekfrankos, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Italian Riesling (Hungarian1 pp). Villany is in the most southern wine region, with hot summers and mild sunny winters, and varieties include Kekoporto, Kekfrankos, Cabernet Sauvignon, Harslevelu, Italian Riesling and Leanyka (Hungarian1 pp). Bukkalja is cool and sunny and produces Italian Riesling and Leanyka (Hungarian1 pp).