Intoxication in the Mátra: wines and wine cellars at the foot of Mátra

Nowadays, when Mátra is mentioned, many of us think of exciting mountain tours and beautiful walking paths hidden deep in the forest, and less of grapes and wine. On the other hand, this wild landscape of our country promises much more than colourful active recreation opportunities: those who are obsessed with culinary delights can also have a great time here and discover the region's wines and Palócland dishes. The properties of the Mátra wine region are truly special, and its present status is currently being judged differently. For decades, the area complex made up of the wine regions of Mátra, Bükk and Eger produced only large-scale wines, although the uniqueness of the terroir and the airy, light juices provided by the cooler microclimate provide a real wine experience. Fortunately, recently more and more wineries with a progressive approach are striving to show wine lovers the more beautiful side of the Mátra wine region, regardless of this, there are still cellars worth visiting even from the old, rustic line.

On the southern slopes of the Mátra Mountains from the north, in vineyards protected from the elements, significant wine production took place already in the Middle Ages. It is interesting that most of the vineyards are located between forests. In this wonderful, romantic landscape of our country, the past and the present fit well together, the evolutions of modern winemaking perfectly complement the Hungarian wine-making procedures and vintage customs reminiscent of the old days. As a result, there are still several wine cellars of medieval origin in the countryside, and in some of them, you can still taste delicious Mátra wines in the renovated spaces.

Mátra is the highest mountain region of our country, the wine region extends to the south of the mountain in a 15-20 km wide strip, in the area bordered by the rivers Tarna and Zagyva. The total production area of ​​the wine region is about 32 thousand hectares, its "capital" is Gyöngyös.

It is primarily a white wine-producing region: the proportion of the white varieties is more than two-thirds but recently the rise of blue grapes has also been significant. The varieties traditionally grown in the region in the last two hundred years were Olaszrizling, Leányka and Kadarka, but today, Chardonnay, Irsai Olivér, Ottonel Muscat, and Szürkebarát are also important, in addition to this, another half dozen white grape varieties grow in the wine region. Among the blue grape varieties, Kékfrankos and Pinot Noir are grown in the largest area. Thanks to the changes in the approach to winemaking, Mátra has changed a lot in terms of wine style in recent decades, so it is really worth visiting here not only for its beautiful downhills, but the wine range typical of the area also promises a real culinary experience.

If you want a more rustic cellar tour reminiscent of the past, visit the Winery row in Farkasmály located in the border of Gyöngyös! The winery consisting of 26 cellars is located in a beautiful natural environment, on the border of Gyöngyös, in the valley of the Mérges-patak. According to some sources, on the outskirts of the town, in the "land of the wolves", wine production took place as early as the 13th century. It is true that all of the 26 cellars are still there but there are not as many milling crowds as there were in its palmy days.

In the 19th century, harvest-homes and summering were held here, and the valley became a popular entertainment spot for the locals. Nowadays, unfortunately, not all cellars operate anymore, but the winery row still attracts many visitors with its summer festivals and regular wine tasting events and cellar tours. If the weather is fine, it is a real refreshment to walk in the tranquillity of the gurgling stream and the rustling of the endless leafy trees and to visit a cellar to taste. In the valley made picturesque by the ranges of the Sár hill and the Mátra, we can find accommodation and restaurants so that we can feel completely comfortable during our wine tour.

In the Mátra wine region, respect for ancient wine-making traditions, which are combined with modern winemaking technologies, fits perfectly together. We give you a taste without claiming to be complete. At these wineries, the main attraction is the wine itself, so during visits, this noble juice and its consumption are really recommended for gourmet wine lovers. At the following cellars tasting is only possible with prior registration, but the experience and the environment we experience are worth this effort and planning in advance. 

The owner, Bálint Losonczi, runs an organically farming family winery in the Mátra, his goal is to cultivate the grapes and make his wines in the most natural way possible. He currently farms about 8 hectares, most of his land is located in Gereg vineyard. "Our goal is not only to maximize the sensory pleasure value, but to make a wine that is a liquid extract of an inimitable character, a certain piece of land and culture," says Bálint, and we believe him.

Levente Major, the owner of the small winery, is a real "rock star", full-time director of the primary school in Abasar. As a geography teacher, he first taught in Buda, then the big turning point came, and it turned out that his mother had inherited a small vineyard in the Mátra. At first, they started making wine in the garage with only a few barrels from the harvest there. Then he became more and more interested in winemaking and how to make good wine, so he completed the agricultural engineering and viticulture-wine major, and then the next stop, Abasár, came. Almost half of his items are Olaszrizling, and since 2016 he has been making his wines in the most natural way possible, which we call the so-called for natural wines.

Gábor Karner and his daughter Fanni have been making natural wines since 2004. Their territories are located on two vineyards on the border of the village of Szűcsi and in Vitézföld, they have a total of 6.6 hectares of grapes, mainly Kékfrankos and a smaller area of ​​Olaszrizling.

Their wines are made with love, as if they were made for themselves, in fact, this is the primary consideration, so we can taste genuine, true juices from them, free from any market considerations.