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Hungary awaits: Set tables and open cellars in the north and south
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With the arrival of cooler weather, it is worth getting away from the water a little and exploring the rich culinary offer of the region. Most of the wineries around Balaton are open all year round, and you can smell the scent of ripe fruit and stum while walking through the vineyards. Although the harvest is the busiest time, many also open their cellar doors at this time and, in addition to the wines of previous vintages, they also offer guests must, stum. Autumn ingredients also appear on the menus of the four-season restaurants and confectioneries of Balaton: dishes with grapes, figs, pears, and plums are being prepared, and ducks and geese arrive on the plates.
Photo: Hungary awaits
Unique varieties, diverse wine selection
Six wine regions make up the Balaton wine region: the lake is bordered to the north by the Balatonfüred-Csopak, Badacsony, Balaton-felvidék (Balaton Uplands), and the Balatonboglár wine region on the Somogy side. The Zala, also known as the Balaton-mellék wine region, and the Nagy-Somló wine region further diversify the wine palette. The region's best-known and most popular variety is Italian Riesling, but lovers of specialities will also find Kéknyelű, Szürkebarát, Furmint, and Juhfark in the selection. Today, more and more wineries at Lake Balaton make champagne using the traditional method, and you can find these locally at wineries or in Balaton restaurants.
Photo: Toft Istvándy
Guided wine tours on foot and on two wheels
In Badacsony, organized by the Tourinform Office, you can discover the most exciting wines of the mountain every Saturday until late autumn, guided by expert tour guides and winemakers. In the vineyards of Badacsony, on Csobánc or on Tóti Hill, wine tourists will be greeted by a stunning view, as they can taste three different types of wine with wine snacks at three family wineries along the secret and romantic routes. On the vineyard tour, you can also learn about the history of the wine region, the formation of the monadnocks, their special features, legends and the customs of the people living here.
TIP: For those who would like to explore the vineyards on two wheels, we recommend the tours of the Dobos Estate Centre starting from the Nivegy Valley: on Fridays, they organize excursions combined with electric cycling, introducing the other wineries operating in the area.
Photo: Zoltán Vanik
Kéknyelű (blue petiole), the “gentleman’s grape”
The characteristic variety of Badacsony is the Kéknyelű, of which forty hectares are grown worldwide, primarily in this region. It gets its name from its bluish-reddish petiole. It does not yield much, but it usually gives good quality; this natural yield limitation is the reason why local peasants called it the gentleman’s grape, as its cultivation was considered a noble passion.
Have you ever tasted BalatonBor?
Nowadays, you can find BalatonBor, the region's community wine brand, named after the producers of Lake Balaton, everywhere around the lake. The easy-drinking, summer-inducing wines made from Italian Riesling bear the unique signature of the producers, yet are similar in style.
