The rosé-specialist Nagygombos Winery

The village was founded by Count Antal Grassalkovich. He ran his manor from the Baroque castle he had built here in 1744. Twenty-five years after the Grassalkovich family had died out, and the estate had fallen apart, Bernát Deutsch and József Deutsch bought the estate from a bank in Brussels. The Deutsch family began planting 300 cadastral acres of grape. The processing plant and wine cellar of Nagygombos, now a historical monument, has been extended with a representative large hall on the first floor. Endre Ady also visited here (as a guest of Lajos Hatvany). In 1957, the estate became the property of the Hungarian state. In 1999, the privatisation tender for the area and the wine house was won by Tibor Gál, a renowned vintner from Eger, who carried out significant improvements. The Gál family released the first bottled wines from the estate, with the well known big button on the label. In 2009, the Nagygombosi Winery was bought by the Barta family. With the change of ownership, the development of the estate has started again: the renewal of the vineyards has begun and expansion of the winemaking capacity is under preparation. The Barta family places great emphasis on the genre of rosé, subtly combining centuries-old winemaking traditions with modern technologies while striving to cultivate the vineyard and make their wines with as little intervention and chemical use as possible.

Anna Takács-Barta, the vintner at Nagygombos, says that to develop a rich-tasting rosé base – which keeps its lively, refreshing acidity – a balanced climate is essential, allowing the harvest to ripen evenly.  "The southern, south-western and western location of the Nagygombos plantations and the sandy loess soil of the calcareous erubase subsoil helps to develop the juicy fruit flavours. It is important to treat the production area as a single unit: here in Nagygombos, the vineyards are located in a single part, and the growth of the vines can be monitored continuously." The vintner also pays special attention to the composition of the variety. "We update the classic kékfrankos rosé every year, but we are also open to less well-known varieties such as Gamay noir."

“Always drink it cold!" - says Anna Takács-Barta. "The ideal temperature is around 8-10 degrees Celsius, which allows the wine to develop its fresh, fruity notes. At lower temperatures, you would not taste the aromas of the wine, and at higher temperatures, it is less refreshing." The vintner advises you should always pour the wine into a long-stemmed wineglass, always grabbed by the stem to keep the wine cold for longer. "In the summer heat, a good rosé can easily go bad, so it's a good idea to have a snack with it," the vintner suggests. "It goes well with a light, Italian mozzarella Caprese or a quick pasta dish, risotto with seafood, pizza or focaccia, cheeses, grilled meats or fish, and a fruit dessert. Be quick and easy, just like opening a bottle of rosé. Although rosé lovers think they can't get tired of the object of their affection, sometimes you can add a little variety. Wine cocktails are all the rage nowadays, with red fruits they can be a real hit on a hot summer night. Furthermore, rosé is an excellent base for spritzers."