The True Faces of Kunság

Perhaps these need the least introduction, as they have been the real undisputed stars of the wine region for twenty years. But, of course, the big names must be represented at the forefront of a well-functioning community. The vintner of the year 2007, they have the development of the region at heart with the entry of the younger generation. Péter Frittmann has been to several parts of the world, he has brought his knowledge home, he tries to supplement the proven range of movements to the best of his knowledge of winemaking and the market. We can always expect great value wines from them in Cserszegi, Irsai or rosé.

Szigetcsép is a good hour's drive from the heart of the Kunság wine region, and the True Kunság initiative seeks to bridge precisely these distances between the participants. Csaba Gál junior's mother, Mrs. Éva Dignisz Gál, was also a wine producer of the year, thanks in large part to their gold-medal rosé. Csaba was actually “brought up" in the profession, as his parents have been making their own wine since 1994. His favourite from the estate is the Rhine Riesling grown on seven hectares, which holds great hope for the future.

Attila Szentpéteri is a representative of the new Kunság generation from top to toe. The first vines were bought by his grandfather at the time of the change of regime, he started with a few rootstocks of kadarka as a hobby, and since then there have been major developments in all areas: today they cultivate nearly 70 hectares with 18 varieties. The nero variety wine they brought to the wine region is a real curiosity among the selected, high-quality rosés, which is also fermented uniquely in barrels compared to most rosé wine, which is typically made in tank (in a reductive manner). They also experiment with champagne from Chardonnay.

Mrs Mária Vass and her family have few grapes of their own, instead they believe in buying quality grapes. They work with a wide range of 20 varieties and try to meet the needs of the market, but the results of the wine competitions are also important feedback for them. They have been waiting for years for a strong collaboration with the community, with mutual communication, which can strengthen the efficiency of work of the winery, both in the narrower and wider region, at the same time showing how much Kunság has developed in terms of approach, technology and wine quality.

White wine grape varieties can be divided into categories in many ways. If we look at the aroma map, we can distinguish between neutral and aromatic varieties. The former includes chardonnay, furmint or szürkebarát (they do not have a strong, leading scent, so their wines wonderfully portray the wine region), while the camp of aromatic varieties is strengthened by such popular favourites as the Hungarian-bred Cserszegi fűszeres, Irsai Olivér yellow muscat or tramini.