Sümeg castle, north of Lake Balaton in Hungary
In partnership with Wines of Hungary
Volcanism over aeons of history has shaped much of Hungary’s landscape, although this explosive period came to an end around two million years ago. Its legacy is a beautiful landscape of rolling hills, caves and natural hot springs for visitors to explore.
An overview
The ancient Pannonian Sea covered much of Hungary until 5.5 million years ago, so much of the earliest volcanic activity took place underwater. The retreating sea left behind marine sediments, which mingled with igneous rocks (those resulting from volcanic processes) to create a complex mosaic of rock types. The volcanic bedrock is peppered with outcrops of limestone and schist, and topped by soils of clay, sand and fine wind-blown loess. What does this mean for wine drinkers today? These volcanic soils leave their unmistakable signature of salinity and vibrant freshness on the regions’ wines.
Hungary’s volcanic soils (discussed in more detail below) are all home to high-quality wines, but each region has its own volcanic character: Lake Balaton’s basalts are harder, while those on the Tihany peninsula are more alkaline, and Somló is home to porous mineral basalts. Mátra’s soils are mainly andesite, contrasting with neighbouring Eger and Bükk’s rhyolite soils. Meanwhile, the hills of Tokaj, that storied volcanic region, are a supremely complex mix. While all these regions share a volcanic inheritance, it is the fascinating nuances of their different soils that set the stage for the rich variety of Hungarian wines.
A steep volcanic ‘witness mountain’ by the shores of Lake Balaton. Credit: Wines of Hungary
Around Lake Balaton – southwest of Budapest
Some of Hungary’s most picturesque and welcoming wine regions are found around the warm turquoise waters of Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. There’s a mild Mediterranean vibe to the climate, making it a popular holiday spot for swimming, sailing and walks or bike rides into the surrounding national park.
The soils
The northern shore of Lake Balaton is the site of a chain of volcanoes that erupted around three to four million years ago. The most important volcanic regions here include Balaton-Felvidek (Balaton Highlands) and Badacsony. Balatonfüred-Csopak also boasts a small volcanic area, on the scenic Tihany peninsula on the lake’s northern edge.
Badacsony takes its name from the impressive hill on the lake’s shore – a distinctive type of flat-topped volcanic cone known as a ‘witness mountain’. After millions of years of erosion, only the hard basalt core remains, leaving a strikingly shaped pedestal overlooking the surrounding plains.
The area also covers 10 other hills, most notably Szent György-Hegy, Csobánc and Szigliget. These inland peaks have different basalt-based soils, and a cooler climate, as they are further from the sunny reflections from the lake. This gives their wines a more linear, vibrant structure. Leading wine producers in Badacsony include Villa Tolnay, Laposa, Sabar, Földi Bálint, Szászi, UJVARI and Borbély.
The Káli Basin, in the Balaton Highlands region. Credit: Wines of Hungary
Key grape varieties
White wines dominate here, with Olaszrizling in the starring role. After Furmint, this is Hungary’s second most important white grape, and may be the best white grape you’ve never heard of – because it hides under so many identities (Graševina in Croatia, Laški Rizling in Slovenia and Welschriesling in Austria). In the past, Olaszrizling was dismissed as only fit for low-quality wine, to be used in the ever-popular Fröccs spritzers.
But with care and attention, this grape variety is capable of exciting quality, from zesty, fruity reductive styles to layered and intense age-worthy wines – and is well-suited to volcanic soils. Expect pear, lemon and pineapple with a touch of fennel and almond, sometimes honey, backed by supple acidity and a…
Source : https://www.decanter.com.master.public.keystone-prod-eks-euw1.futureplc.engineering/sponsored/vineyards-and-volcanics-535354/
