White Wines

White wines are very different in every regions in Hungary. Some of them are fresh and aromatic while at other regions white wines are fresh with considerable acidity or full-bodied. Several varieties of grape are known to have originated in Hungary.

These are:

• Ezerjó
• Hárslevelű
• Irsai Olivér
• Cserszegi Fűszeres
• Királyleányka

Other varieties of grape that may have originated in Hungary include:

• Furmint
• Juhfark
• Kéknyelű

Main white wine regions: Lake Balaton, Mátra, Eger, Bükk, Somló, Pannonhalma, Etyek-Buda, Mór, Ászár-Neszmély and Tokaj. Around Lake Balaton, you will find the Balatonfelvidék, Balatonfüred-Csopak, Balatonboglár, and Badacsony regions. No visit to Hungary is complete without a visit to Europe's largest freshwater lake, and it makes sense to visit a couple of wine cellars along the way. Hungary's most famous wine region Tokaj lies in the foothills of the Zemplén Mountains of the far north of the country - in fact the traditional area crosses into the southeast corner of modern Slovakia. The area is notable for its long warm autumns and mists that come in from the River Bodrog, creating perfect conditions for noble rot. This can contribute towards creating the botrytised ('aszú') grapes for which the region is famous. Given that aszú conditions only happen in perhaps three vintages per decade, a lot of dry Furmint is also produced. Other grapes grown in the area include Hárslevelű, Muscat Blanc, Kövérszőlő and Zéta.