Made in Hungary: Wines from Ancient Hungarian Grape Varieties

Some people make wine from ancient Hungarian grape types out of curiosity, others out of loyalty to historical authenticity, and some to honor the memory of legendary winemakers. While their reasons may differ, they all agree on one thing: the uniqueness of Hungarian wines lies in their indigenous grape varieties, which is what truly allows us to show the world what wine is like when it is 100% Hungarian.

To some extent, we are all creatures of habit, and on hectic days, it is much more comforting to reach for wines we know well—or at least ones made from familiar grape varieties. The National Council of Wine Communities provides data on registered grape varieties in Hungary, revealing fascinating statistics. Among them, we can see a significant number of grape names that may not sound familiar but still feel distinctly Hungarian. Below, we take a closer look at three such ‘unknown familiars’ through the perspectives of three winemakers. We were also curious as to why, in the 21st century, they are dedicating themselves to old Hungarian grape varieties.

"I wanted to create a tribute wine"

Bálint Földi is best known as the winemaker at Sabar Winery in the Badacsony region, though he also bottles wine under his own name. Among his offerings is Kéknyelű, a regional flagship variety. He also works with Piros Bakator, a variety that might make some take notice — there are very few white wines of its kind in Hungary.

"Piros Bakator is an extremely rare grape variety, cultivated on only one hectare in Hungary—mainly in Badacsony. Besides that, it can perhaps be found at the PTE Research Institute for Viticulture and Enology and at József Szentesi’s estate. I came across it through a winemaker friend who cultivates a vineyard with his father where Piros Bakator grows. However, they did not produce a varietal wine from it, opting instead to use it in blends. I first heard about it in the year that one of its key reintroducers, Huba Szeremley, passed away, and I decided to make a wine in his memory.



Foto source: Borrajongó

The grape itself is highly unpredictable: some years, it yields nothing at all, while in others, a vine can produce up to 5 kilograms—it is entirely inconsistent. I age my Piros Bakator in barrels, resulting in a medium-bodied wine with plenty of spice. I wouldn’t base an entire winery on making wines solely from old Hungarian varieties, but I do believe that—except for a few cases—most countries became famous for their native grapes. I don’t think we can stand out in the world with Chardonnay, but a wine made from Piros Bakator might intrigue many. From a marketing perspective, such a story has strong appeal."

"I approached winemaking with a wine critic’s perspective"

András Kovács transitioned from wine writer to winemaker. At his winery, Hegymente Szőlőbirtok in the Mátra region, he focuses on old Hungarian grape varieties. While Csókaszőlő may no longer be a true rarity, he also produces a red wine from Laska, a lesser-known grape type.

"I used to work together a lot with József Szentesi, the foremost advocate for old Hungarian grape varieties, specifically to learn from him. Over the past 13 years, I have had the opportunity to taste most of his wines. These ancient Hungarian grapes always fascinated me, so when we had the chance to plant our own vineyard, it was clear that we would cultivate these varieties. That’s exactly what happened: after Csókaszőlő and Hajnos Kék, we planted Laska two years later.

Laska appealed to me because it can produce a serious wine with good acidity and tannic structure, providing backbone and aging potential. It offers an abundance of juicy fruit flavors—one of its leading aromatic notes is raspberry, which is relatively rare among red grapes. We primarily make barrel-aged red wine from it, using spontaneous fermentation and bottling it unfiltered and unfined.

In the 1990s, many Hungarian winemakers turned to international varieties, but not all of these experiments were successful. These old Hungarian grapes, however, are truly ours: they have fantastic aromatic profiles and are interesting to cultivate from a viticultural perspective. Exploring their potential is exciting because there are very few people to turn to for advice. When it comes to wine tastings, these varieties naturally take center stage—international experts visiting Hungary are most eager to taste them."

Foto: Hegymente Szőlőbirtok Facebook

"I didn’t want to plant a variety which is foreign to the region"

In 1905, Purcsin was still among the permitted grape varieties of the Tokaj wine region, but it did not make the final cut for the top three. Today, we still find red grapes in Tokaj—mainly Syrah and Pinot Noir—but András Kanczler (Basilicus) chose to revive this historic local variety, even though it had largely been forgotten over the past century.

"I chose Purcsin because the 1867 Tokaj-Hegyalja Album listed it as one of the region’s noteworthy varieties—this reflects the state of viticulture before the phylloxera epidemic. As I researched its history, I found records by Márton Németh suggesting that Máté Szepsi Laczkó used it to make the first Tokaji Aszú—he likely included Purcsin in the blend.

When we planted it in 2013, we knew nothing about it; we had never tasted its wine. We could only rely on what Márton Németh had written. As a pre-phylloxera variety, we now see that it is highly resistant to most diseases and is easy to cultivate, producing a reliable yield. It ripens late and, in line with modern trends, creates fresh red wines full of fruit aromas—somewhat reminiscent of Siller. Since then, we have made a red wine from it every year, even during the challenging 2020 vintage when our white grape yield was minimal. We now also have two vintages of a late-harvest Purcsin with 40 grams of residual sugar.

Last year, we experimented by macerating it in Furmint Aszú berries, attempting to recreate the wine that Márton Németh described. This resulted in 500 bottles of a red Aszú with six puttonyos parameters. It has been very well received: it sells relatively easily, and several restaurants have added it to their wine lists. With its versatility, I believe Purcsin is an extraordinary curiosity for the region — a grape variety that once played a significant role in Tokaj-Hegyalja’s winemaking traditions."

Hungary’s indigenous grape varieties hold immense potential, not only as historical relics but also as exciting and unique elements of modern winemaking. Whether for tradition, experimentation, or personal passion, these winemakers are proving that these ancient grapes are not just remnants of the past but viable, intriguing options for the future of Hungarian wine.

Fotó: Basilicus Facebook

The cover image shows Kabar grapes. (Photo: Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency)