Hungary

Hungary has a very old viticulture culture, because wines from Sopron and Eger were already known in the 13th century. The Greeks led the viticulture in Hungary from the southeast the Danube and its tributary Tisza up and the Romans from the west across the Pannonian plain to Lake Balaton. In spite of Huns, Vandals, Goths, Tatars and Ottomans over many centuries, wine was always grown in this area. Even the Ottomans, who occupied most of the country for about 160 years, repressed despite alcohol ban Viticulture did not like to pay taxes, but development was hampered during this period. According to a rather legendary tradition Kaiser should Charlemagne (742-814) had been so enthusiastic about the "Awarenwein" that he had some vines brought to Germany.

By the Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus (1440-1490), who in his last five years of life in Wien (Austria) resided, is the statement handed down, "that the whole people should have wine and the wine growers are to be respected highly". In the Middle Ages, as in almost all other countries, the Catholic Church also played a major role in the spread of viticulture and wine culture in Hungary. Decisively associated with the wine history of Hungary is the famous Tokaj, After Phylloxera disaster and during the two world wars people relocated to the production of mass wines, Since the political upheavals of the year 1989 and a reestablishment of the viticulture federation it went however with the viticulture up again steeply upwards.

It has a Central European, continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The latitude corresponds to the French Burgundy, which yields aromatic white wines. Around 2,000 hours of sunshine per year also benefit the production of red wines. The Danube, which flows from north to south, divides the land into two large halves. With the Wine Law of 1997, 22 wine regions were defined. To the west is Transdanubia , which borders on Austria. Slovenia and Croatia in the west to the Danube. In the center is the Balaton (Lake Balaton), the largest lake in Central Europe with 591 km². Together with Lake Neusiedl and the Danube a positive climatic influence on viticulture is exercised. Transdanubia consists of four wine-growing regions with 15 vineyards:

Lake Balaton