Introduction

The idea of actually cultivating vine came up many times in conversation though usually only as a joke. Then in 2010 my parents bought a small estate in Zala county, complete with a tiny bungalow and 200 producing vines. This was the estate that I set off to tidy up and cultivate, only to realise on the fly, that this is indeed what I want to do on the long run. From this point on only my opportunities restrained my endeavours: I tried to (re)plant the empty fields as well as buy new ones as close as possible. Meanwhile I strove to learn all that I could about vine and wine. My most important master on this journey of learning was Béla Fekete: the two seasons that I had the privilege to spend in his cellar taught me almost everything I know. His winery played a pioneering role in re-establishing the honour of the Somló wine region after the regime change, and his crystal clear, traditional technique is a valid source for modern wineries, too.