Upper Pannon Wine Region

Upper Pannon Wine Region

This wine region is undoubtedly located in one of the most developed parts of Hungary, which makes life much easier for winemakers, as the local market offers far more opportunities than elsewhere. One of the oldest Hungarian wine-growing regions, the Romans even boasted a developed wine culture in the area. The region comprises five wine districts (Etyek-Buda, Mór, Neszmély, Pannonhalma and Sopron) and the names alone paint a varied picture, yet the basic style of wines is surprisingly uniform: fresh, acid-driven, lively, fruity white wines immediately spring to consumers’ minds too.

Of course, the picture is much more nuanced in many ways: the Etyek-Buda wine district has placed great emphasis on traditional-method sparkling wine production, to such an extent that it has even created its own designation of origin under the name Etyeki Pezsgő PDO. Sopron, one of the country’s most exciting wine-growing areas on the shores of Lake Fertő (Neusidlersee), boasts an increasing number of world-class red wines, although Pannonhalma also produces some excellent reds.

The total area of the five small wine districts is less than 5,000 hectares, which is tiny; however, these are quality-focused wine districts. They are close to the northern border of the Carpathian Basin, roughly connected by the Danube and the ranges of hills running alongside it: the Buda Hills, the Vértes, the Gerecse, the Pannonhalma Hills, the Velence Hills, the Kőszeg Hills and the Sopron Hills. The soil structure is extremely varied, ranging from the loess of Pannonhalma to the clay of the Fertő lakeshore. However, the wine districts are only partially exploiting this diversity to create sophisticated designations of origin.

Winery districts of the region

Etyek-Budai Wine district

The Etyek-Buda wine district is fortunate in every respect. Its limestone soil and cool climate are well suited to current wine consumption trends, as this region produces light-bodied yet full-flavoured still and sparkling wines with excellent acidity. It is also located near Budapest, and its status as the “capital’s vineyard” has a significant impact on wine tourism. Nowadays, its excellent restaurants and Etyeki Pezsgő PDO (Etyek Sparkling Wine) are a real success story on the Hungarian wine market.

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Móri Wine district

The Mór wine district began to re-establish itself in the 2010s, albeit slowly. This wine district had become somewhat invisible in the years following the regime change, but fortunately this did not last long. New producers appeared in the late 2000s, and although the wine district is still far from its former glory, an image of dynamism and cheerfulness is slowly becoming synonymous with the name Mór. As can be seen below, like all Hungarian wine districts, the conditions in Mór are also unparallelled, so all that is needed is for new producers, inspired by the success of the pioneers, to realise that grapes and wine can provide a livelihood.

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Neszmélyi Wine district

Of the small wine districts in the Upper Pannon wine region, it is perhaps the Neszmély wine district that has undergone the most significant development over the past decade. It was already clear that this wine district is a real wild card, as its terroir is ideal for making light, easy-drinking white and rosé wines.

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Pannonhalmi Wine district

Pannonhalma is practically a suburb of Győr, while Győr-Moson-Sopron County is one of the wealthiest counties in Hungary. Vienna and Bratislava are nearby, and there have always been forward-looking, significant innovations in the county that were ahead of their time in both economic and cultural terms. It also boasts its own wine district, at the top of St Martin’s Hill, with one of Hungary’s most beautiful cultural complexes, the Pannonhalma Archabbey, known for its unprecedented openness, independence from politics and welcoming, European atmosphere.

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Soproni Wine district

The Sopron/Ödenburg wine region is one of Hungary’s most interesting wine regions, both in terms of its natural conditions and its location. Located on the Hungarian side of Lake Fertő/Neusiedl, it is not only one of the most exciting red wine terroirs in Hungary, but also one of the most exciting in the world. The proximity of the Austrian border has resulted in a Germanic working culture, which has also had a significant influence on the history of the wine region over the centuries.

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Events

Domestic and international wine programs