The Jancis Robinson Story | Mission Blind Tasting | Wine writing competition

Hungary's Balaton region renaissance

• 1 min read
The view from Sabar winery towards Szent György Hill

Lakeside vineyards, volcanic slopes, myriad native varieties and a new generation of energetic winemakers – Balaton is being reborn as a top-notch wine region. Above, the view from Sabar winery towards Szent György Hill. Come back tomorrow for reviews of over 100 Balaton wines.

‘This is a spiritual place’, says Robert Gilvesy, referring to the chapel-strewn Szent György Hill, north of Lake Balaton, where he makes his wines. He’s certainly not the first to find inspiration in this western Hungarian landscape. The bucolic, verdant warmth of the region, its uncanny flat-top volcanoes erupting from the landscape and the expansive...

Become a member or log in to continue reading
Member
$135
/year
Save over 15% annually
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
  • Access 297,529 wine reviews & 16,166 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Access askJancis, our AI wine assistant
Inner Circle
$249
/year
 
Ideal for collectors

Everything in “Member”, plus:

  • Early access to the latest wine reviews, 48 hours in advance
  • Early access to the latest articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
  • Access 297,529 wine reviews & 16,166 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Access askJancis, our AI wine assistant
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade

Everything in “Professional”, plus:

  • Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
  • Access to submit wines for review
  • Offer memberships to your employees and manage them from a single place
  • API access available for an additional fee
Pay with
Visa logo Mastercard logo American Express logo Logo for more payment options
Join our newsletter

Get the latest from Jancis and her team of leading wine experts.

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

More Inside information

Valle de Guadalupe vineyards
Inside information Mexico’s wine industry offers lessons in dealing with climate challenges, says Mexico-based journalist and sommelier Carlos Borboa. Above, vineyards in...
cheddars, apples and fruity red wine
Inside information Real cheddar for real wine. By some small miracle I manage to locate the one with four functioning wheels. My...
Azenhas do Mar, Portugal
Inside information The wines of this Portuguese region are emerging from the shadows of their history. Above, Azenhas do Mar in Colares...
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
Inside information Tim Hall discusses market trends, climate challenges and punk with Champagne Louis Roederer’s vice-president and chef de caves. See also...

More from JancisRobinson.com

CARLOS CASILLAS TOP WINELOVER, BEST WINE LIST IN THE AREA AND TOP CHEF WITH SPANISH PRESIDENT
Free for all Widespread devastation throughout Spain’s Sierra de Gredos. Above, chef Carlos Casillas with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez. The devastating...
Picotês vines in Arribas
Tasting articles More great wines from the length and breadth of Portugal. See yesterday’s article for whites as well as sparkling and...
Luis Pato Vinha Formal.jpg
Tasting articles Great wines from Vinho Verde to the Algarve via the Douro, Bairrada, Dão, Tejo and the Alentejo. Above, Luís Pato’s...
WWC Generic image black
Free for all In this moving entry to our 2026 wine writing competition, Charlie Geoghegan writes about selecting a great pairing for the...
Alaverdi Monastery, in Akhmeta, Kakheti
Free for all The wines of Georgia continue to be surprising. A slightly shorter version of this article is published by the Financial...
Dugladze amber Rkatsiteli, walnuts and shoti, bread cooked on the inside of an oven
Tasting articles Jancis plunges into these distinctive wines, if not the distinctive country. Above, from producer Dugladze’s website, characteristically Georgian amber Rkatsiteli...
The Crest Vineyard, terroir of Moutou
Wines of the week Domaine Lafage’s Moutou from the Côtes Catalanes is not only delicious but also supports environmental research in this hot, dry...
Penfolds Magill Estate chimney and vines
Tasting articles Big reds continue to rule in Penfolds Land, but changes are on the horizon. Penfolds’ Magill Estate is pictured above...
Wine inspiration delivered directly to your inbox, weekly
Our weekly newsletter is free for all
By subscribing you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.