Pannon Wine Region

Its soil is varied: from the limestone slabs of the Mecsek mountains to the loess and loam soil of Villány, or the hillsides rich in clay. Sunny districts are typically home to Mediterranean wines.

Of the four wine districts, Villány is the primary terroir for these types of wines. The relative dominance of the blue grape varieties is due to the influence of the Rascians, who brought the Kadarka grapes with them when fleeing from the Turks.

In the 18th century, the Swabian people settling in the region introduced the Portugieser wine, which remains dominant among the local wines to this day. After the phylloxera blight, Villány played a key role in the rebirth of Hungarian oenology. Hungary’s very first full-scale origin protection system was likewise created in Villány.

The Colchicum is used as the symbol of protected Villány wines, signalling their protected status and authenticity. Today, Cabernet Franc wines are a specialty of the wine district, having become extremely popular since their introduction in the 1990s, and serving as the raw material for the finest wines. Wines sourced purely from Cabernet Franc grapes are also granted origin protection, under the Villányi Franc name. However, Portugieser wines (formerly known as Kékoportó) – including the Villányi RedY, a wine targeting the younger generation – are also garnering increased respect. Visitors to the wine district are encouraged to visit the characteristic three-storey cellar village of Villánykövesd. Its colourful gated wine-cellar system is one of the most spectacular sights in all of Hungary.

Guests can have a taste of the wines produced here, and also learn a few things about the process of wine making. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring village of Palkonya, small and medium-sized family wineries welcome guests in the wine-cellar systems formed by 53 press houses, which are also protected as historic architectural folk monuments.

Between Szekszárd and Villány lies the Pécs wine district. Among the southern slopes of the Mecsek and the gentle rolling hills around Mohács, it is easy to fall in love with the landscape here. Visitors can freely explore the wine region and its cellars along the Pécs-Mecsek wine route from Szigetvár to Óbánya. The Cirfandli is another famous wine, hailing from Pécs, one of the smallest wine district in the country. Cirfandli grapes are unique to Hungary, and are exceptional in that they can be used to produce dry, sweet, light or full-bodied wines. Of course, a tour of the city is a must for anyone also interested in cultural sights. No fewer than three monuments here can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List: early Christian burial chambers from the 4th century, an early Christian mausoleum, and the 1,600-year-old burial chambers of the Cella Septichora Visitor Centre.