Balatonfüred-Csopak

Hungary · DOP · Balaton · -1 commune(s)

Styles

Natural factors

Bedrock: Upper Permian – Lower Triassic rocks with a Quaternary detrital cover; the characteristic soil is red forest soil.
Unique red forest soil: derived from the weathering of Permian sandstone with high iron-oxide content; characterised by elevated levels of Ca, Mg, and K.
The climate is shaped by cold air descending through the Bakony valleys and by the influence of Lake Balaton; cool forest breezes from the night replace the daytime warmth of the lakeshore.
Sunshine: 1,950–2,000 hours/year; mean annual temperature 11–12 °C; annual precipitation 650–700 mm, with approximately 350 mm during the growing season.
The last spring frost date falls around 5 April; relief consists of gently sloping foothill surfaces and moderately steep hill-margin landforms.

Human factors

1018: King Saint Stephen I donated Balatonfüred-Csopak vineyards to the Benedictine nunnery of the Veszprém Valley; the Tihany Benedictine Abbey guided the borvidék as the largest vineyard owner across 20 villages.
The autochthonous variety Juhfark developed from crosses between the Pontic varieties brought by the Magyar conquerors and local wild vines; today Juhfark, Olaszrizling, and Szürkebarát are inseparable from the borvidék.

Product characteristics

Wines with a mineral character, an almond-tinged finish, and a fresh acid structure; free from heavy, oppressive aromas and rich in flavour and fragrance.
The body of the wines is provided by the cool evenings of the Bakony winds, while their elegance comes from discreet aromatics and vibrant acidity.

Terroir / wine link

The high iron-oxide content of the red forest soil and its mineral richness (Ca, Mg, K) are the source of the minerality and the ripe acid structure found in the wines.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.