Csongrád

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The elevation of the area falls below 120 m above sea level, and over most of the territory barely exceeds 100 m, reflecting its lowland, flat character.
• The soils of the wine region are characterised mainly by wind-blown sand soils (lepelhomok) overlying alluvial deposits; brown forest soils, chernozem, and meadow soils are also present to a lesser extent.
• Sandy soils warm up quickly, reflect solar radiation more effectively owing to their light colour, and are immune to the phylloxera pest due to their quartz content.
• The climate of the growing area is governed by the continental climate prevailing across Hungary, with Mediterranean influences felt in certain years, and an annual average of 2,200 sunshine hours — the highest figure in the country.
• Average annual precipitation is 450–500 mm, yet the Tisza, Körös, and Maros rivers crossing the territory exert a favourable influence on soil water supply and create optimal humidity conditions for vine development and ripening.

• Due to the phylloxera immunity of the sandy soils, the phylloxera epidemic from 1875 onwards left viticulture in the Csongrád wine region almost entirely unaffected.
• Hungary's oldest wild-vine stocks still flourish today in the floodplain of the Tisza within the wine region, and the local wine culture was established from time immemorial by the diverse civilisations and cultures that inhabited these river floodplains.
• Alongside traditional grape processing and winemaking, reductive winemaking is playing an increasingly important role for white and rosé wines, as is the production of fresh, fruit-forward red wines.
• The ecological environment has led to the spread of numerous grape varieties tied to this terroir, such as Kadarka, Kékfrankos, and Kövidinka.

• The white and rosé wines are richly aromatic and intensely perfumed, typically displaying lower alcohol and a softer character.
• The red wines are deep in colour, marked by firm tannins, and develop quickly, while minerality is restrained across all wine types.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Hungary

Sources

• National product specification (PDF) — agrarminiszterium
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-HU-A1383
• Official trade body site — Csongrádi Borvidék Hegyközségi Tanácsa