Balaton Riviéra

1987-1997

In 1987, the area expanded fivefold when my father purchased the approximately 6,000m2 grassy, ​​uncultivated plot next to us, with a crumbling press house and cellar. After the settlement of the area, additional vine grapes were planted in a cordon system. More than 1,100 grape, apple, apricot, peach, cherry, sour cherry, quince, pear, and fig tree shrubs were planted. Being in poor condition, the press house was renovated, using the locally famous red stone around Lake Balaton, which today forms the heart and soul of the winery. For processing, to this day we use “inherited” traditional 500-litre press together with the press house, and we have established a wine museum around the press.

1997-2009

Year after year, my father fell deeper in love with wine and winemaking, constantly improving the cellar and technology. Our northern guest house underwent a renovation in the early 2000s, and we doubled the capacity of the wine cellar. We gradually replaced our old wooden barrels with stainless steel tanks, but the 10-litre wooden barrels decorated with the family coat of arms remained the jewels of the first level of the cellar, which conceal the Tokaj and Balaton aszú made by my father. From 1997 to 2001, Csaba Szörényi Sr. continued his professional training, first becoming a wine enthusiast then an advanced beaker, and at the end of his studies, he passed the wine connoisseur exam at the House of Hungarian Wines.

Oenological practice and technology

On our cordon plantation, measuring 1.2 acres, we perform strict crop maintenance. We carry out trunk cleaning and branch selection personally, paying special attention to each of our 1465 grapevines. Based on each year’s seasonal circumstances and weather, we minimize the amounts of chemicals used to fertilise the grapes. Where possible, we use natural chemicals when spraying. The harvest takes place slightly later than usual and is done with the help of family and friends in late September and early October. We harvest and destem the carefully selected grape bunches using a specialist stainless-steel machine. The berries are then crushed and manually pressed with traditional methods. Before the first press, depending on the type of grape, the must (pressed grape) goes through a pre-fermentation maceration process where the grape is soaked while keeping in contact with its skin. The primary fermentation takes place under the influence of yeast in the environment. We take a calculated risk by using wild ferments as we are convinced that minimising artificial interventions creates natural, unique wines with personality. 

For all our wine varieties we apply reductive technology (using stainless steel barrels) and only mature batches in wooden barrels in special vintages and in very small quantities. In exceptional vintages, worthy batches will also be matured with oxidative technology. The wines are filtered after gentle clarification and bottled according to their maturity period at the end of winter or early spring. Only our Rosé and Siller wines are sealed in screw-capped bottles, while our white wines usually have complex structure and body that they can retain their prime for many years after. Our whites are sealed with quality cork and covered with capsules which are heated for a tight seal. We aim to keep the entire vinification process free from chemical additives, and we do not use additional acids either. We adjust sulphur dioxide levels only when necessary with minimal doses of sulphite. Both bottling and labelling are done manually and all our bottles receive a serial number. Until next year’s product is in barrels, each wine variety can also be tasted from the inox barrels.