About us
Our winery has been dealing with viticulture and production of wine for more than 100 years. The first wine-stock was planted by Péter Gosztola in 1872. In our family the preparation, the respect and the consumption of innate wine has been unnoticedly become a part of everyday life.
Currently we are growing grapes on an area of 3 hectares, where our wines are produced with manual cultivation. Our profession is to produce high quality wines on a small area, manually, following the traditions.
Regarding the variety of grapes: 75% are red and 25% are white grapes. Our main varieties: Welschriesling, Green Veltliner, Blue Frankish, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Blauburger in a small quantity.
Our wines are made by hand harvesting, in the case of blue grapes with fermentation in open tub applying oxidative process. Upon the processing of grapes, fermentation starts spontaneously with the wild yeasts typical for the winery, while the breakdown of malic acid occurs in the tub, on the skin. As the result of the longer period of keeping on the skin, a clean, shiny wine can be poured into the barrels.
Our white wines are bottled after keeping them in the barrels for a short time, while our red wines are bottled after maturation in small oak casks for 1-2 years.
In our winery we recently realized several developments. A currently open wine-terrace adopted for winter use was established, which is suitable for 30-50 persons. In addition to the traditional peasant plate and kettle dishes, we offer our guests freshly prepared oven dishes. Our guests are accommodated in the guest-house 50 meter from our winery.
As the oldest family member, the owner of the winery, I, József Szappanos try to keep traditions and to transfer my experience of many decades to the younger generation.
My son, Zsolt is responsible for the wine-growing and vinification.
His wife, Krisztina and daughter, Sára participate in the guests reception and marketing of the winery.
It is essential to maintain, cultivate and popularize the possibilities provided by our community, in cooperation with other local producers.
Tolna wine region
The Tolna wine region belongs to the wine regions since 1998, however wine-cultivation has been present for a longer period, it dates back to the Roman times. The Hungarian viniculture can be thankful for the German settled in this region, who played a significant role in the revival of wine-cultivation pushed into the background by the 16th century.
One of the main prides of the wine region is the cellar village of Györköny, which is being rediscovered recently, and the former press houses are being renovated and preserved.
The Tolna wine region is located in the Southwestern part of Hungary, in the counties Tolna, Baranya and Fejér. The vineyards are mostly sloping, south facing and lying on protected hills.
Typical variety of grapes
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Rhine Riesling, Blue Frankish, Zweigelt, Merlot
Geography, climate
The soil forming rock of the wine region is loess, the plantations are settled on sand only to a lesser extent and there is brown forest soil as well. The climate is moderately warm and wet. The winter is typically mild and dry, the summer is sunny. May and June are the months with the most rainwater. The prevailing wind direction is northwest.
The area of the wine region
2900 hectares
Settlements
Tolna region:
Bölcske, Dunaföldvár, Dunaszentgyörgy, Gyönk, Györköny, Kölesd, Madocsa, Paks, Sárszentlőrinc, Tengelic, Tolna
Völgység region:
Aparhant, Bonyhád, Bonyhádvarasd, Dúzs, Györe, Hidas, Izmény, Kisdorog, Kismányok, Kisvejke, Lengyel, Mőcsény, Mucsfa, Mucsi, Nagymányok, Tevel, Závod
Tamási region:
The boundary parts of class 1 and 2 of the communities Felsőnyék, Hőgyész, Igar, Iregszemcse, Magyarkeszi, Nagyszékely Nagyszokoly, Ozora, Pincehely, Simontornya, Tamási and Tolnanémedi according to the wine-cadaster.