In the early 1980s, my parents – “instructed” by my mother’s mother – bought some land, on which, after overcoming many obstacles, they planted the first vineyards. The wine they produced on this land was a lot for family consumption, but not enough to sell.

 

As the socialist era drew to a close, my grandmother, who was very keen to arrange the family’s farming land, left her land to me, a source of great pride to me personally.

 

In the reorganisation of land ownership that took place in the 1990s, I bought a hectare of vineyard with my parents. This is when I decided to create a family winery.

 

We bought more plots in 2002, and planted 4.5 hectares of vineyards to broaden the range of grapes at our disposal. This is how we slowly increased the size of our property to 7.5 hectares. By planting more grapevines, by 2012, our vineyards covered 11 hectares. By renting more land, our vineyards reached their current size in 2016.

 

We started making bottled wines in 2007, which can be purchased near Pécsely, in Balogh Pince winery, and we also supply these to nearby restaurants. Work is still mainly undertaken by family members, both in the vineyard and in the wine cellar, and we also supervise helpers in order to ensure that the quality is maintained.

 

 As a reward for our hard work and evidence of our continuous improvement, I was awarded the very honourable title of Winemaker of Balatonfüred in 2011 and again in 2015.

Pécsely is a little village with a population of 600, located in the Pécsely basin, one of the most beautiful areas of the Upper Balaton area. It is 10km from Balatonfüred, north of Tihany. There is archaeological evidence that this area was populated in Roman times.

 

Even though Lake Balaton is very close, the area remains a charming haven of tranquillity, and is the perfect destination for a daytrip, with a visit to the medieval ruins of Zádor castle. From here, a look-out tower commands a spectacular view over the lake and the picturesque countryside.

 

People who live here love farming, especially wine-making and grape-growing, a factor that combines beautifully with the location of the basin, which provides a perfect microclimate for grape-growing.

 

Wine is for everybody.

 

Life is too short to drink bad wine.

 

We must adapt to nature, not change what it has created.

 

Good wine can only be made from good grapes.