Grape Harvest Season Opens in South Balaton with Promising Yield

The earliest ripening grape variety, Csabagyöngye, was harvested on Wednesday, marking the start of this year’s harvest in the southern Balaton region, announced the cellar manager of Varga Winery in Ordacsehi, Somogy County.

György Takács reported that the light, fruity, semi-dry wine made from the hybrid grape variety harvested in the village belonging to the Balatonboglár wine region, is expected to hit stores in early September.

He noted that

Csabagyöngye is a so-called zero-aging wine, meaning it is bottled as soon as possible to preserve its freshness.

Ordacsehi and its surroundings are the largest growing area for Csabagyöngye, from where the Varga Winery purchases around 30,000 kilograms of the grape variety this year to produce 30,000 bottles of wine at its headquarters in Badacsonyörs, revealed the cellar manager at the four-hectare Csabagyöngye plantation of Balaton Agrár Zrt.

Takács, speaking about the date of this year’s Csabagyöngye grape harvest, noted that it is the third earliest in the company’s history, with both the quantity and quality of the crop being good.

The expert said

regarding the other grape varieties that “the growing season started off very well this year,” and they were fully satisfied with the development of the vines.

Rainfall, especially in June, proved to be insufficient, which is noticeable in the vineyards—particularly among the late-ripening varieties. In the past week, however, a relatively large amount of rainfall has fallen around Lake Balaton. Moreover, the cooler nighttime temperatures are advantageous for aroma development, hence he expects this year’s vintage to be better and richer in aromas than last year’s, he explained.

József Tavaszi, the chairman and CEO of Balaton Agrár Zrt., said that the grape sector accounts for 10–12 percent of the company’s revenue. Their own vineyards cover 150 hectares, and they provide services on an additional 80 hectares of integrated land. They also purchase grapes from a similarly sized area. Last year, their winemaking facility processed 2,000 tons of grapes.

Varga Winery told MTI in a statement that the winery employs 159 people and cultivates 146 hectares—106 around Lake Balaton and 40 in the Eger region. The company deals with 40 grape varieties. Depending on the vintage, they process 150,000 to 200,000 quintals (15,000–20,000 tons) of grapes annually at their two sites. Based on 0.75-liter bottles, they market about 13 million bottles of wine, 95% of which are sold domestically. Their largest export market is Slovakia.

Regarding their development plans, they stated that they intend to purchase bale openers and balers for the bottling plant, as well as winemaking equipment. Additionally, they plan to build a warehouse and a solar park. They have applied for funding, and the evaluation process is ongoing.

Varga Winery also commented on wine consumption trends, reporting that red wine is no longer fashionable, rosé consumption is also showing a significant declining trend, while fresh, fruity, reductive wines are becoming increasingly popular.

Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Katona Tibor