The home of the Unpronounceable wines, Neszmély

TOUR STARTS | ON REQUEST | Neszmély is a small wine region in northern Hungary, located on the banks of the Danube River only an hour drive from Budapest. The region has long winemaking traditions, that goes back to medieval times. Some estates have already been established during the 18th century. The most successful grapes in the 1500 hectares’ vineyards are the aromatic white varieties mostly with high-acidity. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Irsai Oliver and Olaszrizling are the most widespread examples, however Chardonnay is also doing well here. Wine searchers can find an increasing number of wines here. The tiny riverside town of Neszmély (after which the region is named) is the home of the region's best-known winery by far: Hilltop. Located on a hill overlooking the Danube, the Hilltop winery's range of wines – particularly the whites made from Cserszegi Fűszeres, Irsai Oliver and Grüner Veltliner – have been attracting a great deal of international attention. Other smaller scale producers appeared in the past decades with very good wines.