Somlói Apátsági Pince

Somlói Apátsági Pince is a small winery from the Hungarian wine region Somló. Under the leadership of Zoltàn Balogh and Tibor Fazekas, a limited edition of wines is made from approximately three hectares of vineyard. The emphasis is on local grape varieties such as Juhfark, Furmint and Hárslevelű. Zoltàn and Tibor only bottle a few barrels per year and they are only exported in the best vintages. This small winery has a long and rich history.

The history of Somlói Apátsági Pince is steeped in historical events and the transmission of ownership from generation to generation. Its origins can be traced back to 18th century military cartography, which revealed that the current wine cellar site once housed a significant building.

In 1789, the vineyard became the property of József Rumi, a nobleman of that time. The vineyard and wine cellar subsequently passed into the hands of the Stern family from Vienna, where brothers Hugó and Ervin Stern managed the vineyards and wine cellar with care and expertise.

In 1901, Pannonhalma Abbey acquired the winery and the vineyards were merged with the vineyards that the abbey already managed. After nationalization in 1948, religious properties were confiscated, and the vineyards were divided into small plots. Nevertheless, the wine cellar continued to exist under the name Somlói Apátsági Pince.

The history of this winery is representative of the historical events and ownership changes in the region, but also demonstrates a determination to preserve winemaking and tradition. This is a wonderful example of the continuity and preservation of winemaking traditions in Somló and is an integral part of Hungary's winemaking history.

Today, under the leadership of Zoltàn Balogh and Tibor Fazekas, the winery cultivates approximately three hectares of vineyard with a strong emphasis on grape varieties such as Juhfark, Furmint and Hárslevelű, which represent the majority of their vineyards.

In addition, they manage some rarer varieties, such as Olaszrizling, Traminer and Sárfehér, albeit in limited quantities that are only sufficient for a few barrels. The winery has always been willing to experiment and innovate, and so other, sometimes very rare varieties are grown: Riesling, Mézes Fehér, Lisztes Fehér, Fehér Gohér, Barna Királyszőlő.