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The wine region of Sopron

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Description of the region is from the national tourismus agency.

The wine region

At the junction of the Foothills of the Alps and the Little Plain, the lively acidic red wines ripen on the slopes of the Sopron and Kőszegi Mountains.

Lake Neusiedl offers a pleasant mesoclimate, the uniqueness of which lies not in the reflected light but in the warm air that stops above the lake.

Basically wines have a characteristic of pomegranate, berry, spicy, richness in tannin and minerals and wines are typically aged in oak barrels. Light white and rosé wines are also found here.

History

Viticulture and winemaking have been a major source of income for the wine region since Roman times, as evidenced by the legend of the Blaufrankish associated with Napoleon's army.

The flagship of the wine region is the Blaufrankish, which is said to have been named after the winemakers of the time (called poncichters in Sopron) to accept only the high-quality Blue Franc from French soldiers.

Before the phylloxera plague, however, the area was characterized by white wines, and the Blaufrankish wine itself began to become pupular only afterwards.

From the 1920s, exports to the states of the Monarchy were shaken and wine production in Sopron went into crisis.

This is when the economically cultivated Blaufrankish gradually came to the forefront, which guaranteed a balanced quality.

By 1987, Sopron was awarded the title of "city of wine". After the change of regime, family estates took over the role of a state-owned enterprise.

Climate

The climate around the Fertő and the vineyards of Sopron is determined by the proximity of the lake, because the humidity that accumulates over the water in the morning will make the air warmer and more humid.

The nearby mountains provide windier weather, which in turn results in lower humidity, making wines further from the lake less full-bodied but more acidic.

All in all, it is characterized by moderate continental weather with a good long warm autumn season.

Soil and grapes

Its higher and mountainous areas might have rocky clay soils, which give the wine mineralisation, and brown forest soil is also present, which is favorable to vine growing, providing the plant with the right nutrients and water. And because of the limestone present, the wine of Sopron will be rich in tannin.

Typical grape varieties

White grape varieties: grünervelteliner, chardonnay, Irsai Oliver

Blue grape varieties: Bluefrankish, zweigelt, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir

Vinotravel.hu

"Sopron is clearly kékfrankos territory, with 1136 ha of the total area of 1533 ha under vines devoted to the grape. The remaining acreage is dominated by other black grapes.

Sopron is one of the few wine districts in Hungary where growers have apparently found a common ground. Kékfrankos is never missing from anybody's selection, and often claims pride of place in the cellar. The grape serves as a point of reference for the customer, enabling meaningful comparisons between styles and quality standards as represented by the district's wineries.

Among the runners-up are zweigelt (140 ha), cabernet sauvignon (120 ha), and merlot (75 ha). Yet one cannot form a true picture of the district's reds without taking into consideration syrah and pinot noir, of which there is very little but all the more remarkable in quality."

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