Visit Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

The so called “Open Cellars” is an annual, nationwide event at Pentecost weekend. On 23 May wine enthusiasts are quite likely to “bump into a cellar”, since almost all of them are open and prepared for the visitors. Pannonhalma wine region is “cool” in many aspects, and Babarczi family winery awaits its guests with delicious food, live music, guided tastings and treat even for the unlucky driver.

Professor Gergely Szolnoki (Geisenheim University, Germany) has recently said in a conference that to be competitive in the market, cellars should offer extras and should think of the non-drinkers as well. The Babarczis have always been doing so, without having heard the professor’s advice.
Transfers are provided by the wine region, but if you prefer going by car, your driver will be well treated.

5 reasons to visit Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

– Pannonhalma wine region is one of the less known wine regions of Hungary, however, its importance is constantly growing. Discover it before others!
– Due to its cooler climate, wines of Pannonhalma are elegant, crispy, refreshing.
– It is a versatile wine region and Babarczi estate represents this versatility perfectly. Aromatic, refreshing Irsai Olivér, majestic Chardonnay and Rhine Riesling, playful aerated sparkling wine and a whole line of remarkable, complex red wines.
– The winery surrounded by a large courtyard and vineyards will make you feel at home. Cosy atmosphere and lovely staff including Zsuzsa Babarczi, the perfect hostess of the house and Ali, the “perpetuum mobile” dog of the estate.
– Events are the core of the winery to create a community of “Babarczi-lovers”, and as a result the team is experienced in these open-door things, they really know what makes guests feel good.
More info below the photos

Pannonhalmi Aeternum by Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

Babarczi family winery has already been proved the potential of Pannonhalma wine region to make stunning, elegant red wines. Marianum Cabernet Franc, Babarczi Merlot and their estate wine called Birtokvörös have been acknowledged at national and international contests and panel tastings. The new red wine is a Bordeaux blend and just like Marianum commemorating the late Mrs Mária Babarczi, this new wine also has a Latin word in its name with ‘aeternum’ meaning ‘eternal’.
Cover photo by Soma Fehér

Babarczi Pannonhalmi Aeternum 2022

Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
Ageing: 12 months in French oak barrel, and the rest in bottle
Price: 13990 HUF, however, in February visitors to the estate can purchase it at 11990 HUF.
How to get to the winery? It takes about 90 minutes by car mostly via M1 motorway, and 2 hours with public transport. It is worth combining with a winery visit and tasting, for more information contact the winery.
Website of the estate

The philosophy behind the wine

It is more than challenging to run an estate, but the family is always there, a team built on love. Zsuzsanna, the daughter focuses on the winemaking, and meets the challenges together with her brother László, her sister-in-law and certainly with her father, the founder of the estate. Let us quote the rest from Babarczi team:

“For us, Aeternum is not just the launch of a new wine. It is an idea that originates from the family. From a relationship that spans generations and connects us even when time has changed so much. The family is the constant point to which we can always return. It sustains us, gives us strength, and carries us forward even when the weight of work, decisions, and the passing years becomes increasingly heavy.

This premium wine is about perseverance. About values that do not fade, do not go out of fashion, and are not made for the moment. Just as family ties are not for a short period of time, Aeternum also requires time and gives time. Attention, patience, presence.

Pannonhalmi Aeternum opens slowly. Its aroma first reveals spices, pink pepper, cloves, nutmeg, barrel vanilla, and a delicate smokiness. After a few minutes, it really opens up, filling the glass with cassis, eucalyptus, forest blackberries, plums, and forest cherries, with a background of dark chocolate and a hint of cedar. On the palate, it is a full-bodied, mature wine with a still-young tannin structure. It is worth waiting for. The oak notes return in the flavour, followed by fruit and chocolate, with spices and vanilla lingering in the finish. A serious wine with great potential.
A sip that transcends the moment.
A wine that stays with us. In aeternum.”

An earlier article of ours about Babarczi Birtokvörös (‘Estate Red’)

Welcome to my estate!

About the Cabernet Franc made by Babarczi

Marianum Cabernet Franc 2022 from Pannonhalma

Borsmenta online food and wine magazine published the diary of a female winemaker, Kata Zsirai for a year. From now throughout a year another wine woman, Zsuzsanna Babarczi – Zsuzsi in short – tells the readers about the everyday life of a winemaker. Let us share the first chapter of the diary!

 

Borsmenta literally means peppermint, but if we take the word apart (bor s menta), the meaning changes into “wine and mint”, expressing the theme of the publication brilliantly. Borsmenta is a wine and food publication featuring things that spice up our life, just like wine and mint.
Borsmenta is full of wine reviews and recipes of mouth-watering dishes, it is more than worth following it! (Borsmenta is in Hungarian, but automatic translation is not an issue in our times.)

Zsuzsi’s diary, 1st chapter

My name is Zsuzsi Babarczi, and I am the winemaker and production and sales manager at Babarczi Winery. I was surprised and very excited when Edit Szabó (founder and editor-in-chief of Borsmenta) asked me to take part in this exciting adventure, namely to present my year. My first thought was whether people would be interested in what a female winemaker does on a daily basis, but then I decided to go for it – what did I have to lose?

The beginnings

Let me start at the beginning. There is an old photo of my mother planting grapes at the end of our garden, and I am already there with her, invisible, as she is pregnant with me – this was in 1980, to be precise. My parents bought a plot of land in the town of Győrújbarát at that time, planted grapes in the garden, and in 1986 they built a cellar as well. They thought it would be a nice little extra income alongside their main jobs. Then, in 1993, our lives took a turn: my dad lost his job, and since they were already working on about 5 hectares at the time, he decided to focus on that, but on a larger scale. The stars were aligned, as there were many vineyards for sale, so they invested all their savings in land and vines. Meanwhile, my brother and I were growing up, and between work and school, we didn’t have much time for anything else, no shopping malls or anything like that. I’m not saying that I preferred hoeing to going to Lake Balaton, but in those days, we didn’t really have a choice, and it was natural for our parents to involve us in the work.
However, studying always came first, and it never occurred to us not to continue our education. I knew for sure that I would not go to agricultural university, and if possible, I would seek my fortune as far away from viticulture and winemaking as possible. At that time, the international relations program (my father still cannot remember the name) started at Széchenyi István University in Győr, so I applied for that. I had always been interested in history, law, economics, and languages, and this program was a mixture of all of these. I later completed my master’s degree in Veszprém. I really enjoyed it.

St. Martin’s Day in Pannonhalma wine region

Are you based in Hungary and miss your family? Take part in the St. Martin’s Day “fiesta” at Babarczi in a tiny town near the city of Győr and you will feel at home, guaranteed! Babarczi Vineyard and Winery has collected several national and international gold medals and many top restaurants listed their wines, but the best experience is still to visit them and enjoy a true “Babarczi-party” with mouth-watering food and wines, warm and cosy atmosphere, laughter and dance.

Duck rillettes cover photo and recipe here by Chef Charlie
Babarczi Rhine Riesling in the cover photo pairs well with the fatty rillettes due to its crispy, brilliant acidity and elevating fruit profile.

Why on St. Martin’s Day?
Because wineries have their doors wide open at the weekend closest to St. Martin’s name day (11 November).

Why do we eat duck and goose dishes on St. Martin’s Day?
Scroll down for the answer.

What happens at Babarczi estate on the 8th of November?
Visitors can choose between 4 time slots to participate in a tasting of 5 wines accompanied by duck rillettes (by Izsóp restaurant) and fresh bread.

Tasting time options and prices
– 12.50-14.35 – 6500 HUF
– 14.50-16.35 – 6500 HUF
– 16.50-18.35 – 8000 HUF
– 18.50-20.35 – 8000 HUF
The afternoon tastings are slightly more expensive, because from 5 pm live music will be provided by a duo called AcouStone.
If you must drive, the same price applies, but you can take a bottle home.

How to book?
Write an email to the winery and don’t forget to mention the time slot you prefer.

Why do we eat duck and goose dishes on St. Martin’s Day?

Saint Martin has a special importance for Hungarians, since the famous bishop was born in the province of Savaria in 316 in the Roman Empire, in the territory of Hungary. Savaria is now called Szombathely, a city of about 90 000 inhabitants, and the church stands at his presumable birthday to commemorate him.
As a teenager, he became Christian to his father’s dislike. His father was a soldier of the Roman Empire and made his son to join the army as well. According to the legend once Martin cut his coat with his sword and gave half of it to a beggar in the street who had been robbed of his clothes. At the age of 22, Martin baptized, and devoted all his life to God. He founded the first monastery in Europe. He was so modest, that – as the legend says – he hid among the geese to avoid being made a bishop. As a memory to his modest character, people eat dishes made of goose or duck on his name day on (and around) 11 November.

More about Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

Meet Babarczi team in the city of Győr on 28–30 August

Though Babarczi Vineyard and Winery of Pannonhalma wine region has collected many accolades recently with their red wines, the majority of their production is still white. Crispy, vibrant, lively and juicy wines, why not pair them with cheese? In case you are in Hungary, it is worth visiting the city of Győr, “Wine Days” will take place in an island in the middle of the city!

Győr Wine Days

Date and time: 28 (17.00–24.00), 29 (16.00–02.00), 30 August (12.00–02.00), 2025
Venue: Radó island, in the centre of Győr, Hungary
How to get to Győr from Budapest: By car it takes approximately 90 minutes via M1. By public transport the best is to take an InterCity train from Keleti railway station, it is only one hour to Győr, then a short walk to the island.
The event is free, wines are to be purchased at the winery exhibitors.
Music program is provided, more information here (in Hungarian)

Babarczi medals at Winelovers Wine Awards 2025

The winery won 3 silver and 1 bronze medals with high scores at the latest edition of WWA.
– Babarczi Pannonhalmi Marianum (Cabernet Franc) 2021, silver medal, 89 points
– Babarczi Pannonhalmi Sirius (Chardonnay) 2023, silver medal, 89 points
– Babarczi Pannonhalmi Aeternum (Bordeaux blend) 2022, silver medal, 88 points
– Babarczi Pannonhalmi Merlot 2021, bronze medal, 85 points

Wine & cheese pairing by Babarczi

The family winery organises several relaxed events at the estate, and certainly food is provided on these occasions. And in a recent post the winery shared their wine and cheese pairing recommendations, so that Babarczi-fans can enjoy them at home as well.
– Sauvignon Blanc – the refreshing, fruity wine with greenish notes pairs well with goat cheese or Feta or other salty, white cheeses.
– Chardonnay – if the wine is a barrel aged, creamy textured wine, it pairs well with matured, silky cheeses, like Mozzarella or Camembert. Try to add walnut and pear!
– Olaszrizling – a more restrained, subtle wine, perfect with harder cheeses of nutty character, like Gouda or Emmental.
– Rosé – fresh, fruity and playful, ideal with soft cheeses like Brie.

A recent article of ours about the success of Marianum

The Best Wine of Pannonhalma: Babarczi Marianum 2022

A recent article about Babarczi Birtokvörös (‘Estate Red’)

Welcome to my estate!

Babarczi Estate Red with easy-to-make wine bites

‘Birtok’ means ‘estate’, and the estate wine is supposed to represent the style of the winery and the price is usually affordable. A wine to welcome guests at any time. Recently Vince wine magazine had a panel tasting of “estate red wines” – great idea –, and this new release from Pannonhalma received good review. We also tasted it – and we loved it! What is more, we got inspired and we made some typical Hungarian, easy-to-make wine bites.

Photo: Emma Katalin Dobos

Babarczi Birtokvörös 2022, Pannonhalma

Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Vince magazine panel: “Ruby colour. The nose reveals ripened sour cherry, subtle spices and barrel notes with a hint of vanilla. Refreshing, juicy palate with a pinch of tartness. Sour cherry, redcurrant, pomegranate. Easy-drinking with silky texture and medium length.”
Retail price is only 3300 HUF (approximately 8 EUR).
More about Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

Scroll down for the recipes!

150 wines from 40 wineries

Székesfehérvár is a historic city of Hungary, and the “Great Fehérvár Wine Tasting” is an important annual event of the city. This year 40 wineries await guests from all over the country, just to mention a few: Babarczi Vineyard and Winery (Pannonhalma), Borbély Family Winery (Badacsony), Dominium Winery (Mátra), Holdvölgy (Tokaj), Koch Winery (Hajós–Baja / Villány), Vylyan Vineyard and Winery (Villány). Székesfehérvár is only a 50-minute drive from Budapest, and the venue is a hotel, so it is more than worth staying for the weekend and discovering the nearby Mór wine region.

Date and time: 11 January 2025, 16.00–23.00
Venue: Mercure Hotel Székesfehérvár
How to get there: By car it takes 50 minutes via M7 motorway. By train it also takes 50 minutes (InterCity trains from Budapest Déli railways station, several times a day).
Tickets cost 11 500 HUF (approximately 28 EUR)
Extras: Hungarian Wine Grand Prix award ceremony at 16.30
Buy your tickets here.
See the full list of exhibitors here.

Hungarianwines.eu team is always eager to answer all the inquiries arriving in our mailbox, the email from Gilbert & Gaillard magazine was also answered, this is how it all began. Years by years several Hungarian wines are evaluated by the prestigious wine challenge (founded in 1989), and now the first ever comprehensive article has been published written by me, Ágnes Németh, owner and editor of Hungarianwines.eu.

Longer version accepted

On Hungarianwines.eu we often quote from other articles written about Hungarian wines, to make our readers curious and read the original article. Now the funny situation is that I quote from myself:)

“A small country with great pride, Hungary is home to 22 wine regions and more than 200 grape varieties. While domestic consumption has significantly dropped over the past two decades, producers are optimistic and seeking out new markets. Seasoned wine connoisseurs will undoubtedly find exciting wines by Hungarian winemakers, whether they are looking for indigenous rarities or outstanding examples of international varieties.”
It is an honour to have completed a work for this renowned wine magazine, and it is even more heart-warming for me that the longer version was published. I submitted the article of the required 1700 words, and another one of 2700 words, just in case. How can you squeeze a country into 1700 words? Certainly, an article like this can never be complete, but my aim was to give a basic introduction to this colourful wine country, and a snapshot of the recent wine consumption and export figures. Gilbert & Gaillard published an article about Tokaj in 2021, but this is the very first article about the whole country.
The magazine is in English, distributed in 22 countries, reaching hundreds of thousands of wine connoisseurs and professionals.
Thanks to Gilbert & Gaillard for the opportunity!

Read the article online on the 80th page here.

Read the wine reviews about A. Gere, Babarczi, Gál, Grand Tokaj, Sabar and Vylyan wines on page 125.

More about Gilbert & Gaillard

Match colours and flavours

Are wines only red or white? No, there are myriads of colours and hues, ruby, purple, golden and many more. And as for clothes the fabric has a special importance whether it is silk or linen, the texture of a wine is a key feature. The next weekend is Pentecost weekend, wineries open their doors all over Hungary and winelovers go visiting, tasting and enjoying the May weekend. Babarczi Vineyard and Winery offers a unique program on Friday, 17th May: NOS Simple Hungarian designer brand will bring its new limited edition Spring Mood collection, paired with the vibrant whites and complex, elegant reds of the estate. The next day, on Saturday the winery awaits guests with a more traditional program – cellar visits and tasting, and wines will be accompanied by artisan burgers made at the winery by Izsóp restaurant team.

Fashion show: 17 May, 18.30
Tickets: 14 000 HUF
Cellar visits and tasting with burgers: 18 May
Four cellar visits are available: 13.30, 15.30, 17.30, 19.30
Price for visit + 5 wines + a chosen dish: 8900 HUF
More information and tickets here
Phone: 0036703146318
How to get there: Babarczi estate is about 2 hours by car from Budapest. It is only a few minutes from the historic town of Pannonhalma and it is about 15 minutes from the city of Győr. There is a special bus service available from Győr (Hotel Famulus) at this weekend.
More info about the bus service here (in Hungarian, but google can help or you can contact us for help).
More about Babarczi Vineyard and Winery

Our latest article about Babarczi Marianum Cabernet Franc

“Instant theatre” in Pannonhalma wine region

Celebrate Women’s Day with the most proper way: with the beauty, the thoughts and works of women. On 8 March the small town of Győrújbarát (near Győr, about 2 hours’ drive from Budapest) will host a wine dinner combined with a casual performance of three great Hungarian actresses. Wines come from Babarczi Vineyard and Winery, while the dishes are provided by Izsóp restaurant and the actresses will perform pieces from a book written by a woman, Éva Janikovszky. The event is ideal for ex-pat winelovers, who are learning Hungarian – actresses are easier to understand, thus it is a great way to practice.

Cover photo: Felföldi Fotó

Do women get better with age? In connection with wine and men we keep saying so, but what about the women when they pass the 40th birthday? This question is in focus of this relaxed theatre program, where Mónika Tollár art director and art producer will talk with Patrícia Kovács and Zsófia Szamosi actresses – and the audience will also be involved.