The association of the most prestigious family wineries

25 years ago, 10 prestigious family wineries founded Pannon Wine Guild, an association to represent quality grape growing and winemaking in Hungary. The association is active with several events and great ideas like the Pannon Wine Pass – a “passport for great estates”, check it out now! The members have recently elected the new president: Andrea Gere from Gere Attila Winery in Villány!

Following the path of the pioneers

Hungary has been a wine producing country for centuries, Tokaj was the first wine region defining the borders of its appellation, and there are vineyards almost in every corner of the country. However, the second half of the 20th century was marked by mass production due to the Communist rule, and to serve the Soviet market. After the fall of the Iron Curtain life went back to normal, but it was not easy. Just think of it: while in Bordeaux or Tuscany wine knowledge and records of the vintages were passed from father to son, from generations to generations, we had a gap of 40 years, and winemakers had to start almost from scratch. Attila Gere was one of the pioneers to travel abroad to learn how to rebuild a wine country on the ruins.

Andrea Gere, her daughter is the first second generation president of Pannon Wine Guild, and with reason. She and her husband are taking over the winery while still working closely with Attila, the founder. Yet, Andrea and her husband, Kristóf Csizmadia are not just following the father’s heritage, they are true innovators. They introduced organic viticulture in the estate and created several new brands, like the single vineyard Villányi Franc (Cabernet Franc) from Ördögárok. The winery boasts a gorgeous wine hotel, the subtle interior design was created under Andrea’s guidance. She also has a high-quality skin care product line based on grapes – proving her creativity and great sense of business.
We are looking forward to see activities of Pannon Wine Guild under her presidency.
The new vice-presidents are Ottó Légli and Tamás Thummerer.

“I have always held in high esteem the pioneering work of my father’s generation, the founding members of the Pannon Wine Guild, who later joined. The goals and tasks were different then, and they are different now, but the wonder and cohesiveness of wine remains the same. It is a privilege to continue the work begun by our predecessors, now as the president of the association.” – commented Andrea Gere.
More about Gere Attila Winery

What to know about Pannon Wine Guild

– See the members of Pannon Wine Guild here (the presidency is not updated yet)
– More information about Pannon Wine Pass – ideal if you have the chance to visit several estates.
– The annual Christmas tasting is an event to look for!
– Bussay Award – this award commemorates one of the founding winemakers, the late László Bussay. The award goes to non-winemakers: wine writers, actors or other renowned people, who contributed the wine culture in Hungary.

35 iconic winemakers and 100 wines of them

It is always a privilege to taste grate wines, but what a privilege it is when the creator himself pours the wine! And what if the producer is a legend? Then imagine a hall full of legends. That’s Christmas for Hungarian wine connoisseurs…

Pannon Wine Guild is an association of the most significant family wineries throghout the country. It was founded by 1999 by 10 wineries and it is a prestige to become a member. The Guild has 35 members at the moment, and at this festive tasting all the members will be present, some of them with more than one generations.

Date and time: 5th December, 2023, 17.00–21.00
Venue: Hungarian University of Sport Science, Event Hall, Alkotás u. 42-48., Budapest, Hunga
Tickets:
– Basic Entrance Ticket: 24 990 HUF / 65 EUR
– Support Entrance Ticket: 49 990 HUF / 132 EUR
(Participants purchasing Support Entrance Ticket will support an initiative to create a memorial place dedicated to “The Genius of Hungarian Wine”, to devoted winemakers, viticulturists and other wine people of the past and our recent past.)
Ticket includes rent of a wine tasting glass, tasting of all the 100 wines, water and some wine bites (by “Szabi a Pék”).
You can buy tickets here (in Hungarian, sorry). If you have problems, do not hesitate to contact us.

Pannon Wine Guild members – participating wineries

• Árvay Family Winery, Tokaj
• Balla Géza, Ménes, Transylvania
• Bock Winery, Villány
• Bolyki Winery, Eger
• Bott Frigyes Winery, Slovakia
• Bussay Winery, Zala wine region
• Dúzsi Family Winery, Szekszárd
• Eszterbauer Winery, Szekszárd
• Figula Winery, Balatonfüred–Csopak
• Font Winery, Kunság
• Frittmann Winery, Kunság
• Gál Tibor Winery, Eger
• Gere Attila Winery, Villány
• Gere Tamás and Zsolt Winery, Villány
• Györgykovács “Micro Estate”, Somló
• Heimann Family Estate, Szekszárd
• Hernyák Estate, Etyek
• Jásdi Wine Terrace, Balatonfüred–Csopak
• Jekl Winery, Villány
• Légli Estate, Balatonboglár
• Luka Winery, Sopron
• Pannonhalma Archabbey, Pannonhalma
• Pendits Vineyards, Tokaj
• Sebestyén Cellar, Szekszárd
• St.Andrea Vineyards, Eger
• Szeremley Wine House, Badacsony
• Szőke Mátyás & Zoltán Winery, Neszmély
• Takler Wine Estate, Szekszárd
• Thummerer Winery, Eger
• Tiffán Winery, Villány
• Tokaj Kikelet Cellar and Workshop, Tokaj
• Tóth Ferenc Winery, Eger
• Vesztergombi Cellar, Szekszárd
• Vida Family Wine Estate, Szekszárd
• Vylyan Vineyards, Villány

Watch a short video of the 2022 edition to get an idea of the event:

Gastro Paradise in the town of Tata (40–50 minutes from Budapest)

The only 2 Michelin star restaurant of the Hungarian countryside, Platán will host 26 other renowned restaurants, confectioneries or bakeries. The outdoor event takes place in the castle park of the town of Tata, participants can taste great food at reasonable price. Wines will be poured by members of Pannon Wine Guild from all over Hungary – even from Hungarian wineries over the border.
Just to mention a few: Bock, A. Gere and Gere Tamás & Zsolt from Villány, Dúzsi, Eszterbauer, Heimann and Vesztergombi from Szekszárd, Pannonhalma Archabbey Winery from Pannonhalma, Gál Tibor and Tóth Ferenc Wineries from Eger, Bott Frigyes from Slovakia and Balla Géza from Romania.

Important information

Venue: Esterházy Castle park, Tata, Hungary
Date and time: 9 and 10 September 2023, on Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, on Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm
Registration is needed prior the event online. Ticket costs 2000 HUF (about 5 EUR), of which 1000 HUF is a voucher to b used at the vendors.
Register here (in Hungarian, but very simple, google can help)
List of exhibiting restaurants (scroll down) and wineries (scroll down almost to the bottom)
Contact: info@svet.hu, +36 70 634 5182
How to get to Tata: by car it takes only 50 minutes via M1 motorway. With an Intercity train from Kelenföld railway station it takes only 37 minutes.
The name of the event: SVÉT 13.0
SVÉT 13.0, Tata – the name SVÉT is an abbreviation of ‘Stílusos Vidéki Éttermiség’ meaning something like ‘Stylish Intellectual Gastronomy from the Countryside’

What is Pannon Wine Guild?

Pannon Wine Guild (in Hungarian Pannon Bormíves Céh) is an association of the most significant family wineries throghout the country. It was founded by 1999 by ten wineries – ever since then it has been a prestige to become a member. They hold tasting events, among others the annual Christmas tasting. The Guild has 33 members at the moment.

Official website (in Hungarian):
www.pannonbormivesceh.hu

Pannon Wine Guild is an association uniting iconic family wineries of Hungary. The Guild had planned to have a workshop with 20 wines just at this weekend at VinCE Budapest Wine Show, but, like many other events, it was cancelled (it is postponed to 6–7 June). While wine lovers are staying at home, we recommend a smart feature of Pannon Wine Guild – a great help to plan a future trip. The Guild created a passport, which is available at every member. If you visit any of the member wineries, ask for your passport – with the first stamp. Then each visited winery will give you a stamp. After the 5th stamp a free glass of wine is given, after the 10th one a wine tasting of 3 wines is provided. After the 15th stamp a bottle of wine is given, while after the 20th one a winery visit with 5 wines (including a top wine) is granted. Then you can start again… The official website of the Guild is in Hungarian, but you can still browse the member wineries, and by clicking on a member, you get to the winery’s website, which is usually available in English. József Bock, Mónika Debreczeni (Vylyan), Tamás Dúzsi, Tibor Gál, Attila Gere, Tamás Gere, János Eszterbauer, Vilmos Thummerer, Katalin Tóth, Csaba Vesztergombi are just some of the members and János Frittmann is also a member – he and his brother run the most important winery in the largest wine region in Hungary. Kunság was not known about quality wines until the Frittmanns put the region on the wine map. Their juicy Irsai Olivér and Cserszegi Fűszeres are perfect examples of these aromatic grapes, Frittmann rosé is always crispy and fruity, and the rare Ezerjó grape also plays important role: they make a bottle fermented sparkling wine of the variety! A barrel aged still version of Ezerjó is also a must-taste: “The fragrance of this lemon coloured wine shows notes of honey, butter and vanilla as well as some yellow-fleshed fruits. Aromas are nicely echoing the bouquet, and toasty notes appear along with flavours of apple, pear and mango. These latter ones provide a special creamy character to this wine, though keep its straight and vivid acidity as a primary structural element. Spicy aftertaste lingers on the palate.”

Read more about Frittmann wines

Find members of Pannon Wine Guild (scroll down to ‘Tagok’ meaning ‘members’)