Hungary’s Volcanic Wine Regions

A deep dive into the intricacies of volcanic soil and its influence on wine. This article explores the volcanic geology and unique geography of Hungary, drawing inspiration from John Szabó MS and his groundbreaking book ‘Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit and Power’, on which much of this piece is based.

Hungary may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of volcanoes, but this Central European nation was literally forged in fire. Millions of years ago, vast volcanoes rumbled beneath the Pannonian Sea (the ancient inland sea that once covered today’s Hungary), spewing lava and ash. As the sea receded, it left behind extinct volcanic ranges and peculiar “witness mountains”.

Today, these volcanic hills define many of Hungary’s top wine regions, from the Basalt peaks by Lake Balaton to the rhyolite tuff mesas in the north. No active volcanoes remain, but their legacy endures in Hungary’s mineral-rich soils, thermal springs, and of course, in its distinctive wines.

A Land Shaped by Fire and Ash

We often come across words like basalt, rhyolite tuff, and andesite when reading about soil types in wine descriptions. Most of the time, we lump them together under the broad term “volcanic soil.” But in doing so, we gloss over the rich detail that these specific rocks reveal about a wine’s character.

Take rhyolite tuff, for example. Wines grown on this porous rock often show elegant structure, racy acidity, and refined mineral notes reminiscent of chalk and stone. Basalt, on the other hand is hard and iron-rich, producing intense wines with steely intensity and smoky, saline undertones.

The type of volcanic rock depends on how fast the lava once flowed – quick, fluid eruptions formed dark and dense basalt, while slow and viscous lava cooled into silica-rich rhyolite (we'll explore how each of these volcanic soils affect the resulting wines in the next section).

Nowhere is this diversity more evident than in Hungary, where volcanic bedrock underpins most of the country’s vineyards. Though volcanic soils make up barely one percent of the earth’s surface, they’re abundant here from Tokaj’s rhyolite slopes to Somló’s basalt hills. These igneous soils vary in composition but share key traits: they’re mineral-rich and well-draining, forcing vines to root deep into the rock. The result? Wines with vivid acidity and a distinct minerality – think wet stones, salt, steel, or even a hint of flint and smoke.

Let’s look closer at Hungary’s major volcanic soil types and how each shapes the wines in the glass, starting with the slowest-flowing Rhyolite.

Rhyolite Tuff

A compacted volcanic ash rich in silica, rhyolite tuff is one of the signature bedrocks of regions like Tokaj and Eger. Soft and porous, it offers excellent drainage and moderate fertility, often topped with layers of red or white clay. 

Wines from these soils tend to exhibit elegant structure, racy acidity, and refined mineral notes of chalk and stone. For instance, much of Eger’s terroir rests on rhyolite tuff, yielding fresh, fruity wines with a subtle stony backbone.

Rhyolite Tuff (rock) from the Eger region (Image credit: mindat.org)

Dacite

A light-coloured volcanic rock similar to andesite but higher in silica. Found in Tokaj, Eger, and the northern regions, dacite weathers into fine-grained soils that enhance finesse and aromatics. Dacitic soils provide good drainage yet retain enough moisture to keep vines in steady balance, giving wines with crisp acidity, sleek texture, and graceful fruit expression.

A Tokaji Furmint from dacitic slopes will often taste bright and mineral, while an Egri Bikavér grown on it gains freshness and tight, polished tannins.

Dacite rock with high iron content (Image credit: mindat.org)

Andesite

Andesite is an intermediate volcanic rock (between basalt and rhyolite in composition) that often contains iron which lends a reddish hue to some soils. In Tokaj’s Mád Basin, red andesite bedrock underlies top crus like Szent Tamás, giving the soil its distinctive colour and contributing to wines of remarkable depth and minerality. 

Pure andesite soils tend to produce powerful, structured wines with a similar mineral drive to basalt. In contrast, andesite tuff (fragmented volcanic rock) found in places like Eger and Mátra yields slightly softer, fruitier wines compared to basalt, but still with that volcanic tension. Overall, andesitic soils create a balance between ripe fruit expression and a grounded, earthy minerality.

Andesite with small mineral inclusions

Basalt

A hard, iron-rich volcanic rock found mainly in Hungary’s western regions such as Somló and Badacsony. Over time, basalt breaks down into dark, mineral-rich soils that retains heat well. This nutrient-poor, rocky terrain causes the vine roots to grow deeper which, contradictorily, intensifies flavour concentration. 

Wines grown on basalt are famed for their pronounced minerality, high acidity, and a distinctive steely, smoky, or even salty character. On Somló’s basalt slopes, these traits shine through in white wines marked by gunflint aromas, tangy freshness, and a lingering saline finish.

Basalt columns of the Devil’s Postpile in California (Image credit: fodors.com)

Zeolite

A hallmark of Tokaj’s terroir, zeolite minerals form long after the eruptions, when volcanic ash interacts with water and heat over millennia. Unlike basalt or rhyolite, which solidify from lava, zeolite is a secondary volcanic mineral created through slow hydrothermal transformation. These spongy crystals retain water and nutrients, helping vines thrive through dry summers.

Compared with basalt’s smoky bite or andesite’s firm edge, zeolite-influenced wines lean toward elegance. Vivid acidity, smooth texture, and a fine, chalky minerality. The Szent Tamás vineyard in Mád is famous for its zeolite-laden tuff, yielding Furmints with crystalline tension and exceptional ageing potential.

Zeolite is the signature of Tokaj's terroir (Image credit: migiminerals)

It’s important to note that many of these vineyards sit on a mosaic of soil layers. Volcanic bedrock is often overlain by clay or loam, creating complex terroirs within a single slope. In Eger, for instance, much of the region has brown forest clay soils resting atop rhyolite tuff. 

Vineyards with shallow topsoil over volcanic rock tend to produce taut, dense and mineral-driven wines, whereas deeper clay-rich topsoil produce rounder, fuller-bodied styles. 

Hungary’s Key Volcanic Regions

With that foundation, let’s explore Hungary’s key volcanic regions and see how geology meets grape in each landscape.

Tokaj

Tokaj is, without a doubt, Hungary’s most famous wine region. It is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its sweet Tokaji Aszú wines, but also a volcanic wonderland.

Located in the northeast at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, Tokaj rests on some 400 extinct volcanoes that have weathered into a complex patchwork of hills and valleys. This small region (~5,000ha of vineyards) boasts one of the most varied geologies in the wine world: andesite, dacite, rhyolite-tuff, zeolite, and patches of loess and clay.

View of Mád from the top of the Szent Tamás parcel (Image credit: winesofhungary)

But not all of Tokaj’s vineyards express volcanic power in equal measure. The Mád Basin, at the heart of Tokaj, contains some of the most intensely volcanic soils and hosts many of Tokaj’s legendary first-growth sites – Szent Tamás, Betsek, and Úrágya among them. Wines from these slopes are typically saline, and deeply mineral, often streaked with notes of chalk and smoke. By contrast, vineyards with a higher proportion of loess (wind-blown sediment) tend to yield softer, rounder wines with a more approachable texture.

Tokaj’s identity is rooted in its white grapes: Furmint, known for its razor-sharp acidity and capacity to mirror terroir, Hárslevelű, prized for its floral and honeyed aromas, and Sárgamuskotály (Muscat Blanc), which brings exotic aromatics and lift. Historically, these varieties were blended into Tokaji Aszú, the world-famous sweet wine that marries opulent apricot, honey, and marmalade richness with piercing volcanic acidity but today, Tokaj’s dry and sparkling wines have risen to prominence, revealing a new era for the region.

A dry Furmint from a top volcanic slope can deliver a taut, racy palate of citrus, green apple, and smoky flint, finishing long and mineral. The region’s best producers understand what Tokaj’s 1737 vineyard classification first recognised: each hill and each soil layer imparts its own voice.

A great example is Királyudvar Pezsgő Brut 2018, a traditional method sparkling Furmint. Grown on weathered volcanic ash and tuff soils, this bubbly carries the region’s signature acidity and mineral backbone. You’ll find green apple, citrus zest and a crisp, stony finish – a Tokaj terroir twist in a Champagne-like structure. Királyudvar even doses the wine with Tokaji Aszú, accentuating that volcanic-derived acidity and depth.

Somló

Rising steeply from the plains of western Hungary, Somló is an extinct volcano that stands alone and is nicknamed “the forgotten hat of God” for its cap-like shape against the horizon. It is Hungary’s smallest wine appellation (just ~424 ha of vines) but punches far above its weight in character and reputation.

Mt. Somló, one of the smallest wine districts of Hungary (Image credit: winesofhungary)

Somló’s entire hill is essentially a basalt volcano, fringed with layers of basalt tuff, clay, and marl on the lower slopes. The soils are a mix of basalt, basalt tuff (basaltic ash), plus clays and marl on the lower slopes. Vineyards encircle the hill at all aspects, climbing up toward clifftop basalt columns near a ruined castle – a stark, almost mythic setting for wines of striking power.

Somló is a realm of whites – notably Juhfark, Olaszrizling (Welschriesling), Furmint, and Hárslevelű. Juhfark (pronounced quite hilariously as ‘YOU-fark’) is Somló’s signature variety and a true child of the volcano. It is a neutral variety but on Somló’s basalt it transforms, yielding wines of piercing acidity, smoky aromatics, and briny, mineral flavours. Across varieties, a clear resemblance runs through Somló’s wines: gunflint and wet stones on the nose, taut fruit, electric acidity, and a lingering saline finish. These are wines of muscle and restraint, often described as “wedding night wines” in local folklore, believed to bless newlyweds with sons.

Juhfark grape bunch and its leaf (Image credit: winesofhungary)

Their formidable structure also gives them exceptional longevity. With age, Somló whites develop layers of coffee, nuts, and savoury umami while preserving their volcanic edge. For those seeking a white wine with tension, grit, and unmistakable terroir character, Somló is the answer – but be warned, Somló is not for the faint-hearted as it is the embodiment of fire and brimstone itself.

Badacsony

Moving south, along the northern shore of Lake Balaton, rises one of Hungary’s most striking wine landscapes – the Badacsony wine district. Here, ancient basalt “witness mountains” emerge dramatically from the lake’s edge, remnants of volcanoes that once erupted through the Pannonian Sea and later eroded into flat-topped mesas. The best known, Mount Badacsony (437m), is surrounded by kindred peaks such as Szent György, Csobánc, and Szigliget, all part of the Balaton Highlands Volcanic Field. For over two millennia, vines have clung to these mineral-rich slopes, benefitting from basalt’s heat-retaining properties and the tempering influence of Lake Balaton’s microclimate.

Badacsony is devoted to white wine. Olaszrizling and Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris) perform beautifully here, but the region’s true speciality is Kéknyelű, a rare native grape once nearly lost to history. It’s notoriously low-yielding and has female-only flowers, requiring other vines for pollination but on basalt soils it achieves a remarkable expression: delicate and citrusy in youth, evolving into textured, honeyed, and smoky complexity with age.

Badacsony’s wines are a balance between ripeness and minerality, richness and restraint. Basalt soils lend firm structure and a salty, stony edge, while the lake’s moderating influence and abundant sunshine encourage full ripeness. The resulting white wines are lush yet vibrant, often showing creamy, oily texture and crisp volcanic precision.

A typical Badacsony Olaszrizling might present ripe pear, almond, and floral notes over a backbone of flint and saline minerality. Despite its fuller body and high alcohol, it finishes clean and fresh. These wines remain underappreciated outside Hungary, but for those who seek intensity, elegance, and a tangible sense of place, Badacsony offers the rare pleasure of tasting a landscape forged of lava pillows and basalt columns.

Mátra

Stretching across the southern foothills of the Mátra Mountains – Hungary’s tallest mountain range – this northern wine district lies just west of Eger and offers a softer, more aromatic expression of volcanic terroir. Though less renowned internationally, Mátra is Hungary’s largest mountainous wine region and rests on an impressive volcanic foundation. Its soils are primarily composed of andesite and andesite tuff, with pockets of tufa and other volcanic sediments, creating a patchwork that balances structure and freshness. The slightly warmer and more sheltered climate compared to Eger shapes wines that are rounder and more fruit driven.

Mátra is known for its aromatic white wines, crafted from grapes such as Muscat, Traminer (the parent of Gewürztraminer), Rajnai Rizling (Riesling), and Chardonnay. These wines tend to be light, perfumed and approachable, with fresh acidity and a quiet mineral pulse that elevates its charm. Increasingly, winemakers are also turning to Kékfrankos and other red varieties, which thrive in the region’s volcanic/clay mix to produce supple, spicy reds reminiscent of those from nearby Eger.

Mátra’s connection to its volcanic heritage is celebrated each August in Gyöngyös, where the annual Volcanic Wine Festival gathers producers from across Hungary’s volcanic regions. If you enjoy fragrant whites with a hint of “something extra” (a tingle of minerality on the finish), Mátra is worth exploring.

Eger

Eger in northern Hungary is famed for its Egri Bikavér (Bull’s Blood), but before it was known for its reds, it was a white wine region – and a volcanic one at that. Eger sits just east of the Mátra and features a mix of volcanic and sedimentary soils. Much of the region’s base is rhyolite tuff from ancient eruptions, into which an extensive network of cellars has been carved. 

Above this volcanic base lie brown forest clay soils, limestone, and marl, and this is where Eger’s most famous Nagy-Eged Hill rises. The result is a striking terroir that unites the strength of fire with the elegance of marine sediment.

A cellar carved into volcanic rock (Image credit: winesofhungary)

This diversity is vividly expressed in the wines. Egri Bikavér blends Kékfrankos with varieties such as Pinot Noir, Kadarka, Syrah, and Cabernet, creating reds that balance depth with freshness. A well-made Bikavér should echo Eger’s cool climate and its volcanic roots, bringing vibrant acidity, fine tannins, and a subtle, ferrous minerality often described as “the blood of the volcano.” 

To honour its past, the region also created the Egri Csillag (Star of Eger), a white counterpart to the Bikavér. Egri Csillag is a blend of aromatic and structural grapes where wines are bright, floral, and zesty, carrying a distinct volcanic edge that lengthens the finish.

Eger’s cool continental climate ensures that both reds and whites retain tension and finesse. A good Bikavér offers sour cherry and plum, hints of earth and smoke, firm yet graceful tannins, and a lively, food-friendly acidity. An Egri Csillag, meanwhile, combines orchard fruit, citrus, and herbs with a flinty precision that betrays its volcanic and limestone mix. In both, fruit and minerality coexist in beautiful equilibrium. A signature of Eger’s dual geological identity.

Kékfrankos (Blaufränkish) grape bunch and its leaf (Image credit: winesofhungary)

St Andrea Áldás Egri Bikavér is a great introduction to Eger’s volcanic reds. Coming from vineyards with brown clay topsoil over rhyolite tuff, Áldás (meaning “Blessing”) delivers generous red berry and plum, wrapped in sweet spice and cool stony undertones. Fine tannins and vibrant acidity give it structure and ageability, while that subtle smoky mineral note ties it unmistakably to Eger’s tuff soils.

On the white side, St Andrea Boldogságos Egri Csillag Grand Superior demonstrates how volcanic soils can impart tension even in an aromatic white blend. Boldogságos is a single-cru Egri Csillag from the Boldogságos vineyard, which has volcanic tuff mixed with limestone and clay. The wine is a medley of local varieties (Furmint, Hárslevelű, Olaszrizling and more) and offers layers of citrus, green apple, and delicate florals over a taut mineral spine. Its mouth-watering acidity and flinty finish speak clearly of its volcanic-limestone home.

The Allure of Hungary’s Volcanic Wines

One of the most compelling aspects of Hungary’s volcanic wine regions is their exceptional value. Compared with other celebrated volcanic terroirs – Mount Etna, Mount Veeder, Soave, or Santorini – Hungarian wines offer comparable Grand Cru-level terroir without the premium markup.

For true wine lovers, you can freely explore flavours that are truly exceptional – the salty, flinty tang of Somló, the refined mineral tension of Tokaj, the spicy, cool-fruited lift of Eger – all without straining your wallet. These wines invite discovery rather than exclusivity, with each sip carrying the memory of ancient eruptions, centuries of winemaking craft, and the quiet precision of modern hands.

From Tokaj’s hallowed slopes to Somló’s solitary cone, every region expresses its own shade of “volcanic character,” yet all share a common pulse of vivid acidity, depth, and that elusive sensation of salt, smoke, and stone.

What sets Hungary apart is how it turns geological rarity into everyday pleasure. These vineyards grow on soils that cover barely one percent of the planet, yet the wines remain remarkably accessible. A crisp Kéknyelű from Badacsony, a smoky Juhfark from Somló, or a bubbly Pezsgő from Tokaj, each glass is a journey through landscapes few have tasted.

So pour a glass and experience it for yourself. These wines don’t just tell you where they come from, they make you feel it. In a world of increasingly homogeneous wines, Hungary’s volcanic regions stand apart like geologic rebels, delivering character in spades.