Volcanic Wines

Hungary was literally forged in fire. Millions of years ago, the Pannonian Sea receded and left behind extinct volcanoes whose lava and ash cooled into basalt, rhyolite tuff, andesite, dacite and zeolite. Although volcanic soils cover just one percent of the earth’s surface, they are abundant here, underpinning many of the country’s top vineyards. These well‑drained, mineral‑rich soils force vines to dig deep, resulting in wines with vivid acidity and a distinctive flavour pulse – think wet stones, salt, steel, flint and smoke.

Each volcanic rock type leaves its imprint. Rhyolite tuff, common in Tokaj and Eger, produces elegant wines with racy acidity and chalky minerality. Dacite delivers sleek, aromatic wines with crisp texture. Andesite, found in Eger and Mátra, yields structured wines that balance ripe fruit with earthy minerality. Basalt, the bedrock of Somló and Badacsony, creates steely, smoky wines with salty undertones and electric tension. Zeolite, Tokaj’s hallmark, adds fine chalky texture and crystalline acidity. Topsoil depth matters too: shallow soils over volcanic rock give taut, dense wines, while deeper clay produces rounder, fuller styles.

This collection spans Hungary’s volcanic arc: taut Furmints and Hárslevelűs from Tokaj, spicy Egri Bikavérs from rhyolite tuff, saline Juhfark from Somló’s basalt, and unique Kéknyelű from Badacsony’s witness mountains. Dive into wines that deliver grand‑cru terroir without the price tag, and discover why Hungary is fast becoming the world’s epicentre of volcanic wine.