Szentesi Pince

József Szentesi comes from a Swabian family in Budaörs whose members have grown grapes and made wine for centuries. In 1998, he decided to return to this family tradition and has since resurrected numerous Hungarian grape varieties that had been forgotten before the phylloxera plague. His efforts earned him the Hungarian Winemaker of the Winemakers (Borászok Borásza) Award in 2013.

The estate spans 16 hectares, with 85% in Nadap, 10% in Pázmánd, and the remainder in Sukoró – thus avoiding urbanisation around Budaörs. From nearly 30 grape varieties, several (Csókaszőlő, Tihanyi Kék, Kék Bajor, Laska, Hajnos Kék) were selected and replanted based on 19th-century viticultural research. The granite-based, lime-rich soils of the Velence Hills provide an ideal terroir for these ancient varieties.

The winery operates with gentle, non-interventionist practices: spontaneous fermentation without temperature control, bottling without filtration or fining. József has worked with his daughter for over 10 years, and in recent years his grandson has also been helping.