Somló is a small wine region producing “big” white wines.  It is named after the name of a dormant volcano, classic “cone shape”, 430 meters high. The wines produced in Somló are a beautiful reflection of their terroir. As you sip the wine, close your eyes and feel the flavors of the volcano in your mouth, it is the best match for the rich tasty Hungarian dishes of the area. Welcome to Somló!

 

Location, Climate & Soil

Somló wine region is part of the Transdanubia region, in the northwestern part of Hungary. It consists of the Somló hill, two adjoining lower hills, the slopes and their surrounding area. The hills are well noticeable from a distance, because of their dark color and volcanic soil against the flat terrain surrounding them. 

 

The climate is a moderate continental climate, windy, with long hot sunny summers and warm sunny dry autumns.

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The soil, mostly basalt rock, retains the heat of the day and releases it at night. The rains are easily drained. The fertile slopes of the hill are covered with vineyards, at an altitude ranging 170 - 350 meters. Typically, the best vineyards are those on the southern sunny slopes and in areas where the soil is more basalt. 

 

Witness Mountain Wine History

Over the years, the solitary mountain has been called the “Witness Mountain” and the “Hat That the Lord Left Behind”. Its height, dark color and location in an open plain were a natural place for a medieval castle and later - a monastery. The monks cultivated vineyards on the hill slopes, as wine was important, both for religious purposes and as a source of income. 

 

For centuries, the vineyards belonged to the monastery and to rich aristocrats. The aristocrats considered viniculture a fashionable hobby and enjoyed presenting their own wines on the dinner table when entertaining friends. For both types of owners - investments in the vineyards were minimal. 

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Wedding Night Wine

Interestingly, there has been a common belief for centuries that Somló wines have unique medicinal qualities. While people sometimes say that they drink wine “for medicinal purposes”, Somló wines were sold for a long time in pharmacies and people drank them for their medical and therapeutic qualities as a way to treat a variety of ailments.

 

Later, the specific medical application became more refined, and it was firmly believed that drinking Somló would guarantee a baby boy. Quite appropriately, the wine was nicknamed “Wedding Night Wine”. We certainly believe in the healing qualities of wine as a rule, and are quite positive that the wine worked at least in half of the situations. 

 

Phylloxera, Wars & Communist Regime

At the turn of the 19th century into the 20th, like most of Europe, the vineyards were attacked by the phylloxera insects and almost destroyed. Then, a few years later, the vineyards were damaged during the First World War and again during the Second World War. The final blow came at the end of the war, when Hungary became part of the communist Soviet Union. 

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Generally speaking, a communist society is based on common ownership of the means of production, without relying on social classes, money or individuals. Communism does not believe in individualism. Everyone needs to be blended together into a big masse by the massive wheels of the administration of the state.

 

Wine is part of culture, and reflects its values. The effect of communism on Hungarian viniculture was dramatic, and Somló was no exception. The vineyards were nationalized into giant farms, and the grapes were sold to state-run cooperatives that produced wine. All grapes were treated the same way, regardless of quality or variety, and the wines were blended, and "flattened" into bulk, inexpensive, unrefined wines that were exported by the state to East and Central Europe. 

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The passion and soul so critical to wine-making were completely lost, cultivation deteriorated, no investments wineries, technologies or equipment were made, the quality of grapes deteriorated, old wine-making traditions were abandoned in favor of short term simple rough processes, treating the vines as a resource that should be exploited rather than as an asset to invest in, and the wine was produced by a soulless mass production facility. 

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Modern Wines Revival

When the communist period ended in 1989, the vineyards were divided into many small units, and privatized to “hobby winemakers”. Wine production requires passion and dedication and, indeed, over time, professional wine-makers have taken over the vineyards and modernized the equipment and the wine production techniques.

 

During the past 10-15 years, Somló has emerged as one of the best areas for white wines in Hungary. The new generation of wine-makers are also applying organic methods as part of a sustainable approach. 

 

Somló Flavors

Born on the slopes of a volcano, drawing their nutrients from basalt rocks, Somló wines have a steel core, a perfect reflection of their terroir. These wines are not the typical light, fresh, summer, fruity white wines that pair so well with light dishes and seafood.

 

Somló wines are “big" white wines with a powerful salty mineral character, sharp acidic presence and a creamy full body density. As they age, the flavors open up and you taste the echo of the volcano reflected in the wine, with flavors of steel, smoke, stone and sometimes even petrol.

 

The production process intensifies these qualities, by oak aging in large old oak barrels and exposure to lees, including intentional oxidation, enabled during aging. The wine can continue to age in the bottles after it is sold, and the flavors will open up and intensify. Somló wines, as the reflection of their terroir, are perfect companions to the rich dishes of the excellent Hungarian cuisine. 

 

In the past, when the preference was for sweet wines, Somló wines were famous for their unique sweetness balanced by the acidity and the salty minerality. Today, when modern preference is for dry wines, the veil of sweetness is lifted and the full expression of the wines is revealed.

 

Somló Grape Varieties

The mineral-rich soil and moderate climate are ideal for a large range of varieties. The main varieties are native to Hungary like Furmint (highly acidic, herbal, mineral, ), Harslevelu (aromatic, highly acidic), Juhfark (rare distinctive white, typically blended with Furmint) and Olaszrizling (soft, fruity, acidic, salty).

 

In recent years international varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Semillon and Chardonnay are cultivated successfully in the region.

 

Traditionally most of the wines produced were blends, but in recent years more varietals are produced.  

 

Most Somló wines are white, with very few reds. In addition, high quality sparkling wine are being produced recently from Furmint, in the traditional method. 

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