Csopaki Olaszrizling at Its Best – Villa Gyetvai and the Balatonfüred–Csopak Region

Last year, I tasted the wines of Villa Gyetvai, and that experience made me want to learn more about the Balatonfüred–Csopak wine region — the home of Csopaki Olaszrizling. I already knew that Lake Balaton is surrounded by vineyards with very different personalities — volcanic in Badacsony, sandy on the south shore, and here, in Csopak, limestone-based elegance. Here, limestone, volcanic traces, and red sandstone shape the character of the wines in a way that is impossible to ignore.

Where Are We?

Let’s start with a map. The Balatonfüred–Csopak region stretches along the northern shore of Lake Balaton, from Zánka in the west to Balatonalmádi in the east. Its most notable villages include Balatonfüred, Csopak, Lovas, Felsőörs, Szentantalfa, and Balatonszőlős. Historically, Balatonfüred has been a centre of winemaking, while Csopak represents a more vineyard-focused, precise side of the region. Both together define this district as a benchmark for Csopaki Olaszrizling.

Limestone, Red Sandstone, and Volcanic Soils

The soils here are fascinating: base layers of phyllite schist and ancient volcanic rock are topped with the Permian red sandstone that gives Lovas and Csopak their distinctive colour. Above all, the Triassic limestone and dolomite provide the foundation for the region’s most elegant wines. This limestone is key: it gives Csopaki wines crisp acidity, elegance, and a finely etched mineral backbone. Walking through the vineyards, the contrast between red and white soils translates directly into the character of the wines in your glass.

Grapes of the Region

Csopak is a white wine region first and foremost, and its identity is inseparable from Olaszrizling. Here, the grape achieves its purest form: greenish-yellow wines with citrus and floral notes, vibrant acidity, and an almond-like finish. With age, these wines develop nutty, honeyed depth while keeping their structure.

Olaszrizling – The Grape

Despite its name, Olaszrizling is not related to Riesling. In fact, it is Hungary’s most widely planted white grape variety, grown from the Balaton to Tokaj. At its best — and Csopak is one of the benchmarks — it produces wines that are crisp, elegant, and unmistakably mineral. Expect aromas of citrus, apple, and white flowers, with that signature bitter-almond note on the finish. Olaszrizling can be light and refreshing when young, but with age, it gains layers of honey, toast, and hazelnut while keeping its structure intact. This balance of freshness, minerality, and longevity is what makes Csopaki Olaszrizling so distinctive and so beloved among Hungarian whites.

Other varieties thrive here too:

• Riesling – taut and mineral-driven
• Tramini (aka Gewürztraminer) & Rizlingszilváni – aromatic and delicate
• Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Ottonel Muskotály – international varieties that find their home here

Reds are rare but exist in warmer spots like the Tihany Peninsula, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zweigelt, and Pinot Noir.

Two Faces of Balatonfüred–Csopak

What makes this region so fascinating is that even within such a small stretch of land, the wines can show two very different personalities. On the Balatonfüred side, the soils are slightly deeper, often mixed with loess, and the microclimate is a touch warmer thanks to the protection of the hills. This often translates into fuller-bodied, rounder wines with more weight on the palate. They can be generous and fruit-driven, and sometimes they even carry a delicate floral tone locals call rezeda – a sweet, almost lilac-like scent that adds a charming lift to the whites.

On the Csopak side, things take on another dimension. Here, the vineyards sit on thinner, limestone-rich soils closer to the lake, where breezes keep conditions cooler and drier. The wines are tighter, fresher, and more linear, with a noticeable mineral backbone. The acidity is usually a little higher, giving the wines precision and tension. This style of Csopaki Olaszrizling is what has given the area its prestige, producing bottles that age beautifully and often carry a salty, stony edge that reflects the terroir.

Together, these two faces of Balatonfüred–Csopak show just how much subtle geography can matter, even around the same lake.

The Csopaki Kódex

To protect the identity of Csopaki Olaszrizling, local winemakers created the Csopaki Kódex, a strict community-based classification system. It defines vineyard sites, yields, and winemaking methods, ensuring that only wines truly reflecting Csopaki terroir can carry the name. It’s one of Hungary’s strongest examples of terroir-based regulation and gives both producers and consumers confidence in the authenticity of what’s in the bottle.

Villa Gyetvai

Villa Gyetvai embodies this connection between land, tradition, and hospitality. The winery is located in a classic villa building in Balatonfüred, surrounded by an old, tree-filled park. Their vineyards are spread across Paloznak, Aszófő, and Tihany, each site contributing something different to the portfolio.

The range begins with fresh, fruit-forward white wines, continues with a playful siller, and extends all the way to serious reds and even a selection of pálinka. Local varieties play a central role — especially Olaszrizling, Furmint, and Kékfrankos — while the estate also experiments with personal favourites such as Riesling, Chardonnay, and Syrah.

In 2023, they introduced their Gastro wine family, aimed primarily at restaurants and wine merchants. This line includes a crowd-pleasing Sauvignon Blanc, an exotically aromatic Fűszeres Tramini, the classic Balaton Olaszrizling, and the fruit-bomb Rosso, a youthful reductive red.

The winery’s labels are just as thoughtful as the wines. Inspired by the old postcard culture of Lake Balaton, the design team at Graphasel Studio avoided clichés and instead drew on the personal messages written on the backs of postcards. The labels combine monochrome photos — the kind of spontaneous snapshots anyone might take at the lake — with geometric elements such as suns or grape clusters reimagined in a modern style. The result is packaging that feels nostalgic and contemporary at the same time, designed to transport drinkers straight back to the Balaton whenever they open a bottle.

The winery itself is more than just a cellar. The ground floor of the villa operates as both a wine bar and a cultural salon, hosting regular exhibitions, tastings, wine dinners, and cellar visits. The setting — the elegant villa and its park — offers a perfect backdrop for guests to experience not only the wines but also the atmosphere of Balatonfüred itself.

Tasting Notes of the Wines

Our tasting took place in a cozy restaurant in Budapest where Zsolt Gyetvai himself introduced the wines to me, sharing personal stories about each wines. Here are my favourites from that afternoon:

• Sauvignon Blanc 2023: Made from 20-year-old vines, this wine is a very New Zealand–style Sauvignon Blanc, full of intense green notes, gooseberry, and elderflower. The palate is crisp and lively, with zesty citrus and a touch of fresh herbs, giving it an energetic and vibrant character. Perfect as an aperitif or paired with lightly grilled seafood.

• Olaszrizling 2023: From Tihany’s meszes volcanic soils, the nose is ripe with citrus, white flowers, and subtle tropical hints. On the palate, it delivers juicy green and yellow apples, some quince, and a vibrant acidity that carries the wine through a long, harmonious finish. Mineral undertones add a refined backbone, making it both elegant and approachable.

• Olaszrizling Hajnóczy 2023: Bottled shortly before tasting, this wine needed a bit of air to reveal itself. Its nose offers creamy, milky notes alongside fresh citrus and pronounced mineral character. On the palate, there’s a vivid interplay between zesty acidity and the limestone-driven minerality, with subtle hints of green apple and a delicate floral touch. A complex, expressive example of Csopaki terroir.

• Chardonnay 2022: 90% oak barrique and 10% stainless steel. The bouquet is fresh and ripe, with yellow apple, quince, and light cream cheese aromas, complemented by vanilla, brioche, and subtle toast from the oak. The palate is lively and well-balanced, with high acidity and a long, fruit-forward finish that keeps the wine fresh and elegant.

• Rajnai Rizling 2021: A blend of 70% stainless steel and 30% barrique, this Riesling shows classic petrol notes intertwined with citrus zest and delicate floral hints. The acidity is high but well-integrated, creating a taut, mineral-driven structure. The finish is long and precise, highlighting both the varietal character and the limestone influence of Csopak.

• Rosso 2023: A light, lively blend of Kékfrankos and Syrah, this red offers vibrant aromas of red berries and a touch of spice. The palate is juicy and bright, with almost no tannins, making it incredibly approachable. Fresh acidity balances the fruitiness, and the strawberry-forward finish makes it a delightful, easy-drinking red for summer evenings.

Conclusion

What I love most about Villa Gyetvai is how they manage to combine tradition and creativity without losing sight of what makes Csopak special. Their whites are elegant, mineral, and refreshing, while their reds show a playful side of Balaton that often gets overlooked. The tasting was a perfect reminder that Csopak, with its volcanic and limestone soils and its deep-rooted wine culture. It is one of the most exciting regions in Hungary right now.

Tasting their wines gave me a deeper appreciation of Csopaki Olaszrizling, not just as a grape variety, but as the soul of this limestone-rich land. If you want to understand why this corner of Lake Balaton has such a special place in Hungarian wine, Villa Gyetvai is the perfect place to begin.

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