Bencze Birtok: five releases from the volcanic slopes above Balaton
From the newsletter archive. Originally sent 3 December 2025; adapted for the Journal on 29 October 2026.
A small beginning above Lake Balaton
István Bencze founded his estate in 2011 with a small parcel on Szent György hill. Our December 2025 newsletter followed the development of that beginning into a biodynamic estate centred on healthy vines and living soils.
The vineyards stretched across the southern slopes of the hill, with Hungarian varieties including Kék Bakator, Furmint, Hárslevelű and Kéknyelű alongside Riesling, Pinot Noir and Chenin Blanc. Templomdombi was a particular focus, its basalt and volcanic material mixed with Pannonian sandstone and brown forest soil.
Working with the vineyard
István’s approach began with regular observation and a willingness to keep the vineyards in a semi-wild state to support biodiversity. In the cellar, the newsletter described gentle handling by gravity, maturation in amphora and selected barrels, and wines bottled without fining or filtration.
The estate’s work was presented through the character of the wines rather than a single house style. Each grape and parcel offered another way to understand the same hill.
The wines in this release
Chenin Blanc 2022 brought a broad, textured expression, with ripe citrus, quince and an oxidative edge. Kékfrankos 2022 was the brighter red introduction: raspberry and damson, herbs and pepper, with a juicy texture.
Kék II, blending the 2021–2023 vintages, explored Kék Bakator through delicate red fruit and a light structure. Kadarka 2023 continued that theme of finesse, while Atlas Pinot Noir 2022 added layered red berries and gentle herbal notes from the upper vineyards.
Together, these five bottles made the case for looking closely at both the familiar and the less familiar varieties of Hungary.