SZieGL Pince: Petra and Balázs in Hajós-Baja
From the newsletter archive. Originally sent 8 May 2026; adapted for the Journal on 29 October 2026.
Two people, a shared direction
At the heart of SZieGL Pince are Petra and Balázs Sziegl. Our May 2026 newsletter introduced their family project in Hajós-Baja, a Hungarian region whose loess, clay, sand and limestone offer a different perspective on the country’s wines.
Balázs studied viticulture and focused his thesis on Kadarka. His work centred on the vineyards, clonal selection and the preservation of older vines. Petra trained in winemaking and led the work in the cellar.
Looking closely at each site
The newsletter described around nine hectares across five sites around Hajós and Érsekhalma, worked organically with substantial manual labour. Herbal teas and essential oils supported the vineyard work alongside careful use of copper and sulphur.
Monastery Hill was home to old Kadarka on loess. Herreberg brought together clay, sand and conditions that could encourage botrytis. Linden Road contributed Olaszrizling and Kékfrankos from a larger site rich in herbs and other vineyard life.
The historic press houses of Hajós placed this work within a long local tradition. Petra and Balázs were building on that history while developing their own understanding of the land.
Hungarian varieties in the foreground
Kadarka was central to the introduction, valued for its delicacy and the attention it requires. Olaszrizling, Kékfrankos and Kövidinka added other expressions of the region.
Spontaneous fermentations and restrained handling connected the wines to the vineyards. Small production and individually numbered bottles reflected the scale of the project: a family learning from its sites, working carefully and allowing each vintage to be different.
