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By John Penney, guest contributor
More than 25 years ago, Canadian-born Robert Gilvesy left a career in architecture to begin a journey that would lead him to restore a historic winery on the slopes of an extinct volcano overlooking Hungary’s Lake Balaton.
Volcanoes, Lakes and a Familiar Connection
On the northern shore of Lake Balaton, a chain of extinct volcanic hills rises dramatically above the water. Unlike many European wine regions whose landscapes have been softened by time, Badacsony still wears its volcanic origins openly. Flat-topped basalt buttes dominate the skyline, vineyards cascade down their slopes, and the lake stretches across the horizon, reflecting light back onto the vines.
For readers in British Columbia, the landscape may feel surprisingly familiar. While Badacsony and the Okanagan Valley differ in scale, both are lake-influenced wine regions where water plays a vital role in moderating temperatures and extending the growing season. In Badacsony, Lake Balaton reduces spring frost risk, slows autumn cold, and reflects sunlight onto the vineyards. Combined with constant air movement and the heat-retaining properties of volcanic soils, these conditions create an ideal environment for producing distinctive white wines.
The region’s foundation is basalt. Millions of years ago, volcanic activity created the hills that now define the landscape. Today, fractured basalt, volcanic tuff, and ancient ash contribute to wines that display a remarkable combination of freshness, minerality, and saline tension. Many producers speak of this volcanic character not as a marketing concept, but as something immediately recognisable in the glass.
Grapes We Know, Grapes We Don’t
For BC wine lovers, one of Badacsony’s most intriguing grapes is also one of its most familiar. Hungarians know it as Szürkebarát (“Grey Monk”), a name traditionally linked to the monks who spread the variety centuries ago. Elsewhere, it is better known as Pinot Gris.
Pinot Gris has become one of British Columbia’s most successful white varieties. In Badacsony, however, it takes on a different personality. The warmth of the volcanic slopes allows generous flavour development, while the lake helps preserve freshness. The resulting wines combine ripe orchard-fruit character with spice, texture, and a distinctive mineral edge. During my visit, I encountered excellent examples demonstrating why the variety continues to thrive here. While recognisably Pinot Gris, these wines reflected their volcanic origins in ways that would surprise many Canadian drinkers.
Yet Pinot Gris is only part of the story. Badacsony’s most distinctive wines are made from indigenous Hungarian varieties virtually unknown outside Central Europe.
The most widely planted is Olaszrizling (Welschriesling). In many parts of Europe it is regarded as a simple grape, but on Badacsony’s volcanic slopes it achieves an impressive expression. The finest examples combine citrus and almond notes with remarkable texture, minerality, and length.
Even more distinctive is Kéknyelű, a rare native variety found almost exclusively in this corner of Hungary. Once close to extinction, it is now being carefully revived by dedicated producers. Kéknyelű produces wines of purity, freshness, and linear structure uniquely suited to the volcanic soils. It remains one of Hungary’s most fascinating heritage varieties and a powerful expression of local identity.
The region is also witnessing renewed interest in Furmint, the grape most closely associated with Tokaj. On the basalt terraces of Badacsony it takes on a different character, producing taut, mineral wines shaped by both volcanic geology and the lake’s moderating influence.
The Gilvesy Story
For Canadian readers, however, one of Badacsony’s most compelling stories is personal. Among producers redefining the region is Robert Gilvesy, a Canadian-born entrepreneur of Hungarian heritage who established Gilvesy Winery on the slopes of Szent György-hegy. Drawn by the potential of the volcanic terroir, Gilvesy has become a leading advocate for quality-focused, organically farmed wines.
Robert grew up on a tobacco farm near Lake Erie in Canada, imbued with the culture of his parents and grandparents. After working as an architect in Paris, he returned to Hungary shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. There, he spent nearly two decades building a successful career as a business entrepreneur, founding a regional records management firm that expanded across Central Europe.
Looking to reconnect with his heritage, he pivoted to viticulture in 2008 as a partner in Káli Kövek cellars. This venture set the stage for 2009, when he acquired a derelict 17th-century estate on Szent György-hegy and oversaw a meticulous cellar restoration completed in 2014. His winery now occupies this beautifully restored space and has earned a reputation for producing some of the region’s most distinctive white wines, particularly from Sauvignon Blanc, Olaszrizling, and Furmint. During my visit, the wines consistently displayed precision, saline minerality, and a striking sense of place.
Gilvesy’s wines are available through several Canadian importers and retailers, providing a direct opportunity to explore the volcanic wines of Badacsony without travelling to Hungary.
Badacsony remains little known outside Europe, yet it offers a compelling combination of dramatic volcanic landscapes, distinctive indigenous grapes, and world-class producers. For BC wine enthusiasts, familiar touchstones like Pinot Gris and the Canadian connection provided by Robert Gilvesy offer an accessible entry point into a region that deserves far greater international attention.
This article is adapted from a longer report based on visits to producers in Hungary’s Badacsony wine region. The full article can be found at wineinsights
About the author
John Penney, founder of wineinsights, is a wine writer and wine experience guide based in Martinborough New Zealand. He writes about his local Martinborough wine region and wine regions he has visited around the world, including a previous series on British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. He also conducts private Martinborough wine tours for wine lovers and enthusiasts.
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