One of the most beautiful regions in Pannonia is the wine region of Balatonboglár, where the Celts and Romans were already growing grapes and making wine. Our ancestors became acquainted with this plant in the Caucasus region. After the foundation of the state by St Stephen the Benedictine monastic order established its headquarters in Pannonhalma (1002), then Andras I founded the Abbey of Tihany (1055), followed by King St László, who founded the nearby Abbey of Somogyvár and invited the monks of Saint-Gilles from France (1091).
According to the donation letters of the Hungarian kings, the monks received considerable estates, including ploughs, forests, pastures, vineyards and orchards. It can be assumed that the monks used the most advanced horticultural techniques of the time in this area as well. The population around the monastery also planted more and more vineyards. The coat of arms was granted to Somogy County by King László II in 1498, in the centre of which a bunch of grapes can be seen. According to the donation letter there was so much wine in this county that it belonged to the richest counties of our country. This flourishing grape-growing was brought to an end by a century and a half of Turkish occupation, and later the revival of the viticulture was destroyed by the phylloxera at the end of the last century.
The wine region of Balatonboglár is located on the southern shore of Lake Balaton, about 50 km long and in places 15-20 km wide. The vineyard area of the wine region is 3400 hectares. It comprises 32 municipalities and their wine-makers are united in 6 winegrowers’ associations. The wine-makers of the Balatonlelle winegrowers' association cultivate nearly 500 hectares. Thanks to our location and natural features, the region is not only ideal for growing grapes, but it is also an attractive destination for hiking. From early spring you can go for long walks and bike rides on Kishegy. If you climb up the mountain, you can stop at several wineries along the way and quench your thirst with a spritzer or rosé. There are also several certified wine cellars on the wine trail, where winemakers welcome their guests. The local people are proud of their renowned winemakers, whose wines are well received at national and international wine competitions year after year. Typical wine varieties are. Yellow Muscatel, King's Daughter, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Rhine Riesling, Welschriesling, Pinot noir, Blue Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
In recent years Kishegy has been the home of renowned gastronomic events such as the Kishegy ‘Kortyok és Falatok’ Festival in April and the Murci Festival in October.
