We usually hype up the Canary Islands, Sicily’s Mount Etna, and the Greek island of Santorini as the premier destinations for volcanic wines. These places are undeniably volcanic in origin, with black, fertile soils and... Read More

We usually hype up the Canary Islands, Sicily’s Mount Etna, and the Greek island of Santorini as the premier destinations for volcanic wines. These places are undeniably volcanic in origin, with black, fertile soils and in some cases, still active peaks.

But volcanic wine isn’t always synonymous with island wine. Some of the most fascinating volcanic wines we’ve tasted in recent memory originate in the landlocked country of Hungary, specifically the area surrounding Lake Balaton. Made from the native Hungarian grapes Furmint and Hárslevelű, these wines offer a medley of generous fruit notes, refreshing acidity and that unique savory minerality imparted by volcanic soils.

Somló is unique not just for its rich volcanic soils; it’s also one of the rare wine regions where only white grapes are allowed to be planted. Generations ago, the vineyards were mostly owned by rich aristocrats or the church, but today, people like Tamás Kis are setting up shop with a few hectares and making outstanding wines simply oozing with mineral complexity. Tamás’ vines can be found near the hill’s apex, where topsoil is sparse. They must dive deep into the basalt to find nutrients, and the volcanic signature is both undeniable and incredibly alluring.

Tamás worked in Eger — famous for Bull’s Blood wine, a particularly dark and rich blend — before buying a tiny piece of land in Somló. He named his winery “Somlói Vandor”, or Somló wanderer, as a nod to his frequent trips across Hungary. The farming is organic, and he uses a mix of used French and Hungarian oak for fermentation and aging.

Furmint and Hárslevelű are grown all over Hungary — they’re the main components of the country’s famed Tokaji dessert wine. But there are plenty of winemakers in the country making fascinating (and bone-dry) wines from these varieties. In Somlói’s volcanic soils, they retain the aromas and flavors of wildflowers, peach, dried apricot and honey, but on a more angular, linear frame. Think Loire Valley Chenin or Campanian Fiano, where lush, fruit-forward palates meet incisive, smoky minerality. Hárslevelű is a bit racier, Furmint is a bit broader, but both varieties are well worth trying.