The fall of communism has re-opened Eastern Europe and things that once had a common history are now growing back together again. This is particularly true in Burgenland along the border to Hungary where relationships with our neighbors to the east are deepening.

Family Stiegelmar purchased a mountain vineyard on Lake Balaton in 1995. The wine growing area Badacsony consists of a range of small, extinct volcanoes stretching along the west side of the lake. The soil composition is very interesting with basalt rock interspersed with Pannonian clay.

The JURIS VILLA Winery produces fruity, minerally white wine from Pinot gis grapes sourced from south-facing slopes of the largest volcano, Badacsony.
A second wine from a historic variety is the Syrah with the first vintage 2007.

The Cistercian monks brought Pinot Gris to this region 1000 years ago. The variety is known by the synonym Szürkebarat, which means “gray monk”, and has become a classic grape of the region.