Vázlat Partium és Erdély borászatáról – (múlt), jelen, jövő
An Outline of Winemaking in Partium and Transylvania: Past, Present, Future

Summary/Abstract: József Szabó’s study surveys the post-socialist rebirth of viticulture and wine culture in Transylvania and Partium, while also paying tribute to the life’s work of György Csávossy. After the low point that followed the political changes of 1989 – with the dismantling of large-scale state enterprises and a severe lack of capital – a period of striking development began in the 2000s, supported both by assistance from Hungary proper, such as the Ferenc Schams Plan, and by local forms of professional self-organisation, including EMBE. The author analyses the situation region by region. In Szatmár, successful county wine competitions were launched, drawing on the legacy of the Károlyi family. In Érmellék, the revival of connections with Debrecen and the reintroduction of the historic flagship wine, Bakator, proved decisive; through the work of the Bakator Association, the variety has once again become a recognised Hungarikum. In Arad-Hegyalja, particular emphasis is placed on the work of Géza Balla, who, through his commitment to the traditional Kadarka grape and a modern winemaking outlook, has brought the Ménes wine region international renown. In Szilágyság, the production of sparkling wines at Kárásztelke and Somlyó has marked a major renewal, while along the Küküllő and in Erdély-Hegyalja the archiepiscopal tradition of altar wine continues alongside modern family wineries, such as Villa Vinèa. The study also underscores the importance of wine marketing and of sacred and communal events, including BORUM and various festivals. It concludes that the future of the region will be shaped by adaptation to climate change – above all the growing importance of red wines – and by the cultivation of a more conscious consumer base.

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