Matraalja Wine

Matraalja (or Matra) is a wine region in northern central Hungary with vineyards dotting the lower slopes of the Matra, part of the North Hungarian Mountains. It is the westernmost viticultural district in a group of three, along with Bukkalja (at the foot of the Bukk mountains) and Eger, home of Hungary's famous Bikaver Egri (Bulls Blood) wine.

The geology of the Matra foothills is mainly volcanic, and most of the wine produced here is white. This is something it has in common with Rangen, Alsace's Grand Cru vineyard, where Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Muscat vines grow prolifically in black basalt-rich soils. Muscat and Pinot Gris are also grown here in Matraalja, although the most of the Riesling found here is Olaszriesling (Welschriesling) rather than 'proper' Rhine Riesling. Hungary's most famous red wine grape, Kadarka, dominates red wine here, in a region otherwise dominated by whites.

It is worth noting that Rangen and Matraalja's main town, Gyongyos, occupy precisely the same latitude (47.48N), although separated by 595 miles (955km) of central and western Europe. The two vineyard areas are also both located at the foot of their local mountain range, immediately below a peak of roughly 3400ft (1040m). But here the similarities are limited. The Vosges Mountains in Alsace run north-south and the Matra runs east-west. Of course, latitude is only one aspect of terroir; altitude, proximity to water, prevailing wind direction and myriad other elements influence it.

The Gyongyos Estate (on which Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon have been made for export) and Schwartzenburg Fodor (Black Castle) are particularly well known producers in Matraalja.