The cellar itself was built at the end of the 18th century and, from 1849, served as the center of the family wine estate of János Ranolder, Bishop of Veszprém. It was here that the reputation of Csopak wines was first established. On the bishop’s estates, the previously mixed white grape varieties of the Balaton region were separated for the first time, and according to the records of the national viticultural inspector of the time, winemaking in the cellar was conducted at the highest standard of the era. The wines produced here were highly esteemed in Vienna, Pressburg (Bratislava), Warsaw, and Pest as well.
Like in most of Europe, the phylloxera epidemic wiped out the vineyards here starting in the 1890s. From the end of the century, newly planted vineyards came under the care of a new owner—Salamon Hűvös, a wine merchant—who managed the estate from the early 20th century. His vineyard steward was István Bakonyi, one of the era’s most outstanding professionals, who lived in the steward’s house with his six children. It was here that his seventh child, Károly—later a renowned grape breeder and the internationally acclaimed creator of the Cserszegi variety—was born.
In 1998, after 50 years of neglect under state ownership, the near-ruined estate became the property of the Jásdi family.
Alongside the complete and careful restoration of the neoclassical building complex and the 40-meter-long cellar, state-of-the-art grape processing and winemaking equipment was installed. Today, the estate’s wine selections are still crafted using traditional, artisanal methods.
Experience has shown that the nearly 200-year-old structure—with its meter-thick walls and cool, stone-built cellar—is an ideal setting for 21st-century winemaking. The early results of operation already validated the owners’ vision. In September 2000, the Balaton Uplands National Park awarded the cellar the title of “Most Beautiful Cellar of the Balaton Uplands in the Year 2000.”
Since 2013, it has held four out of five stars according to Gault et Millau.
2014: Prestige Award
2017: Winemaker of Winemakers Award
Since then, the estate has been steadily growing around the house—we cultivate our vineyards, harvest, and age vintage after vintage...
