A shady garden lined with rose bushes on the hilltop with a hundred-year-old renovated press house and an ancient cellar in the background. Upon arrival we are immediately greeted by our guide, a friendly vizsla, who feels at home in every corner of the estate. Below is the account of our visit to the Mákvirág Restaurant in Révfülöp.
This is a place for mákvirágs (Hungarian for scamp) indeed. At the top of the hill, far away from the busy village centre, you are tempted to just lie down under the vine-arbour or spend hours sitting around with a glass of wine in hand.
The original owner of the press house, built in 1903, was Gaszton Gaál. His sons were regarded as scamps by all the locals, as they did nothing all day but chase after women and lounge around on the estate. The boys left nothing of worth to posterity, yet the name Mákvirág was chosen by the current owners as a nod to them.
Grape vine cultivation is one of the main profiles of the estate, while the hundred-year-old cellar is used for winemaking and wine tasting all year round. This family business keeps everyone busy: the father is responsible for designing the wine labels, and his daughter is tasked with preparing the scrumptious treats for guests to enjoy at the wine tastings. Duck, goose and turkey are all on the menu, but you can also ask for a pig slaughter feast and cheeses made by small-scale producers in the area.