These great terrace venues offer special wines and sought-after tranquillity even amid the summer buzz of Balaton.
1/14
frissTerasz, Badacsony
A community space and concert venue, frissTerasz is a place for tasting wine, watching sport and grabbing dinner at the bar.
Reasons to love it:
There’s no dress code so you can even come by fresh from the beach. It’s one of those rare places where you can enjoy quality wine while watching a game.
The selection:
Terrace owners, the Laposa family, put Olaszriesling in the spotlight. We recommend 4 Hegy, elegant with a slight mineral tang.
2/14
Káli kövek, Köveskál
Despite looking like an atypical wine terrace, Káli kövek is perfect for sitting down on straw bales to chat while sipping on special wine from the area.
Reasons to love it:
The place doesn’t take itself too seriously – instead they focus on wine.
The selection:
You can’t go wrong here. Frizzante, a mix of Chardonnay and Kéknyelű varieties, is a truly summery wine.
3/14
Istvándy Wine Workshop, Badacsony
The cosy terrace is one of the most romantic of its kind in the Badacsony region. With its central location, you don’t even have to walk that far to enjoy live music and the view of Balaton.
Reasons to love it:
Apart from during the show, you can always find peace and quiet, and clink glasses with sunset in the background.
The selection:
The Istvándy family loves Kéknyelű which they use for wines and champagnes as well. Try the joyful Kékderű: this floral item is a great introduction.
4/14
Kristinus Wine Estate, Kéthely
The spacious terrace of this high-tech winery also offers cellar tours in its modern production area. To see the lake, you’ll have to climb the nearby hill. The wine terrace operates from Wednesdays to Sundays.
Reasons to love it:
You can spend a whole day here with a picnic, wine tasting and fine dining.
The selection:
Go for bubbles and try the Krisecco sparkling wine, created from Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Muscat Blanc varieties, and has a sweet, fruity flavour.
5/14
Válibor, Badacsonyörs
Vilábor is in a hidden corner of Badacsonyörs. Here there’s always something delicious to eat with the wines. They open from Thursdays to Saturdays. It’s popular, so make a reservation.
Reasons to love it:
It’s far from the crowds and has a beautiful view.
The selection:
Start with a Riesling spritzer and then try the Budai Zöld: it’s a wine that leaves a lasting memory.
6/14
Nyári Cellar, Hegymagas
The small family winery is on the hillside of Szent György-hegy. Here you can enjoy the various Nyári wines amid a peaceful atmosphere.
Reasons to love it:
The shaded terrace feels like a safe haven from the outside world.
The selection:
The Cserszegi fűszeres is always great for a fun, light evening but here it’s more fruity than usual, making it the perfect refreshment after the climb up to the terrace.
7/14
Szent Donát Manor
The Kovács family wanted to drink their own wines under their almond tree, but then their place became an observation point visited by many visitors. Besides the view, you can also enjoy the tipples now made available to the public.
Reasons to love it:
The view is one of the best Balaton has to offer and the wines are internationally acclaimed.
The selection:
There’s Olaszriesling and Furmint but we recommend the Blaufränkisch called Magma: it’s a complicated, rare wine.
8/14
Villa Tolnay, Gyulakeszi
The former villa of a popular actress has a nice view of the entire Tapolcai-medence and its terrace is perfect for enjoying more full bodied red wines on colder evenings.
Reasons to love it:
It has a uniquely gorgeous view.
The selection:
All their wines are worth sampling. The Tavasz variety tastes like summer.
9/14
Pócz Winery, Balatonlelle
Kishegy in Balatonlelle feels enchanted and the Pócz Winery is its treasure. They use traditional methods for winemaking and you can see the hills of the north shore from their terrace.
Reasons to love it:
This hidden winery is in harmony with its environment and it’s a really peaceful spot.
The selection:
The area has many varieties, but the Chardonnay is outstanding every year: it has the perfect combination of fruity and spicy flavours.
10/14
Skizo Winehouse, Badacsonytördemic
There’s no special view but the colourful labels and the strong wines make up for it. The name Skizo makes sense if you look at the winery: it has a classic exterior and a modern interior.
Reasons to love it:
It’s a success story: the owners were brave enough to jump into the unknown.
The selection:
The Hegyeink brand has serious items. The Furmint is from Újhegy in Badacsony, which has basalt in its soil, resulting in a thick, aged wine.
11/14
Skrabski Winery, Balatonudvari
This area still has peaceful spots that haven’t been found by the crowds and the terrace of Skrabski Winery is one of these. It shows a wilder but more tranquil side of the Balaton Uplands.
Reasons to love it:
The road here leads through a forest and you’ll forget all your worries by the time you get there.
The selection:
Kakukktojás is the winery’s only item that’s made from a variety that isn’t from the Carpathian Basin. The Riesling is really popular among visitors with its floral and fruity flavours.
12/14
Sabar-dűlő Winery, Káptalantóti
Sabar is for lovers of artisanal wines. Here the view is of the Káli Basin instead of the lake while the wines will bring you closer to the wine region of Badacsony.
Reasons to love it:
This is one of the more hidden, quieter parts of the Káli Basin in summer.
The selection:
The winery’s Riesling is so popular that it’s always the first to run out.
13/14
Koczor Winery and Guesthouse, Balatonfüred
Located on the western border of Balatonfüred, this place feels like an entirely different continent: it’s tranquil, vineyards stretch to the horizon, and there are press houses everywhere. They have wines, homely meals and guestrooms.
Reasons to love it:
It’s just a few kilometres from Balatonfüred so it’s an ideal escape if the crowds are too much in the town.
The selection:
This is one of the few places where you can taste Semillon.
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Csendes Dűlő Estate, Badacsonyörs
The terrace not only has tables, but you can also relax in deckchairs and on communal pillows cleverly hidden between the rocks. Make a reservation if you want to visit at the weekend as they can get busy.
Reasons to love it:
You’ll seriously consider moving here after the second glass of wine.
The selection:
The amazing view is best paired with a similarly great wine, Hárslevelű, with its light fruitiness is the perfect choice.
