Zala WIne Region Guide

Travel Guide to Zala Wine Region

Zala is a Hungarian wine region where one can truly experience laid back life while enjoying wines in beautiful landscapes. This wine region is located near the southern borders of Hungary, on the eastern slopes of the Kweszthely Hills. The vines are planted on the eastern and western slopes of the hills, providing a beautiful landscape for visitors to enjoy.

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Find out about Wine Tasting & Tours in Zala to enjoy if you visit the region.

Follow our travel guide to Zala Wine Region to discover more about:

Wines of Zala

Places to visit

Food to try

Experience Hungarian Wine Tourism at its Best

The beautiful landscape of Zala makes it one of the most perfect wine tourism destinations in Hungary. The top attractions in the region are the Mura River. Kis Balaton and the Keszthely Hills. Within Zala, in 1860 there were an astonishing 34 000 wineries and wine cellars. Although this number is far less today, the area is still filled with wonderful wineries that depict the best of Hungarian culture and hospitality.

Zala has a cool climate, filling the wines with acidity and aromatic richness. The climate is dominated by the annual 800mm of rainfall that the region experiences. The vines are very rarely impacted by frost and they receive moderate levels of sunshine.

The vines of Zala are most commonly grown in brown forest soils and loess loam soils. The terroir of Zala is built up on the sandy and clay soils of the former Pannon Sea. Above this, thicker layers of loess have formed.

Grape Varieties:

Red: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Blaufrankisch, Merlot

White: Welshriesling (Olaszrizling), Chardonnay, Traminer, Müller-Thurgau

The Approachable and Easy to Like Wines of Zala

The Zala wine region is known for the production of both red and white wines. Despite this, the most commonly grown grape of the region is Olaszrizling.

Until recently, very little of the Zala wines were bottled. Today this has changed, and the wine is becoming increasingly popular across Hungary. Zala has wonderful growing conditions for viticulture, particularly as a result of the warm summer months. The wines that are produced in Zala are elegant and lean with good acidity and rich aromatics. Most of the Zala wines are light bodied and well-structured with mineral notes and low levels of residual sugar. Most of these wines can be aged for a few years, especially those produced from low yielding vines. That said, they do benefit from aging for about three or four years in the bottle.

Zala Wine Region Map

You can also check out our interactive map of the Zala Wine Region to discover wineries with open cellar doors.

Read more about Wineries in Zala to visit.

Where to go when in Zala

Szent Gyorgy Energy Park - The Paradise for Water Lovers

The Szent Gyorgy Energy Park is a thermal spa and water park in Zala. The complex is the perfect place to visit on warm summer days. There are a number of indoor pools with warm thermal water which is said to have healing and therapeutic powers.

Andrassy-Szapary Castle - The Castle of the Szapary Family

The Andrassy-Szapary Castle was built by the Szapary family in the 18th century. The casle was built on the remains of an old fortification to represent the noble family. Today the castle is open to visitors during weekdays and is a wonderful site to see in Zala.

Kerka Watermill Museum - The Watermill on the Banks of the River Kerka

The Kerka watermill is one of the most important industrial monuments in Hungary. The mill has survived for centuries and also houses a museum where one can learn about the history and the operation of the watermill. Visitors can also stay overnight in the mill and hike the Kerka Valley or explore it by bicycle.

Feel Like a Royalty at the Festetics Palace

The Festetics Palace is a Baroque Palace located in Zala, Hungary. It is also the home of the Helikon Palace Museum. The palace was built in 1745 and is one of the three largest palaces in Hungary. It is one of the most popular attractions in Zala, attracting more than 200 000 visitors every year. The palace is also the site of a wonderful English garden where open-air concerts are held in the summer.

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The Natural Attractions of Zala

The landscape of Zala is largely dominated by the Transdanubian uplands, the Keszthely Mountains, and the Zala Hills. The northeastern corner of Zala is also where one can find a small section of Lake Balaton. These landscapes provide for endless beauty in the region and the perfect locations to relax and unwind.

Ancient Beech Forest of Vetyem

The Ancient Beech Forest of Vetyem is located at the border of Tormafolde in a protected area. The forest is made up of endless giant beech trees with silver trunks that are breath taking for their beauty and size. The forest has been a reserve for the past 40 years and is therefore the perfect place to experience untouched nature.

Great Crested Grebe Nature Trail - The Nature Trail on Lake Balaton

The Great Crested Grebe Nature Trail is a natural trail that is open all year long. The trail is 2km long and can be completed within 1 hour. Along the walk there are 15 stations at which one can learn more about the surrounding natural environment. The symbol of the trail is the Great Crested Grebe which is often spotted on the walk.

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The Foods to Try in Zala

The cuisine of Zala strongly reflects the region's thousand-year-old history and the range of ethnic groups who have had an influence there. Dishes are prepared using simple ingredients but in a diverse way so that there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Soproni Mandulas Retes - Traditional Sweet Pastries

Soproni Mandulas Retes is a type of Hungarian strudel that is made of thin pastry dough that is filled with fruit preserve, jam and almond cream.

Babos Pogacsa - Traditional Savory Pastries

Babos Pogacs are small, round savory pastries from Hungary that are filled with beans. The dough is shaped in round portions which are brushed with egg yolk and sprinkled with cheese, sesame seeds or sunflower seeds before baking.

Edes Babos Retes - Sweet Bean Pastries

Edes Babos Retes are Hungarian pastries that are made of thin layers of pastry filled with a sweet bean paste. The filling of the pastry is made with pureed white beans, milk, sugar, egg yolks, beaten egg whites, lemon zest, vanilla and butter.

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