hernyak estate

We spent a few hours in this vinery tasting beautiful wines (some really special ones for nice price) meanwhile having an interesting discussion with their guide.Perfect place in Etyek to chill on a hot summer day:)Nice countryside, recommended:)

Andras, our guide in Budapest, arranged the tour and tasting for my wife and another couple as part of our day around Lake Balaton. What a perfect way to end the day. The 5 wines were delightful, the goulash amazing, and the conversation about the history of the estate, the wines, and their personal story enlightening. There are other wine tours around Budapest but nothing could compare with the intimacy we enjoyed at Hernyak!

My wife and I traveled to this exceptional family-run winery as part of the Taste Hungary tour. Vali and her husband were warm and welcoming of us into their home. The wine was outstanding. From me that is a compliment as my wife is the the wine lover and I am more of a beer drinker. :-). Vali gave us a very detailed background on each wine before tasting and you can tell, she loves what she does. I have traveled to many wineries and by far, this was the warmest and most welcoming I have ever been to.

Sometimes you just need a break from Palaces, Churches, Bridges and Monuments (however beautiful and interesting they may be).....and sometimes you really need a glass (or more) of wine. Add in a visit to a delightful chocolatier manufactory, exceptionally fine wines and a nice dinner by a local chef in his home and you will look back and say..."best thing we did in Budapest".I found the website BudapestbyLocals.com and was intrigued by the Wine and Gastro Adventure. It started at 4pm in the afternoon with a pickup (for 6) at our hotel (Le Meriden in Budapest) in a new clean van with a guide and driver. Lazlo, a young and very personable young man who is studying to be a Sommelier was our guide. In case you are concerned his language skills are excellent.It is about 25 KM out to the Etyek viniculture region and on our way we stopped by a Chocolatier whose kitchen is attached to her home. Gingallo, by Viktoria Godo. Viktoria welcomed us and we had a chocolate tasting (chocolates made from cocoa beans imported from 5 different areas of the world) accompanied by a red wine. Just as with wine tastings we began to appreciate the differences each terroir could bring to the essence and body of the chocolate. Later we spent 15-20 minutes in the kitchen blending, smoothing and molding some confections we would sample and finally we sat around the table to sample more of Viktoria's creations. A total of 15 chocolates graced our palates. What could be better....?.....dessert first!Next. a short ride to Hernyak Vineyard.....Prepare to be amazed!I admit I am somewhat of a wine guy, have my own well stocked cellar and conduct the occassional wine tasting for friends and family. I also admit my knowledge of Hungarian wines consisted primarily of my love of Tokaji. I was not prepared for the quality of the 4 white wines I was served by Hernyak Birtok. From the first sip of the Gruner Veltliner to the last drop of the Late Harvest Savignon Blanc I (we) were treated to an exceptional offering that included a bright, flavorful Savignon Blanc and a wonderful unoaked, but full bodied Chardonnay in the best Burgundian style. Sitting outdoors on a deck, overlooking the vineyards and slopes of Etyek (and a very large Mainecoon cat named Angry) we marveled at our good fortune while Lazlo translated our conversation with Hernyak and we watched the evening creep aross the fields.As darkness fell, we toured the cellar, discovering riddling racks of sparkling wines, bottles of estate grown and distilled brandies and well as Pinots and the wines we had sampled. We also discovered that Hernyak wines are the wines served by (and to) the Hungarian President. Bottom line: I bought all four wines for my cellar. Now....just to get them thru customs!A 200 meter walk down a dirt and gravel lane took us to the home of Evelin and Patyil. Evelin is an Actress who has done both local and international TV and Cinema and "her man", as she so fondly and eloquently described Patyil, was our Chef. Though we were late , as I had lingered far too long with Hernyak, our dinner was a delightful pork dish (Paired with their estate made Pinot Grigio), polenta, Salad and Tiramisu, prepared as we waited. They gracefully allowed me to tour their small, but lovely kitchen and we completely enjoyed the atmosphere of being around a true "Chef's Table", sitting next to the kitchen and eating while Patyil prepared the next course and Evelin played the charming and graceful hostess. Due to our lateness we missed touring their vineyards, but I did ask for a quick visit to their cellar.It was around 9pm local time as we headed back to the hotel, quite full and very happy. This side-trip out of Budapest was one of the rare Pearls travelers discover when they are willing to stretch their horizons just a bit. I highly recommend this visit to Viktoria, Hernyak and Evelin/Patyil.PS- Take cash to pay at the end of the evening. HuF and Euros are accepted, but do HuF if possible. The exchange rate at the ATM will be better.We have great photos if anyone wants themLarry and Beth Grogan (South Carolina) Erin Grogan Carter (Munich Germany) Ellen Bacot (Utah) and Yesh Beyene and Titi (Maryland)Ask Larry G about HungaryThis review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

We were 5 friends in Budapest for a good time, and wine tour at ur place were just perfect. Loved the food, the guide (Nora something) and the best wine ever.I will recomend u to all my friends in Norway

Very pleasant visit, with excellent food and a wine menue that suited the meal perfect. The 3 course meal, with plate of different local specialities, hungarian gulasj and cherry strudel was delicious! Nora the guide, and the owner family really know how to practice hospitality! We ended up bringing home a few sauvignon blanc, look forward to enjoy them rarther soon

We just spent an afternoon with the taste of hungry tour learning about the wine growing process at this very picturesque winery. We tasted five wines all very wonderful. The difference between this winery and the larger one down the street is the personalized attention and passion for what they do. They have a very cute mascot puppy bijou. Highly recommended visit, they provide something special.

We visited here with a small tour on July 17. The experience was simply amazing. We live in California where they make many world class wines but I can honestly say that the Sauvignon Blanc that we tasted here was as good as anything we have ever tasted at home. If you like white wine, you must visit this place.

We had a lovely visit to the winery. The family was welcoming and very kind. We toured the cellared saw both the modern processes and the traditional ones. We tasted 6 ( 5 whites,one red) wines and as a treat we hit to taste Brandy! The good was traditional Hungarian food and the wines paired nicely. We even had dessert which was chocolate mousse. The weather was nice and I was even given a blanket when the temperature dropped! Highly recommended break from the hustle and bustle of Budapest. Be sure to buy a bottle or two when you leave or you will wish you had!

We had a wonderful visit and thank you for your hospitality. The three bottles of wine that we bought made it safely to California. Now those bottle are in danger of being empty very soon. Thanks again.

We went out to Hernyak with Taste Hungary on a Sunday in May for my birthday and didn't know what to expect. We'd been briefed on the area and the menu we'd be eating but didn't know much about Hungarian wine or how the chef would prepare the meal. Every minute was perfect. We arrived, toured the wine making building, fields and storage caves and then went in for lunch. Norah from Hernyak gave us information on each wine (and brandy!) and the history of the vineyard and the family who runs it as well. Our guide told us more about the food, the history of the dishes, etc. - we had goulash and capon as our main courses.The sun came out as we finished eating - we had the place to ourselves for a party of 6 - and we were able to take beautiful photos of the fields, stone buildings and more. If you're in Hungary and want to learn about wine near to Budapest, Hernyak is the place!

If you get the chance to go to this lovely winery, take it. The wine exceeded my expectation, particularly the Sauvignon blanc. Valerie exudes warmth despite the hard work required to produce several different wines and brandy. There isn't an ounce of pretentiousness here, Valerie served a fresh and enjoyable plate of local cheeses an meats on the patio overlooking their vines. Latsi was busy trimming the vines, while their little dog, Bijou, played ball. I didn't want to leave! They made us feel like family.

Our Taste of Hungry tour brought us to this wonderful gem. We had a party of 6 and the winery cooked us a wonderful lunch of traditional gulosh and a strudel. We tasted about 6 wines and tours the cellars, It was such a memorable day at a beautiful place. The family was wonderful and very kind. It was a blessing.

We had the great fortune to visit Hernyak Estate with our guide from Taste of Hungary, and what a pleasure. Valeria was a warm and enthusiastic hostess. We toured the winery and were impressed with her family's passion for wine making. The quality of the wines were amazing and only matched by the freshness of the cheeses and meats which were all locally and lovingly prepared. We brought a few bottles home to the US and will think of our amazing day at Hernyak when we enjoy them. Cheers!

Our visit to the Hernyak Estate was incredible! We toured the winery as part of our guided tour through mypersonalbudapest.com. The hosts were so interesting and really made us feel welcome into the small family operation. The wines were great and we bought several bottles to bring home with us to the U.S. We would DEFINITELY recommend taking the time to head out to Hernyak Estate and experience the wines and the hospitality!