Nagy & Nagy Winery
The Nagy & Nagy Winery was originally launched in 1999 as a joint venture between two brothers, Lajos Nagy and Csaba Nagy. The formula has changed somewhat since then as the two Nagys now refer to Noémi and Franciska, Lajos’s two daughters, who have brought youthful impetus to the life of the 100% family-owned winery.
Until recently, the winery was operating in Uzsa, on a site with a capacity of 16,000 hectolitres, but in 2018, the family bought Rizapuszta, thus adding another 40,000 hectolitres. We have invested a lot of effort in renovating the former mansion house and then cooperative cellar, creating an impressive estate centre with state-of-the-art technology, with one of the largest processing, storage and bottling capacities in the Balaton region. All the bottling now takes place here, but Uzsa also plays an important role in the processing, handling and storage of some of the grapes and wines. In addition to reductive technology, high-performance pneumatic presses and stainless steel equipment, we also have a barrel ageing room in Rizapuszta, where the ageing of our Premium wines takes place.
The estate is beautifully located, with Lake Balaton to the south, surrounded by the impressive panoramic view of the Kisörsi Hill, Gulács and ancient Badacsony captivating any tourists paying us a visit. We will soon have something new to offer them too, as we have already landscaped the cellar’s park with its hundreds-of-years-old trees, and its derelict buildings are undergoing complete renovation. There will be a wine shop, a tasting room and a terrace, where you can taste our wines in a pleasant environment and enjoy the beauty of the Balaton Felvidék (Highlands) landscape.
History of Rizapuszta
The estate, originally owned by the Győr diocesan chapter, was bought by Bálint Szalay in 1885. There were no buildings here at that time, but the new owner was quick to establish one of the period’s best-known model farms, with wine-processing facilities, a wine cellar, stewards’ and servants’ quarters, stables and granaries. Bálint Szalay’s Polish wife was called Liza Polczer and the name Rizapuszta was created from her playful nickname Riza. The two-storey mansion house was quickly built and boasted a huge rock-garden, a conservatory and an ornamental plant house. The estate also became an important centre in the battle against phylloxera and the subsequent recommencement of viticulture. Bálint’s son, Kázmér Szalay, took over the management of the estate at the beginning of the 20th century, giving rise to numerous innovations. They operated a grafting site and their own anti-freeze system and as well as rescuing traditional varieties, such as Bakator and Pozsonyi Féher, they also planted new varieties, such as Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Organic manure was provided by their own livestock farm and interestingly, they also had a large fig orchard. This efflorescence was followed by tragic demise; after the Second World War, the Szalay family were forced to leave. The communists gave them two days to leave their beloved home, with their belongings piled onto a horse-drawn cart. The estate then became public property.
The mansion house was used for many purposes during the socialist era (flats, gypsy school, chicken coop, nightclub, etc). It has recently been renovated and now functions as a restaurant and event centre. The cellar was expanded significantly and became one of the Balaton’s largest cellar cooperatives, which was known throughout the country for its wines. The lack of necessary investment and renovation in the last few decades led to its increasing dereliction. This process has now been halted and reversed by the Nagy family. Lajos Nagy had previously worked in Rizapuszta, so was well aware of its possibilities. Then, two decades later, in 2018, he returned to the estate as its owner. He bought Rizapuszta with the aim of creating a modern estate centre for the Nagy & Nagy Winery and bringing back the past’s splendour within its ancient walls.