The History of Hungarian Sparkling Production

When production began in , the “secret” to making it wasn’t common knowledge, even in France. The cradle of Hungarian sparkling wine production was Pozsony (now Bratislava). The first official company in Pozsony was established by Dr. Mihály Schönbauer and János Fischer, taken over later the same year by J.E. Hubert. It was here, in 1825, that J.E. Hubert began the fight to complete with the centuries-old French champagnes. Success wasn’t long in coming. In 1842, the first Hungarian industrial exposition was opened in under the presidency of Count Lajos Batthyány and the directorship of Lajos Kossuth; J.E. Hubert’s sparkling wine won first prize as “best Hungarian sparkling wine”. At another exhibition in Budapest in 1847, the company was awarded a gold medal. Winning the first prize at the 1867 World Expo in Paris opened the way for foreign sales. Their best-known brands were “Gentry Club” and “City Sect”. After Hubert’s death (1882), his widow, Paula Hubert, continued the successful operation of the company. The first sparkling wine producer in Pest was established in 1852 by innkeeper Márton Höller under the name “First Hungarian Sparkling Wine and Soda Water Mfr. J.M. Höller, Pest”, which later also became involved in wine trade. Their most well-known sparkling wine brands were “Pannonia Sec”, “Cristal Rose”, and “Jokay Club Grand vin sec Hongrois”. In 1854, Károly Gráver founded the Ludai Sparkling Wine Co., which operated until 1882. The third producer in Pest was established by Ignác Prükler in 1864, which after his death was managed by his sons until 1889, when László Prükler formed a partnership with Gyula Bernhardt. In 1897, Bernhardt became sole owner. The facility operated until 1903. Domestic sparkling wine production truly began to develop, however, in the second half of the 19th century, in the 1870s and 1880s. In 1864, the Duke of Schaumburg-Lippe first founded a smaller sparkling wine production facility, Szlátitnán, in Verőce County; from 1912 on, he continued production on his Villány estate. In 1876, Littke was established in Pécs. Ede Holzmann and Manó Muritzky produced sparkling wine in Budapest from 1881- 1885. Their best-known brand was “Carte Rouge et Noir”. József Törley began producing sparkling wine in Budafok in 1882. Louis François established his sparkling wine company in 1886. Reinchard & Partner began production in Budapest in 1893. The facility was bought by François in 1918. Dr. Ludwig Willibald started producing sparkling wine in Nagymaros in 1893 with 12 employees, their best-known brand being “Préda”. Mihály Éder produced sparkling wine in Budafok from 1893 to 1900. Dubois & Partner also produced sparkling wine in Budafok between 1897 and 1914. Antal Eberhardt operated from 1899-1914, until the company was bought by François. The most well-known brand was “Diadal”. According to a survey taken at the end of the century, there were eight major sparkling wine producers: Belatiny (Velence), Esch & Partner (Pozsony), Hölle (Budaörs), Hubert (Pozsony), Littke (Pécs), Törley (Budafok), Willibard (Nagymaros). Domestic sparkling wine production was 1,75 million bottles per year. The economic upswing at the end of the 19th century had a positive effect on sparkling wine production – one of the most profitable branches of industry. The Velence Sparkling Wine Co. was established by landowner Imre Petheő in 1875. Petheő had been sent to France by the government at the beginning of 1872, to study production at Jaquesson in Châlons-sur-Marne. Upon his return, he established his own company. His most famous brand was “Nemzeti Pezsgőbor” (National Sparkling Wine), selling 40 000 to 50 000 bottles a year. In 1898, the company was bought by Artúr Belatiny (Braun). He was the chief supplier to the Hungarian National Wine Producers Society, established in 1881 as the successor to the Royal Hungarian Central Cellars. At the same time, he became the president of the Budapest Chamber of Commerce. Belatiny’s sparkling won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris World Expo. His most successful sparkling wines were “Casino” (brut and sec), “Cremant Rose”, and “Drapeau Américain”. In 1933 the Velence facility moved to Budafok. Here they created an excellent new sparkling wine (in addition to their other brands), the “Vin Tisane”. The company sold 100 000 bottles annually until its closure in 1940. Ongoing development kept producers from going off in different directions. There was a strong endeavour to get producers not to buy finished wines, but (following the French custom) to buy and process grapes themselves. This was also a big step towards improving quality. In 1900, there were thirty-three producers of sparkling wine in Hungary, and after the turn of the century more and more were being established. During this time, most were located in Budafok. Frigyes Kleinoshegg, an Austrian sparkling wine producer from Graz, founded a company in Budafok 1902, as did József Unyi in 1904. Budapest Commercial Co., the first banking concern, entered the sparkling wine production business in 1910. In1911, Károly Nunn founded an establishment in Budafok. Ede Tichy also began production in 1911. The wine merchant, József Dietzl, began producing sparkling wine in 1912. Count Ferenc Eszterházy started production on his estate in 1905. This development continued until World War I. By then, sparkling wine was being made in 23 areas in Hungary: Arad, Brassó, Budafok, Budaörs, Budapest, Csáktornya, Debrecen, Fiume, Kolozsvár, Horvát-Szlatina, Nagymaros, Nagyvárad, Nyitra, Orlát, Pécs, Pozsony, Sátoraljaújhely, Szeged, Szombathely, Tata, Velence, Villány, Zagreb. Domestic sparkling wine producers continued to work with cheap grapes and wines, however, and brought their wines to market too early; it was difficult, therefore, to maintain a presence in markets with more discerning tastes. In spite of rising prices, consumption during World War I skyrocketed, and sparkling wine was practically a scarce resource. This situation was short-lived. After the war, one producer after another shut down until only eleven producers remained in business. To protect their interests, they established the “National Sparkling Wine Producers Society” on January 22, 1919. The members were: Belatiny, Dietzl, Count Eszterházy, François, Hölle, Littke, Palugyay, Schaumburg-Lippe, Törley, Török, Willibald. The Traty of Versailles (June 4, 1920) also affected the industry; a string of producers were disenfranchised, and from then on the Hungarians were not allowed to use terms “champagne” and “cognac” on their labels. Banks took control of companies, leaving the old company names. In the twenties, it appeared the market was stabilising; exports grew, but imports were high as well. The majority of exports until WW2 were to Austria, Italy, the U.S., Holland, England, and Yugoslavia. Several new enterprises entered sparkling wine production, such as the Royal Hungarian State Cellarers, the wife of Count Ferenc Zichy (in Budafok), and Ferenc Podamer (who had started out as a production worker). During WW2 (we only live once) consumption once again rose, and due to reunification, the number of sparkling wines on offer increased. At its height, sparkling wine production was approximately 500 000 bottles. Only for producers survived the economic crisis and WW2: Count Eszterházy, Littke, Törley, and François – though the events of the war and bombing had caused a great deal of damage to them, as well. In 1946, only Littke was actually running – with 13 employees. Slowly work began again at Törley and François, and continued until the production of sparkling wines was nationalised. In 1951 Törley, now under government ownership, once again began producing. In 1955 a new company was founded, the predecessor to the currant Hungaria. In 1963, the new, container-fermentation technology was introduced.

Source: The Champaign – 2014. Author: Miklós NISZKÁCS: Lector: Károly QUIRIN Visitors information: www.torley.hu