Szászi Birtok sits on the slope of Szent György Hill in Hegymagas, in the Badacsony wine region between Tapolca and Szigliget. Cellar, press house, vineyard, wine shop, guesthouse and restaurant are all in one place among the vines. The estate’s motto says the terroir surrounds you here, and the basalt hill really is on every side.
It all started under the walnut tree
Endre Szászi used to pour his wines and tell stories in the shade of a walnut tree. The cellar and wine shop were later built around it, followed by the Viridárium restaurant in summer 2015. The wine shop is open every day of the year, and the full core range can be tasted without booking.
The family
Endre Szászi was born in Szigliget, studied winemaking in Budafok and worked as a cellar hand, bottler and foreman before starting his own business. His father was also a winemaker. He runs the estate with his wife, a lawyer and agricultural engineer who designs the labels by hand. They have three children, and their son trained as a viticulturist and winemaker.
Organic pioneers
The estate went organic in 2000 as one of the pioneers and has stayed that way. No synthetic chemicals are used in the vineyard, only copper, sulphur and foliar feed. Grapes are picked by hand, fermented with their own yeasts and aged in 400-500 litre oak barrels. Vineyards lie on Szent György Hill, Csobánc, in Lesencetomaj and Hajagos, with Olaszrizling planted most widely.
The wines
The range is wide: Olaszrizling, Szürkebarát, Kéknyelű, Furmint, Rózsakő, Zeusz, Zenit and Csókaszőlő among the whites and rarities, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir among the reds. There are light, fruity wines, barrel-aged dry wines and dessert wines. What they share is the freshness, minerality and saline touch of the basalt soil.
Viridárium
The estate restaurant seats about forty inside and up to a hundred on the covered terrace. Endre Szászi calls it approachable country cooking with regional flavours and a touch of innovation. The menu is built on local produce to match the wines; at the opening it featured Tapolca trout, grilled mangalica ribs, grilled goat’s cheese and curd dumplings. The restaurant is seasonal and closed in autumn 2026, with reopening expected for Easter 2027.
Tastings and stays
Guided tastings run all year in the estate’s own tasting room for groups of 6 to 22, bookable by email only. The guesthouses among the vines are available all year, so nobody has to drive after a tasting. A second wine shop operates in Szigliget, on Kisfaludy Street.
Who it suits
Wine lovers who want to get to know an organic family estate on its own ground, couples looking for a weekend among the vines, and anyone around Badacsony who is after the hill rather than the crowds.
What does it cost?
Mid-range. The estate does not publish current restaurant or tasting prices, so ask when you book.
Got a good photo from here?
If you have been here and took a nice shot of the food, the room or the view, send it in. We review every photo, and if it suits the page we publish it with your name.
The person behind the place
„It all started under the walnut tree”
Endre Szászi was born in Szigliget, studied in Budafok and worked as a cellar hand, bottler and foreman before founding his own estate. He went organic in 2000 as a pioneer, and the estate has farmed organically ever since. He poured wine and told stories under a walnut tree, and the cellar, the wine shop and later the Viridárium grew up around it. He runs the estate with his wife, who also designs the labels by hand.
Szászi Endre és családja, founderWorth a taste
Olaszrizling from Szent György Hill
The estate's most widely planted variety, from organic grapes, fermented with its own yeasts and aged in oak.
Local tip
Stay the night
The guesthouses are among the vines and available all year, so nobody has to drive after the tasting.
The BalatonEats meal plan
How to put your meal together
- 01Tasting in the wine shop
No booking needed, the full core range, every day of the year.
- 02Tapolca trout
One of Viridárium's first dishes, from local produce, to go with the estate's wines.
- 03Rarities
Rózsakő, Zeusz or Csókaszőlő if you want to taste something less familiar.
What guests say
What stays with guests?
We found no large set of independent reviews. Trade writing highlights the organic approach, the basalt minerality and the direct family hospitality.
Északi Part magazine, welovebalaton, wine trade writing, as of November 2026.+
What brings people back
- Organic farming since 2000
- Wine shop open every day, walk-in tastings
- Wide range of varieties, with rarities
- Viridárium with a covered terrace
- Guesthouses among the vines
!
Good to know before you go
- The restaurant is closed until Easter 2027.
- Guided tastings by email booking only.
Photo credits
Szászi Birtok
