The Moving Story Behind the Schieszl Winery in Hungary

A short journey from Hungary’s architecturally-rich capital city, the small, red-roofed town of Budakalász lies alongside the River Danube. This great river divides Budapest in two, with the undulating hills of Buda to the west and the flat country of Pest to the east. It’s in the greater Pest area that Budakalász is located, where, amid green fields and forests, the river provides the town’s inhabitants with calm waters on which to sail, and a scenic setting for hiking and cycling.

Budakalász is also the home of Konrád Schieszl, who runs the restaurant and winery that’s been in his family for generations. Today, the family welcomes guests from around the world, introducing them to their award-winning wines and hearty Hungarian fare, utilising the produce they’ve grown on the land. But despite its picturesque location, it’s the story behind Schieszl Winery that leaves the greatest impression on anyone who passes through.

With their roots in Southwest Germany, The Schieszl family moved to Hungary in the 18^th century. After arriving in their new home, the family began to grow vines on their new land, and in 1896 Konrád’s great grandfather decided to open a winery.

But when World War II hit, the lives of the Schieszl family took a dramatic turn. “My grandfather’s best friend was Jewish,” Konrád explains, as he begins to tell his family’s story, “During the war my grandfather was brave enough to hide his Jewish friend from Nazi persecution. The friend and his family lived in our wine cellar for six months, hiding in one of the giant wine barrels. My grandfather risked his life to help his friend, but if he hadn’t, his friend might not have survived the Holocaust.”

When the war finally came to an end, the Swabian people who’d relocated from Germany many years before, were forced to return to their country of origin, with just 24 hours to make the move. This included the Schieszl family, who had to leave their home and their winery behind.

Luckily, this is the part of the story where the family’s fortune took a turn for the better. The Jewish friend who they’d hidden during the war had gone on to become a lawyer, so through his contacts within the government, the Schieszl family was allowed to return to Hungary and buy back their treasured home.

Since that time, the family business has gone from strength to strength, with each generation proudly producing their wine and running the family restaurant with renewed passion.

Konrád took the helm in 1973, and has since won awards for his wine. “We produce the best wine we can by combining modern technology with traditional knowledge,” Konrád enthuses, “And each year we produce around 40,000 bottles in nine different varieties, including tangy, aromatic and fruity white and rosé wines, and red wines that are matured in oak barrels.”

The family also makes the Hungarian spirit, Pálinka as well as natural fruit juice and food products like jam, cheese and Mangalica ham. These are all put to good use in the restaurant kitchen, which focuses on traditional Hungarian cuisine as well as dishes that celebrate the Schieszls’ Swabian roots. “The Swabian kitchen is just like the people,” Konrád explains, “Swabian people live rationally, so when we cook meat we use everything, and we use natural methods to preserve it, such as smoking.”

Naturally, each of their dishes is served with the family’s own wine. “I pair our Puxler with turkey or caviar,” Konrád explains, “and I pair Mangalitza pork with Riesling. Cserszegi Fűszeres is best suited to chicken dishes and salad, and for Muscatel I recommend foie gras. Blaufränkische Rozé is good with duck dishes and geese, while Blaufränkische pairs well with lamb.”

Trafalgar’s Be My Guest program begins with wine tasting in the Schieszls’ 300-year old wine cellar. Over three hours, guests spend time with the family, sharing stories, tasting wine and eating wholesome home-cooked food like baked trout with tomato carpaccio, and traditional delicacies such as sweet plum cake, or zwetschgenkuchen.

For Konrád, his winery is a labour of love. “I do everything here with my heart. I have a great responsibility, bringing this 120-year tradition into our modern times. I have to take care of my family’s heritage and pass it on to the next generation.”

Visit Schieszl Winery on Bohemian Highlights.

All images courtesy of Schieszl Winery.