2025-08-01

At BOR 2025, Robert Gilvesy shares how a return to Hungary from Canada—and a moment of quiet awe on Szent György Hill—sparked the founding of his estate. In this conversation, he speaks about the expressive power of basalt soils, the parallels between architecture and winemaking, and why volcanic wines are uniquely suited to thoughtful farming, patient methods, and gastronomy.

You returned to Hungary from Canada and it seems you started renovating the old cellar and plant on Szent György Hill right away. What convinced you to build your winery here, in this volcanic terroir?

I actually arrived in Hungary as an architect, but shortly after my arrival, a colleague introduced me to the Káli Basin and then to Szent György Hill. I think whoever named the ‘witness hills’ understood how I felt when I first set foot on the site of my cellar. There’s this element of time and timelessness that so many have touched and felt. But the volcanic buttes somehow radiate an ancient energy — volcanic or whatever you would like to call it. For me, it is a positive, calming energy. So I don’t think it’s a coincidence that these volcanic hills have been an ideal place for growing vines and making wines with character and energy for centuries.

How do the ancient basalt and tuff soils of Szent György Hill affect the flavour, minerality and texture of your wines?

It is well established that basalt provides an excellent environment for producing excellent fruit. Although elemental basalt does not physically enter the juice through the roots, it influences the nutrient absorption of the roots and imparts a beautiful crystalline acid structure to the wines. If the juice is healthy, perhaps organic or biodynamic, and the fermentation process is natural, with minimal intervention, the wines will express minerality and perhaps even saltiness, and over time, umami.

You embrace low-intervention methods such as spontaneous fermentation and minimal sulphur. How do these choices help to highlight the geological and varietal nuances of your volcanic terroir?

Through a long learning curve of experimentation I have been convinced that less is more in wine making and not just in architecture. Nature and natural methods as well as time and patience have a way of allowing the wine approach what it wants to be.  At the same time, there is no way to deny the hand of man in influencing the results, to find that point where terroir expression coincides with a vision of what is delicious.

Which markets or buyer segments—restaurants, wine bars, or specialist shops—seem most drawn to volcanic wines, and why do you think that is?

Though I think there are consumers in all segments that will recognise some basic characteristics of well made volcanic wines, I think gastronomy and hand sales has a large role in offering the opportunity to explain those lovely unique characteristics of volcanic wines. Luckily volcanic wines, volcanoes and volcanic activity in general mesmerises people. In addition, there is a great, illustrious past of the many regions and winemakers that have been rarely told. Wine and wine enjoyment has many layers.  

Looking ahead, what are your ambitions for the next decade of Gilvesy wines?

Tough one!  Our region is struggling with a serious Fluorescence Dorée infection. Stay tuned to how we get through this,  but, ideally I would like to diversify east now, and find partners in those exciting and diverse markets. I think volcanic wines do well with Asian cooking.