Surface area approx. 19 ha.
Natural since 2011

About the winemaker
Since 2011, István Bencze has been making wine around Szent György-hegy, an iconic hill just northwest of Lake Balaton in western Hungary. Birtok is simply the Hungarian counterpart to the French domaine or German Weingut, and István’s journey began almost as a hobby dabbling in natural wine production.

Winemaking is part of István's heritage; his grandparents tended a small vineyard planted with native grape varieties. From the very start, István managed his vineyards with organic practices, and by 2014, he had achieved Demeter certification for biodynamic winemaking. His philosophy is clear: to craft wine as naturally as possible, guided by nature, with minimal intervention no added yeasts, no filtration.

About the vineyard
István divides his estate into three parcels: Másfél (1.5 hectares), Hétésfél (7 hectares), and Kilencésfél (10 hectares). All three are located on the eastern side of Szent György-hegy, forming the foundation for the remarkable diversity in his portfolio. Szent György-hegy itself is the result of a volcanic event some three million years ago, which means all vines are rooted in soils rich with volcanic rock.

Kilencésfél and Másfél both contain a mix of clay, sand, and loess, layered atop basalt. Kilencésfél, at around 130 meters elevation, is planted with Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Piros Bakator, and Kék Bakator. Másfél, meanwhile, hosts younger plantings of Chenin Blanc and the rare native Rózsakő.

Hétésfél is truly the showpiece of the estate. Here, 40-year-old Riesling vines grow alongside newer plantings of Furmint, Hárslevelű, Riesling, and Kéknyelű. The basalt-rich soil and elevation up to 240 meters imbue the wines with a distinctive minerality and freshness. Steep slopes ensure that most vineyard work is done by hand, reinforcing Bencze Birtok’s reputation as a small-scale, artisan winemaker championing sustainable viticulture and organic vineyards in Hungary.

About the wines
István is committed to low-intervention winemaking in the cellar. In his early years, he added small amounts of sulphur, but after an eye-opening visit to Steiermark in 2017, he switched fully to zero-zero: the wines are now made with absolutely no additives of any kind. Zsolt Sütő of Strekov 1075 became an important mentor, helping to shape István’s evolving outlook as one of Hungary’s leading European natural wine producers.

His wines radiate pure energy. Early harvesting keeps the wines vibrant and low in alcohol. Maturation takes place in amphora, stainless steel, concrete, and old wooden barrels. István often employs ageing sur lie, resulting in wines with complex character and outstanding drinkability, as well as significant ageing potential.

In terms of vinification, he frequently works with whole clusters and maceration on the skins, giving the wines structure and depth. The result: pure terroir-driven wines with exceptional freshness true expressions of a family-run vineyard dedicated to natural wine and biodynamic, small-batch production.

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