The Wine Region of Mór belongs to the smaller wine producing areas of Hungary, however, considering its reputation it is one of the most significant of the 22 wine regions.
Although its past goes back to ages, it was only in 1996 that the wine law being in force in Hungary classified the vineyards of wine cadastre class I and II in Mór, Pusztavám, Söréd, Csókakő, Zámoly and Csákberény as being part of this wine region. Grape and wine production has always had determinant role in the life of the settlements located in the valley of the Vértes and the Bakony mountains. It has had a substantial effect on the living and prosperity of the residents as well as the development of the settlements. For centuries the pace of people's lives has been adjusted to the production of grape and wine. Besides, several feasts, social events and cultural traditions were connected to these activities.
The economic importance of wine production was reduced after the beginning of the modern age, but viticulture still has an outstanding role in the landscape, identity, tourism and architectural mementoes of the settlements in the wine region as well as in the preservation of traditions.
The features of the wine region
Data on quantities
2352 winemakers, occupying 730 hectares, produce wine in the Wine Region of Mór. Approximately 12-14 of them own large areas, while most of them have vineyards smaller than 1 hectare. The area of the wine region reduced continuously in the past but since 2002 a growing tendency can be observed in the planting of vine. In the year 2003 18-20 thousand hectolitres of wine was produced in the region. Although this amount enables the winemakers to make a living, it does not provide a possibility to extend production. The wines produced in Mór are sold only in Hungary, in fact, the major part of the grape is not processed by the growers on site but it is sold to large processing companies.
Grape varieties and wine brands
The wines of the region are mainly white wines. Beside the specific Ezerjó, the Leányka, the Tramini, the Rizlingszilváni, the Zöldveltelini and the Chardonnay are the most common grape varieties.The Ezerjó - which is now a Hungaricum- became the region's main grape variety when the vineyards were replanted after the phylloxera epidemic in the 19th century. The wines of Mór are hard wines that age late. They acquire their full strength in the third year after harvest and this is the time when their characteristic flavour can be best felt. If the weather is favourable, the grapes ripen to golden yellow and have a wonderful flavour. In case of especially prosperous weather conditions, aszu wine can be produced from the rivelled grapes. The taste and quality of this aszu wine - according to experts- match that of the Tokaji Aszu. In spite of the fact that the calcium-carbonate content of the wines produced here is not higher than that of those produced in other wine regions, there is a saying which can be translated like this The wines of Mór are limy, those who drink it will be brainy'. The masculine character of the wines of Mór can be attributed to their high acidity. If consumed in moderation, these wines do not cause a headache, unlike those with high carbonate content.
Press-houses and wine cellars
Naturally, the most important buildings of vineyards are the press-houses and wine cellars. The diversity in their structure, which can be observed in the different wine regions, was created by the history of their location, the traits of the wines produced there and the features of the landscape. The person who had the press-houses and cellars built influenced whether the building would get a rural, a middle-class, a noble or a commercial character.The Swabian families settled in Mór and its vicinity in the 17th and 18th century brought their own viticulture and typical press-house building style. This style can be characterised by a press-house with a large decorated door and two windows built symmetrically on the sides. The press-house is at right angles to the cellar and there is a room for relaxing and a wooden winepress equipped with a weight made of stone in the press-house. The entrance of the wine cellar opens directly from the press-house. The vaulted design of the cellar ensures the keeping of the required humidity and temperature (10-14ºC) in the cellar.
Plug cutting
In the traditional vineyards in Mór vine-stocks are supported by stakes. The plants are maintained by plug cutting, which means that the sprouts grown in the first year are cut back to the basal bud or even removed totally. In this way the clusters of grapes get closer to the ground emitting heat during the day, which ensures good ripening and better quality. The disadvantage of the method is that the clusters are more liable to get dirty, causing extra work during processing.
Tying method
In the Wine Region of Mór the vine-stocks are tied by straws called 'gica'. Vine-stocks are usually tied three times a year with straws of rye of about 80 cm, giving an aesthetic cylindrical shape to the vine-stocks.
Source: www.moriborvidek.hu
