Castles in Hungary's rolling hills are becoming a tourist draw thanks in part to entrepreneurs who combine exclusive luxury accomodations with the country's increasingly well-known wines.

One such palace is Szent Gaal, on the outskirts of Szekszard in southern Hungary, which dates back to the 17th century in one of the best wine regions of the country.

"This wine region is the oldest in Hungary, dating back to Roman times some 2000 years ago," explains Tibor Kovacs (43), the owner of Szent Gaal.

"We want to offer guests the harmony between local foods, history and the wine culture just as we see it done in France or Italy," he said.

Kovacs bought the Szent Gaal wine cellar in 2001, taking over a cellar dating back to the Hungarian King Bela I. in the 11th century. He now produces 246 000 bottles of wine annually, including his favourite red wine, the 'Badarka', which means 'joyous' in Hungarian.

It is much lighter than some of the country's heavier reds and is well-liked in France and Germany as well where six to eight percent of his exports go, said Kovacs.

Five kilometres away, Kovacs also snapped up the baroque Szent Gaal palace, which has seven suites along with a swimming pool and an artificial lake in this beautiful city which takes its wines seriously.

In Szekszard, there are some 2000 vineyards and 4800 private cellars for just 10 000 families who live here.

Mongol hordes and world wars
Many of Hungary's castles were destroyed in the number of wars that ravaged the countryside, from the Mongol invasions to the occupation of the Turks and the World Wars.

Of those that survived, many remain in a dilapidated state, awaiting renovation. The wine industry is also undergoing a transition, with more and more cellars producing higher quality wine that are finding new fans abroad.

Another 'wine castle' is the Count Degenfeld in Tarcal, part of the renowned Tokaj wine region in the country's northeast.

Unlike Szent Gaal, the Degenfeld palace does not have a storied past, having been built only in 2003 but in a style, including furniture, reminiscent of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

However, it was the family of Count Imre Degenfeld, an aristocrat of German and Hungarian origins, who decided to buy back the vineyards in 1994 that were once owned by the forefather in the 19th century.

The palace offers 20 rooms and a luxury suite, while the cellar's selection includes, naturally, the famed Tokaji Aszu, the sweet white wine that French King Louis XIV called the "wine of kings and the king of wines".

AFP

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