Budai Zöld is white grape that is indigenous to Hungary, likely from around Buda until Phylloxera swept through Hungary. Buda is the western on the western bank of the Danube River and was the capital city of Hungary until it merged with Pest and became what we now know as Budapest. Budai was once a principal grape in Buda but is now mainly grown on the western side of Lake Balaton, about a 2 hour drive southwest from Budapest. Budai is a high yielding grape that usually makes wines for everyday drinking. As mentioned in previous posts, it is also usually planted with Kéknyelű to increase pollination rates. The wines made from Budai commonly display a subdued apple notes with fresh acidity and lighter body. They are great for sipping while having a beach day in the summer.
On my trip, I tried a 2024 Válibor Budai Zöld. This wine has a pale lemon color with aromas of ripe yellow and green apple, ripe lemon peel, herbs, lime zest and wet stone. The grapes for this wine are grown on the volcanic soils in Badacsony. These soils and the lake provide a salinity to the wine. Although Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake, the salt content has been increasing and now exceeds the limit for the freshwater classification. This dry wine has a moderate level of acidity, body and a low to moderate level of alcohol. The herbal notes combine with citrus and apple on the palate then are followed by hints of saline and minerality on the moderate length finish. This wine was nice on a warm Saturday afternoon while chatting with friends and dining on fresh veggies and local cheeses.
-TheLooseTannin
A Trip Around the World of Wine in 52 Weeks 