Founded in 2009 by Gábor Ádám, Sabar Wine Estate is a small producer – only 7 hectares – located on Sabar Hill (hence the name) in the Badacsony wine region, part of the Lake Balaton area. The region’s characteristic volcanic soil terroir finds its way into Gábor’s wines, where it is gently guided by him in the cellar to create fresh, mineral-driven whites like Kéknyelű, Olaszrizling, and Pinot Gris. A sip of Gábor’s wines and you’ll understand “sabarism” –  the joy and the magic of Sabar Hill.

Lake Balaton, in western Hungary, is Central Europe’s largest lake and a historic hub of Hungarian viticulture. The vast water mass exerts a powerful moderating influence on the climate: summers are warm and sunny, winters relatively mild, and wide diurnal shifts preserve aromatic freshness. Breezes off the lake help regulate humidity, reducing disease pressure and extending the growing season. Vineyards are typically planted on gentle slopes around the shoreline, benefitting from reflected light and moderated ripening.

Soils are strikingly diverse, shaped by volcanic and sedimentary origins. Basalt, tufa, limestone, loess and sandy deposits appear across subregions, each contributing distinct mineral signatures. This variation underpins a wide stylistic range, from crisp, linear whites to more textured, ageworthy examples.

White varieties dominate, notably Olaszrizling (Welschriesling), which produces wines with citrus, almond and saline notes that have become Balaton’s signature. Other key grapes include Furmint, Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris), Juhfark and Chardonnay, alongside increasingly expressive Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Reds are less common but Kekfrankos (Blaufränkisch), Merlot and Pinot Noir thrive in warmer sites, yielding vibrant, fruit-driven wines with spice and freshness. Styles range from youthful, aromatic whites to structured volcanic wines and elegant, modern reds.

Kéknyelű is a rare, indigenous Hungarian white variety whose name means “blue-stalked,” a nod to the bluish hue of its stems. Its spiritual home is Badacsony on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, where volcanic basalt soils and the lake’s moderating influence help it achieve full ripeness while preserving nerve and freshness. Plantings beyond the Balaton uplands (Balaton-felvidék, Balatonfüred–Csopak) are tiny, and the grape is scarcely found outside Hungary.

Viticulturally, Kéknyelű is demanding. It is functionally female-flowered, so it requires a pollinator—traditionally Budai Zöld—interplanted in the vineyard to ensure proper fruit set. Yields are naturally modest and can be irregular, and the variety needs warm, sun-exposed, well-drained sites to ripen cleanly. These challenges, combined with labour-intensive cultivation on steep, stony slopes, explain its rarity and the premium often attached to the best examples.

In the glass, Kéknyelű is typically dry and uncompromisingly mineral. Stainless-steel fermentations with extended lees ageing are common, with discreet or neutral oak used by some producers for texture rather than flavour. The style is taut and structured, offering citrus (lemon, grapefruit) and green apple alongside white peach, quince and delicate blossom. A hallmark is its saline, stony character—often with a subtle smoky or flinty note from the volcanic terroir—plus a gentle phenolic grip that makes it highly gastronomic. With bottle age, the wines gain waxy, honeyed and almond nuances while retaining their linear spine. Kéknyelű is a distinctive, terroir-transparent variety that rewards patience and carefully chosen sites