When Katalin Rabai first set foot in a vineyard in 2004, the last thing on her mind was becoming a winemaker. In fact, she had never even tasted alcohol.
Now, nearly two decades later, Katalin oversees a small but thriving winery nestled in Hungary's Kásás Hill vineyard, where each bottle she produces tells a story.
Her journey began as a surprise gift from her husband in 2004.
“We were on a walk, and suddenly we came across this charming house surrounded by rows of grapes. I asked whose house it was. He smiled and said, ‘It's ours,’” she says.
It was an epic start to their life in the vineyard and a Hungarian newspaper reporter once told her that hers sounds like a Hollywood love story.
“I had once shared with my husband that I would love to retire in a nice and quiet place where I can read a book and just relax. Then he got me this place,” says Katalin.
The picturesque one-hectare vineyard at the foot of the Gerecse Mountain seemed perfect for retirement, but it was the beginning of something more.
Initially overwhelmed by the prospect of managing the land, Katalin was hesitant. “I thought, ‘These grapes are so beautiful. How could I just destroy them?’”
Before all this, she had never drunk any alcoholic drink. “I was very religious at that time and thought wine was not good.”
Her journey from abstinence to winemaking is one she never saw coming. Driven by curiosity and a desire to honor the vineyard's potential, she began making wine for her family and friends, learning through trial and error with each harvest. She enrolled for winemaking classes and also learned from some of the large wine exporters in her country.
Variety of Wines pictured during the launch of the Hungarian Food Week at Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi on October 16, 2024.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Leap of faith
In 2015, Katalin finally took the leap and decided to introduce herself to the wine market in Hungary. She launched the Rabai Katalin Winery and Guesthouse, a venture that grew from her home vineyard.
“I was working at a gastronomy museum in Budapest and this helped cement my knowledge in the wine making industry. It is this work that helped me raise funds to invest in the equipment needed to make quality wine. It wasn't easy, but it was worth every penny,” she reflects.
Speaking to the Business Daily during the Hungarian Food Week at Villa Rosa Kempinski in mid October, Katalin said that she grows several grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay. She also nurtures native Hungarian varieties like Irsai Olivér, a crisp, aromatic white wine.
For her, each bottle is more than just wine; it's a way to tell stories and connect people with her culture. Hence, she names her wines according to different aspects of her culture.
“I call my Irsai Olivér wine Love Till the Grave. It is named to honour a famous but poor poet from my village. He loved a girl from our village, but the girl's father was against their marrying, so they only maintained a platonic love between them. My Chardonnay's name is Longa Villa, which was the name of my village, Neszmely, in the 1470s. Longa Villa is a Latin word for long village. This village is long with everyone living on the main street, and few people living on the hills like me.”
Making the wine
“I only use grapes from my vineyard. From January to July, we care for the vines to ensure that we have a good harvest. In July all the way to September, we begin harvesting. After the harvest, we begin the winemaking process. First, we press the grapes and filter the juice, which is then placed in stainless steel wine tanks. We cool the wine to 14–15°C, as this temperature helps bring out the best flavours.
After another round of filtering for clarification, the wine stays in the tanks, kept at the same cool temperature for about a month to allow fermentation. Afterwards we move the tanks to the cellar to rest and develop. By March of the following year, it is ready for bottling. Since we produce in small quantities, we only sell locally and we sell out quickly,” the mother of two explains.
The vineyard produces about 4,500 bottles annually from around 5,000 kilogrammes of grapes.
Red wine or white wine?
Katalin says that red wine takes longer to mature, usually taking two years before it is ready.
Katalina Rabani pours wine into a glass during the launch of the Hungarian Food Week at Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi on October 16, 2024.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
“It spends one year aging in barrels and another in bottles before it's ready to serve. However, I love white wine. For white wine, I prefer not to store it in barrels as I like it to remain light and fresh. Ageing it in barrels would give it a full-bodied (having a complex flavor and richer mouthfeel) taste, which isn’t ideal for the style I aim for with my white wines.”
She sells locally, including in a few Budapest restaurants.
Keeping it small
For her, winemaking is a hobby, hence the reason why she has deliberately kept her business small.
“People always ask me why I do not want to grow my business and get more land. I want to keep my wines personal. I do everything here by hand. If I grow too much, the handcrafted element will be lost. It would feel like laboratory work, and I will stop enjoying it,” the wine enthusiast shares.
The vineyard has faced challenges, especially with the impact of climate change.
“Harvesting used to stretch into late September, but now it starts earlier and is much shorter. It's a race against time to preserve the quality of the grapes.”
However, her love for winemaking keeps her going.
“The joy on my guests' faces after tasting my wine; that's what fuels me and keeps me going,” Katalin, who also runs a guesthouse on the property, shares.
Looking ahead
At the guesthouse, visitors can enjoy intimate wine-tasting experiences. This project is not about big profits, she admits. “It's about doing what I love and sharing that love with others.”
Looking ahead, she dreams of experimenting with blended wines and champagnes. However, for now, she is savouring the moment.
“The Hungarian embassy's invitation to participate in the Hungarian Food Week in Kenya was a big honour. It's my first time sharing my wines outside Hungary, and I couldn't be more excited.”
