EGER, GRÓF BUTTLER WINERY 2009
The Gróf Buttler Winery - named after the renowned captain of the fortress of Eger - was founded by the Bukolyi family in 1999. The plantations of the winery are located in the wine region of Eger; they manage two main vineyards, paying special attention to the differing characteristics of the areas.
The 18 hectares vineyard located at Szarkás-tető (Szarkás Plateau) sits on a rhyolite-tuff terrain, providing an excellent base for the ripening process of the grapes grown there. The high mineral content of the soil gives the leading character and complexity of the local wines.
The other 18 hectares plantation is located on the outstanding terroir of Nagy-Eged hegy (Nagy-Eged Mountain); the grapes cultivated here produce exquisite wines. Both the soil and the climate characteristics are favorable for the cultivation of premium white (Viognier, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay) and blue grapes (kadarka, kékfrankos, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon).
The winery uses only traditional technology for processing the grapes, but replaces two of the conventional tools with different techniques. Instead of traditional harvest vessels, the grapes are collected in small plastic boxes, paying special attention to avoid damaging the fruits. For substituting the traditional press, the grapes are crushed after removing the stems, and fermented in vats while squeezing. When reaching the ideal alcoholic level, the wine is racked into oak barrels to remove the marc.
Our design program included the complex modernization, reconstruction and expansion of the plant with the aim of creating a winery of high professional quality. Accordingly, the existing buildings were reconstructed and the plant got expanded with two new technological blocks. The new processing system and the order of the rooms follow the technological process of the gravitational flow principle, with additional functions supplementing the system.
The new technological rooms are arranged in two groups, in two new buildings. The underground processing building, placed separately on the higher corner of the plot, is accessible from the upper boundary. The semi-underground, multi-level main building opens from an indented plateau, which is surrounded by tuff-walls on three sides, adjoining the existing cave-like cellar system in the rear wall of the plateau. The main building accommodates technological and social units, access is provided through an inner road of the site.
Péter Kis, Ákos Dobrányi, Tamás Romhányi, Judit Szász
Visualization by: Péter Romvári
Photo by: Zsolt Batár
