Hungarian wine in danger? New vine disease threatens the country – it may already be too late
This year has brought one of the most severe crises in the history of Hungarian viticulture: flavescence dorée, a disease caused by a phytoplasma, is destroying vineyards across the country at an unprecedented scale. Of Hungary’s 22 wine regions, 15 are already affected, with thousands of hectares potentially infected. Even iconic vineyard sites such as Somló and Szentgyörgyhegy are now under threat.
What is causing the outbreak?
The disease is triggered by a phytoplasma pathogen spread by the American grapevine leafhopper, according to Agroinform. Once a vine is infected, its leaves turn yellow, wilt, and eventually the entire plant dies. Since there is currently no cure, the only way to slow its spread is to control the leafhopper population. Experience shows that the disease spreads rapidly: where there is today a single infected vine, in two or three years, the number can swell into the hundreds.
The first major victim: Bussay Winery
The Bussay Winery in Csörnyeföld, Zala County, offers a dramatic example of the devastation caused by this epidemic. For years, Dorottya Bussay and Tamás Kis had enhanced Zala’s reputation with their wines, but today, almost none of their vineyards remain. Their traminec plot was the first to be lost, followed by pinot noir and other varieties, leaving only their merlot and a few olaszrizling vines holding out longer.
“In 2025, most of the vineyards in the settlement collapsed. From next year, we won’t have a single vine left; we’ll have to uproot everything,” wrote Dorottya Bussay in a letter to fellow winemakers at the Pannon Bormíves Guild. According to her, despite repeatedly warning about the growing problem, the winery received neither compensation nor sufficient support.
A nationwide response
Recognising the severity of the situation (albeit quite late), the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Food Chain Safety Office (Nébih) have launched a nationwide action plan. The program is designed to slow the spread of the infection and safeguard vineyards.
Measures include:
- nationwide monitoring using inspection teams and drone surveillance,
- pest control against the leafhopper vector, including aerial spraying in severely affected areas,
- laboratory testing and deployment of mobile diagnostic units,
- promoting the use of certified, virus-free propagation material,
- compulsory removal of abandoned, infected vineyards.
Authorities are also prioritising the approval of plant protection products, ensuring that growers gain faster access to the necessary tools.
The future of Hungarian wine at stake
Winemakers warn that this is not just a plant disease but a crisis threatening the very future of Hungarian viticulture and rural development. If no effective strategy emerges to contain the outbreak, entire wine regions across Hungary could lose their vineyards within a few years.
Some growers are reluctantly considering experimental alternatives, such as planting olive groves. Yet these cannot replace the economic nor the cultural significance of vineyards.
Professionals, therefore, urge coordinated, nationwide action instead of fragmented local efforts. If intervention comes in time, Hungary’s vineyards and wine regions may still be saved. If not, today’s crisis could mark a dark chapter in the nation’s winemaking history for decades to come.