The Legend of Rózsakő (Rose Stone) Badacsony hills

The Rózsakő grape variety was created in 1957 by Ferenc Király. Its name comes from a legendary basalt rock above the Kisfaludy House in Badacsony, where poet Sándor Kisfaludy and his wife, Róza Szegedy, once sat admiring the beauty of Lake Balaton. According to local legend, if a couple sits on the stone holding hands, they will be united in love by the end of the year—or if only the girl sits and sighs while thinking of her beloved, his heart will beat for her.

Rózsakő is a hybrid of two traditional Hungarian varieties: Kéknyelű (mother) and Budai Zöld (father). It has medium growth vigor and produces yellowish, slightly elongated berries. The wine is similar in character to its parents: structured and high in quality, with floral, spicy, and honeyed notes.

Kéknyelű is a rare female-flowering grape that needs a pollinator, such as Budai Zöld. It produces small yields but outstanding quality, offering light-colored, floral wines with mineral notes and firm acidity—suitable for late harvest and even ice wines. It tolerates drought well and is resistant to rot.

Budai Zöld, once widespread in Hungary, is now mostly grown around Lake Balaton. It ripens late, is productive but sensitive to cold, rot, and overcropping. Its wine is pale green, delicately aromatic, lean, and acidic, best consumed after some bottle aging.

Rózsakő is more than a grape—it’s a symbol of Badacsony’s natural and cultural heritage.