Interview with Júli from Tornai Winery & the Mystery of Csomorika

Today I’m in Hungary’s smallest volcanic wine region, Somló, sitting down with Júli, a fourth-generation member of the Tornai family. Founded in 1946, Tornai is the oldest continuously operating family winery on Somló, a region famous for producing some of Hungary’s most distinctive mineral-driven wines. Today we’re uncovering the mystery of one of Hungary’s rarest indigenous grape varieties: Csomorika, the forgotten grape that’s making an unexpected comeback as a sparkling wine.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your journey into the wine world began?

I first noticed as a child that there was always a Tornai wine on the Christmas dinner table, and that wine was a recurring gift within our family whenever there was a special occasion. Then, of course, my great-grandfather, Endre Tornai, took us to Somló Hill every summer for a hike or simply to explore the area. My first real introduction to Tornai wines came at the age of 16, when I helped out in the winery’s wine shop during the summer as a high school student.

At 18, I started representing the Tornai brand at various wine events thanks to the encouragement of Tamás Tornai, my uncle and later at wine festivals as well. This continued throughout my university years, during which I worked at numerous wine festivals both in Hungary and abroad.

So I saw what an interesting product is a bottle of wine: actually not only a product but a whole art. And I fall in love with this art.

At the age of 24, after completing my university studies and pursuing other professional activities, I officially joined the winery full-time and have been dedicating my entire professional career to it ever since.

Tornai’s vineyards are located in Somló, one of Hungary’s smallest yet most distinctive wine regions. What, in your opinion, makes Somló truly stand out?

For me, Somló is one of the most unique wine regions not only in Hungary, but in Europe. It’s a tiny volcanic hill rising from the surrounding plains, and that volcanic origin has a huge influence on the wines. Somló wines are known for their intense minerality, vibrant acidity, and remarkable aging potential. What I love most is that they are incredibly expressive of their terroir—you can often recognize a Somló wine almost immediately. Despite its small size, the region has a very strong identity and produces wines with real character and authenticity. And I love those things which are unique and are not approachable everywhere.

What inspired Tornai to start producing sparkling wines, especially using such a rare and unique grape like Csomorika?

Csomorika is one of Hungary’s rare indigenous grape varieties, and the Tornai family played a key role in preserving it from extinction. Creating a sparkling wine from Csomorika felt like a natural way to highlight both the uniqueness of the variety and the innovative spirit of the winery. We wanted to create something that could not be replicated anywhere else in the world. The region’s naturally high acidity and mineral-driven style provide an excellent foundation for sparkling wine production. At the same time, we wanted to showcase something truly unique and connected to our heritage and family.
Could you tell us more about this variety? What are its key characteristics, both in the vineyard and in the glass?

Csomorika is a truly special variety with a fascinating history. It is often referred to as the “sister grape” of Juhfark and is also known by its alternative name, Green Juhfark. Although it is considered a rare indigenous Hungarian variety today, it actually gained recognition as early as the late 19th century, when the renowned Littke Sparkling Wine House (Littke pezsgőgyár) introduced it to the Pécs wine region specifically for sparkling wine production.

The variety arrived in Somló in the 1980s thanks to Endre Tornai, the founder of our winery, who saw great potential in it and decided to plant it on the volcanic slopes of the region. Looking back, it was a visionary decision, as Csomorika has proven to be exceptionally well suited to the terroir of Somló and now to the production of premium sparkling wines. We used to make a still wine from Csomorika as a real curiosity in our range, but over the years we realized that sparkling wine is where the variety really comes alive.

In the vineyard, Csomorika is valued for its ability to retain freshness and acidity, which are essential qualities for sparkling wine. In the glass, it offers vibrant citrus and green apple notes, delicate floral aromas, and a distinctive mineral character that reflects Somló’s volcanic soils. The result is a sparkling wine that is elegant, lively, and unmistakably unique.

Based on your experience, how is sparkling wine currently perceived in Hungary, and what are you focusing on to make it more appealing and marketable?

The perception of sparkling wine in Hungary has changed significantly over the last decade. Traditionally, many consumers associated sparkling wine mainly with celebrations and special occasions. Today, however, younger consumers are increasingly enjoying it as an everyday wine style, whether at brunch, on a terrace with friends, or paired with food.

Our goal is to further strengthen the trend of enjoying high-quality sparkling wines on special occasions. We believe a unique grape variety like Csomorika can be a perfect choice for these special celebrations such as New Year’s Eve, wedding anniversaries, or birthdays.

When you’re not tasting Tornai wines, which sparkling wines do you most often reach for?

I particularly enjoy Champagne-style sparkling wines, as well as sparkling wines from volcanic wine regions. I love their vibrant energy, mineral character, and subtle salty notes. For me, they offer the perfect balance of richness, complexity, and precision in every glass.

As a young professional in the wine world, what message would you give to young people who want to approach wine today?

Just be open-minded. Take the risk. Try out new things, new people, new wines. You will never know if there is an even more symphatetic place, person or wine for you, if you do not give them a chance. A glass of wine will make you smile. And if you smile, good things will happen. That is my life philosophy, haha.

The Tasting

Csomorika Extra Brut

A bright, energetic sparkling wine that immediately shows why Csomorika deserves another chance. Crystal clear with a pale straw-yellow color and subtle green reflections, it displays a fine, persistent stream of tiny bubbles, a hallmark of its traditional method production. The nose opens with crisp green apple, lime, lemon zest and grapefruit, complemented by delicate white flowers and a subtle hint of brioche. On the palate, vibrant acidity is balanced by a creamy mousse, revealing flavors of green apple and medlar alongside Somló’s unmistakable volcanic minerality. Bone dry, precise and elegant, the finish is long and refreshing, bringing notes of elderflower, ripe pink grapefruit and a delicate saline touch.
A sparkling wine that’s not trying to imitate Champagne, it’s expressing Somló through one of Hungary’s rarest indigenous grape varieties.

A Forgotten Grape Finds Its Spark

Sometimes the greatest stories in wine aren’t about the most famous grapes, but about the ones that almost disappeared.

Thanks to wineries like Tornai, Csomorika has gone from being a forgotten indigenous variety to becoming the foundation of a truly unique sparkling wine—one that couldn’t be made anywhere else in the world.

If there’s one lesson from today’s conversation with Júlia, it’s that preserving tradition doesn’t mean looking backwards. Sometimes, it means rediscovering the past to create something completely new.

And maybe that’s exactly what makes Somló so special.

 

Image credit belongs to Marco Barbieri. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use it.