Tradition and innovation. We know that these two ideologies must go hand-in-hand to create ultimate quality. Without knowing the past, we are rootless. Without vision and innovative ideas, there is no future. The goal is to find the perfect balance of these two concepts...with no compromise.

Sauska Krisztián

Christian was born in Somberek near Villány, but his true passion for wine began with a bottle of 1966 Bordeaux.

Sauska Krisztián

Christian was born in a small village of Somberek near Villány, but his true passion for wine began with a bottle of 1966 Bordeaux. It was 1977, and he was able to purchase half bottles of this stellar vintage for a few dollars at the local liquor store. He had moved to the US from Hungary just a few years prior, speaking little English, and having few resources at his disposal. He did not even have a car at the time of this serendipitous purchase.

By day he worked his way up from the assembly line of an architectural lighting firm, eventually becoming vice-president. He put himself through school at night receiving both his BS in engineering and his MBA. At the same time he was educating himself, he was also educating his palate, developing a passion for fine wines from around the world. In the late ’90s, after meeting wife Andrea, he decided to start making wines of his own. He could have started this venture anywhere, but he had maintained strong ties to Hungary and wanted to leave a legacy for his children, Christian, Stefanie, and Miki.

Moreover, he wanted to create world class dry wines, equal in quality and stature to both the sweet Tokaji Aszú for which Hungary is famous, and to the Bordeaux which had initially inspired his interest; wines that respected the terroir of their respective regions, and, in keeping with his engineering background, utilized the latest technology to do so. To achieve this goal he has enlisted the help of world-class consultants, to guide the Sauska-team, comprised of some of Hungary’s finest home-grown talent.

Christian is the great-grandson of Gedeon Rononczy (1852-1929), member of The Hungarian Parliament for the Liberal Party vineyard owner, agronomist, inventor, horse breeder and famed duellist, as well as the proud grandfather of Henry, Livi, Giorgia, August, and Christian.


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Sauska Andrea

An economist by profession Andrea started her career as a journalist specializing in tourism.

Sauska Andrea

An economist by profession Andrea started her career as a journalist specializing in tourism. In the course of her work, she met many family winemakers during the 1990s and quickly became dedicated to promoting the wine regions and wineries of Hungary.

After meeting husband Christian, they decided to start making wines of their own first in Tokaj, later in Villány.  Since 2006, her main focus is to build the family brand with a strong emphasis on promoting wine as integral part of the human culture and raising awareness on responsible alcohol consumption.

andrea@sauska.com

 


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Sauska Stefanie

Born and raised in Connecticut, Stefi graduated as an attorney. As a result of the frequent family trips to Hungary with her father and her own increasing fascination with wine, she finally settled in Budapest.

Sauska Stefanie

Born and raised in Connecticut, Stefi graduated as an attorney. As a result of the frequent family trips to Hungary with her father and her own increasing fascination with wine, she finally settled in Budapest. Currently, she devotes all her time to the family; her husband Peter is the managing director of Sauska. Together with their three children, they live in Bóly near Villány and Budapest.

stefanie@sauska.hu

 


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Pohl Péter

Peter was born in the small village of Bóly, where – together with his four siblings – he first sampled the art of grape cultivation on the family smallholding.

Pohl Péter

Peter was born in the small village of Bóly, where – together with his four siblings – he first sampled the art of grape cultivation on the family smallholding. After receiving his degree in Food Engineering (MSC) at the Szent István University in Budapest, he was taken on at the Villány winery, of which he eventually became managing director. At present, he manages the entire Sauska winemaking portfolio, that is, the wineries in Villány and Tokaj as well as the Budafok sparkling wine cellar. He lives with his wife, Stefi Sauska, and their three children in Bóly and Budapest.

 

 


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Rakaczki Gábor

Head winemaker of Sauska Tokaj. Gábor graduated in Gyöngyös as an agricultural and viticulture-viniculture engineer. 

Rakaczki Gábor

Head winemaker of Sauska Tokaj. Gábor graduated in Gyöngyös as an agricultural and viticulture-viniculture engineer. He started his career at Tokaj Kereskedőház, worked in the United States and achieved his first remarkable success at the Degenfeld Winery.

 

After joining ourTokaj winery, he made a name for himself by establishing the dry portfolio in 2009. From 2011, the Sauska sparkling wines made exclusively from Tokaj grapes are also to his credit.

rakaczki.gabor@sauska.hu

 

 


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Katona Dániel

Our sales manager Dani spent his summer vacations in Italy as a waiter. In mid-August, on his way back to the university, he usually stopped in Piedmont to help with the harvest.

Katona Dániel

Dani has been working with us since 2012; he is always on the go, responsible for domestic and export sales and wine events. He is present at every wine festival, happily representing our wines at tasting dinners throughout Hungary. After his history studies went to Italy, than managed a French restaurant and ended up in the opening team of Nobu. He never stops working, his energy and optimism are infectious. An occasional glass of Tokaj sparkling wine and some waterski helps him to relax.

katona.daniel@sauska.hu


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Czemiczki István

Viticulture-viniculture engineer, graduated in Gyöngyös. He gained professional experience working on the Béres Vineyard and with Oremus Winery, then after a time on the Martinborough Te Kairanga winery, New Zealand, he found a home at Sauska Tokaj.

Czemiczki István

 

Viticulture-viniculture engineer, graduated in Gyöngyös. He gained professional experience working on the Béres Vineyard and with Oremus Winery, then after a time on the Martinborough Te Kairanga winery, New Zealand, he found a home at Sauska Tokaj. As a viticulturalist, he has an important role to play in promoting the different varieties, in working out the optimal planting plans and in shaping a clean, unified estate structure. A true local patriot: even his favorite spritzer can only be made of Tokaj wine.

czemiczki.istvan@sauska.hu

 

 


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Futó Júlia

Juli was born in Pécs, now lives in the tiny village of Palkonya near Villány. Coming from a family of artists, she studied pottery after high school. Juli started to work on a small family vineyard by coincidence. 

Futó Júlia

Juli was born in Pécs, now lives in the tiny village of Palkonya near Villány. Coming from a family of artists, she studied pottery after high school. Juli started to work on a small family vineyard by coincidence. Soon she realized that her knowledge was incomplete and decided to apply to the local Zsigmond Teleki Agricultural School and became a wine technician. She joined our team one year after the start, her strong work ethic soon made her a key team member. Juli graduated from the Faculty of Horticultural Engineering of Corvinus University in 2014. We value her decade of experience, comprehensive knowledge, and excellent tasting skills and love to have her in the Sauska Villány team.

 


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Hanusz Ádám

Winemaker. He went to high school in the picturesque Baroque town of Vác, where he still lives. Even before his higher education, he was interested in winemaking, interning at Lake Balaton and in California before starting the Faculty of Horticulture at St. Stephen's University.

Hanusz Ádám

Winemaker. He went to high school in the picturesque Baroque town of Vác, where he still lives. Even before his higher education, he was interested in winemaking, interning at Lake Balaton and in California before starting the Faculty of Horticulture at St. Stephen's University. He graduated as a viticultural and wine engineer in 2017, followed by a series of professional adventures from California (Law Estate) through Portugal (Herdade da Malhadinha Nova) and Great Britain (Nyetimber) to New Zealand (Kumeu River). He is responsible for the operation of our sparkling wine cellar situated outside of Budapest, in the Budafok cave system.

Proud owner of Astor, the whippet, keen tennis lover, and eager to learn French. But first and foremost a great guy with an admirable work ethic, good taste, and great passion for the bubbly.

 


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