This part of the country, i.e. the areas south of Lake Balaton, clearly yields softer acidity and riper, more balanced black grapes than the wine districts north of Lake Balaton. White wines from here are less vibrant, rather soft and subdued. The soils are diverse, with areas of loess, luvisol brown forest soils and limestone typical. It is the home of full-bodied wines with big tannins. Varieties that have difficulty in ripening in other parts of the country can happily be grown here.
The 7,800 hectares of the Pannon wine region are bordered by the Danube, the Drava and Lake Balaton and consists of four wine districts, Pécs, Szekszárd, Villány and Tolna. Typical varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and its specialities are Cirfandli and Kadarka.
The region is located in an almost contiguous area of hills, the Mecsekalja and the Villány Hills, which is characterised by plenty of sunshine and a strongly Mediterranean mesoclimate. Its soils are varied, comprising limestone blocks in the Mecsek, loess-loam in Villány or clayey hills.
