Tokaji
History’s most
treasured sweet wine
• Tokaji refers to the wines from the region of Tokaj-Hegyalja of Hungary.
• Hegyalja means “foothills” in Hungarian (the most complicated language
of the EU
• The history of Tokaji marks it to be one of the world’s first great sweet
wines, with records of it being highly reputable by the mid-17th century.
• Signs of the beneficial effects of botrytis were noted in the Tokaji growing
regions a whole century before they were accidentally discovered in
Germany and France.
• Tokaji - especially the rare free-run
juice called Essencia - was the most
highly regarded and sought
after wine by the Russian, AustroHungarian and Polish royalty and
nobility.
• The vineyards,
mostly owned by the Hungarian
aristocracy, were the country’s most
valuable assets, and Tokaji is
mentioned in the Hungarian
national anthem. Russia's Catherine
the Great can claim to be
one of the first foreign investors;
she owned (and protected with her
own locally stationed infantry
battalion) one of the most
prestigious vineyards.
• The historic Tokaj-Hegyalja wine-growing region is located in the
northeastern part of Hungary, close to the borders to Slovakia
and
Ukraine. The area where Tokaji wine is traditionally grown is a
small plateau, 457 m (1500 ft) above sea level, near the
Carpathian
Mountains. It is only 275 square kilometers in size (55 km long
and 30 km wide). Today the area under cultivation measures
around 6200
hectares.
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Some of the characteristics which make the Tokaj wine region unique are:
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Soil and microclimate: The Tokaj terroir consists of clay or loess* soil on volcanic
subsoil. The microclimate is determined by the sunny, south-facing slopes and the
proximity of the Tisza and Bodrog rivers, and is conducive to the proliferation of
Botrytis (noble rot) and the subsequent desiccation of the grapes.
Indigenous grape varieties: Furmint and Hárslevelü have been cultivated in the
region for centuries and, together with Yellow Muscat (Hungarian:
Sárgamuskotály) and Zéta, are the only grape varieties officially permitted for use
in the region.
Cellars: A vast system of cellars was carved out of solid rock between 1400 and
1600 A.D. They provide a constant temperature of around 10-12°C. The cellars
are covered with a characteristic mold, which feeds off the alcohol evaporated
during aging and keeps the humidity in the range of 85-90%, which is ideal for the
aging of Tokaji wines.
Appellation system: A royal decree in 1757 established a closed production district
in Tokaj, the world's first system of wine appellation. Vineyard classification began
in 1730 and was completed by the national censuses of 1765 and 1772.
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*The word loess, with connotations of origin by wind-deposited accumulation, is of
German origin and means “loose.” It was first applied to Rhine River valley loess
about 1821.
• Kövérszőlő
• Kabar (a cross of Hárslevelű and Bouvier* grapes)
• Furmint accounts for 60% of the area and is by far the most important
grape in the production of Aszú wines. Hárslevelű stands for further 30%.
Nevertheless, an impressive range of different types and styles of wines
are produced in the region, ranging from dry whites to the Eszencia, the
world's sweetest wine
*Bouvier
is a white wine grape planted primarily in Central Europe (Austria,
Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia) where it is also known as Ranina
“The Wine of Kings, The King of
Wines”
• Although it is unknown exactly how long Tokaji
has been cultivated, the vines are believed to
have grown from the volcanic soil of the fork of
the rivers Bodrog and Hernád prior to the
settlement of the Magyar tribes.
• According to legend, the first aszú was made by
Laczkó Máté Szepsi in 1630. However, mention of
wine made from aszú grapes had already
appeared in the Nomenklatura of Fabricius Balázs
Sziksai which was completed in 1576.
• Other sources point to Tokaj being cultivated
around Roman times, and that many of the
region’s spectacular underground cellars were
built during Hungary’s invasion by the
Mongols circa 1241.
• The Ottoman Turks conquered much of what is now
Hungary during the 16th Century. The well-defended Tokaj
region was never fully
occupied but was subject to raids and the threat of invasion
throughout this period. Legend has it that at some stage
during this time, the Tokaj vineyards were left un-harvested
due to the Turkish threat. When the farmers returned the
grapes had dried up and shrivelled and the concentration of
sugar and acidity was remarked upon - the resulting wine
was in the end of surpassing quality and this marked the
birth of Tokaji Aszú. However, the actual techniques for
Tokaji Aszú production were not refined until the 1630's.
The wines for which the region is famous result from skilful
application of winemaking techniques developed in Tokaj
nearly 400 years ago and passed from generation to
generation, despite the trauma of wars, famine and
political change.
• The name Aszú means desiccated in Hungarian - Europe’s
most complex language. The actual vinification process for
Aszú wines was first developed by Abbot Szepsi Laczkó
Máté (1576-1633) in 1631, for Zsuzsanna Lórántffy, who
was the consort to Prince György Rákóczi I, Prince of
Transylvania from 1630 to 1648. Tokaji Aszú was frequently
mentioned in writings from the mid 16th century onwards,
indicating
that making wine from botrytis-affected grapes soon
became common practice. Distributed by enterprising
Polish and Jewish traders, Tokaji Aszú soon gained an
excellent reputation at several European royal courts.
• In the first years of the 18th century, the
Transylvanian patriot and defender of the region,
Prince Ferenc Rákóczi II, (1676 -1735) recognized
the unique quality of Aszú wine and used the
proceeds from Tokaji wine sales to finance his
battle against Habsburg and Austrian domination
of Hungary. In 1703, in the hope of cultivating an
alliance with France, Rákóczi gave King Louis XIV
some Tokaji wine from his Tokaj estates as a gift.
This was served at the French Royal court at
Versailles, where it became
known as Tokay.
• Delighted with the precious beverage, Louis
XV of France offered a glass of Tokaji to
Madame de Pompadour, referring to it as
"Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum" ("Wine of Kings,
King of
Wines"). This famous line is used to this day in
the marketing of Tokaji wines.
• Emperor Franz Josef had a tradition
of sending Queen Victoria Tokaji
Aszú wine, as a gift, every year on
her birthday, one bottle for every
month she had lived, twelve for each
year. On her eighty-first and final
birthday in 1900, this totaled an
impressive 972 bottles.
With the advent of the phylloxera plague in the
1880s (a decade later than in France),
viniculture in Tokaj hit rock bottom. Production
collapsed, and many vineyard owners went
bankrupt. Gradually the vineyards were
replanted on grafted rootstock, and there was
a revival
by the early 1900's, only for sales to again all
but disappear with the advent of World War I.
• Since the collapse of the
communist regime in 1990,
Tokaji has experienced a
remarkable renaissance. First,
investors came from France,
Spain, Germany and England, but
also from Hungary itself: local
winemakers bought vineyards in
excellent locations. Over time,
the premium vineyards have
been divided into smaller and
smaller parcels, many are now in
the hands of local artisanal
producers. Today wine
aficionados can find excellent
Aszú wines from first-class
vineyards, produced by dozens of
small and medium-sized
wineries. A state-owned
producer continues to exist and
handles approximately 20% of
the overall production.
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Types of Tokaji wine
A bottle of Tokaji Aszú 4 Puttonyos, vintage 1990, in a 500 ml bottle of the style
that is typical for Tokaji wine. The capsule label with the colours of the Hungarian
flag is also characteristic.
Dry Wines: These wines, once referred to as common, ordinárium, are now named
after their respective grape varieties: Tokaji Furmint, Tokaji Hárslevelű, Tokaji
Sárgamuskotály and Tokaji Kövérszőlő.
Szamorodni: This type of wine was initially known as főbor (prime wine), but from
the 1820s Polish merchants popularised the name samorodny ("the way it was
grown" or "made by itself"). What sets Szamorodni apart from ordinary wines is
that it is made from bunches of grapes which contain a high proportion of
botrytised grapes. Szamorodni is typically higher in alcohol than ordinary wine.
Szamorodni often contains up to 100-120 g of residual sugar and thus is termed
édes (sweet). However, when the bunches contain less botrytised grapes, the
residual sugar content is much lower, resulting in a száraz (dry) wine. Its alcohol
content is typically 14%.
Aszú: This is the world-famous wine that is proudly cited in the Hungarian national
anthem. It is the sweet, topaz-colored wine that was formerly known throughout
the English-speaking world as Tokay.[4]
The original meaning of the Hungarian word aszú was "dried", but the term aszú
came to be associated with the type of wine made with botrytised (i.e. "nobly"
rotten) grapes. The process of making Aszú wine is as follows.
• The concentration of aszú was traditionally
defined by the number of puttony of dough
added to a Gönc cask (136 liter barrel) of must.
Nowadays the puttony number is based on the
content of sugar and sugar-free extract in the
mature wine. Aszú ranges from 3 puttonyos to 6
puttonyos, with a further category called AszúEszencia representing wines above 6 puttonyos.
Unlike most other wines, alcohol content of aszú
typically runs higher than 14%. Annual
production of aszú is less than one percent of the
region's total output.
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Eszencia: Also called nectar, this is often described as one of the most exclusive
wines in the world, although technically it cannot even be called a wine because
its enormous concentration of sugar means that its alcohol level never rises above
5-6 degrees. Eszencia is the juice of aszú berries which runs off naturally from the
vats in which they are collected during harvesting. The sugar concentration of
eszencia is typically between 500 g and 700 g per litre, although the year 2000
vintage produced eszencia exceeding 900 g per litre. Eszencia is traditionally added
to aszú wines, but may be allowed to ferment (a process that takes at least 4 years
to complete) and then bottled pure. The resulting wine has a concentration and
intensity of flavour that is unequalled, but is so sweet that it can only be drunk in
small quantities. Storage of Eszencia is facilitated by the fact that, unlike virtually
all other wines, it maintains its quality and drinkability for 200 years or more.
Fordítás: (meaning "turning over" in Hungarian), wine made by pouring must on
the aszú dough which has already been used to make aszú wine.
Máslás: (derived from the word "copy" in Hungarian), wine made by pouring must
on the lees of aszú.
Other sweet wines: In the past few years reductive sweet wines have begun to
appear in Tokaj. These are ready for release in a year to 18 months after harvest.
They typically contain 50-180 g/l of residual sugar and a ratio of botrytised berries
comparable to Aszú wines. They are usually labelled as késői szüretelésű (late
harvest) wines. Innovative producers have also marketed tokaji wine that does not
fit the appellation laws of the above categories but is often of high quality and
price, and in many ways comparable to aszú. These wines are often labelled as
tokaji cuvée.
In 1999, Chateau Pajzos became the first winery to produce a Tokaji ice wine.
• How to enjoy Tokaji wine
Tokaj wines are brought to market only after maturation in cask and
additional storage time in bottle. So once a bottle is bought, it is
generally ready to be consumed. Having said this, all good Tokaji can still be
stored for many years; the higher qualities can be cellared for
decades, and true essencia will last for two centuries or more: the greatest
Tokaji wines are almost immortal. With the arguable exception
of the wines of Chateau Chalon (also the result of oxidative winemaking),
Tokaji is the longest-lived unfortified wine in existence. For this
reason 19th century and even 18th century bottles are keenly sought after
by collectors and fetch enormous prices. Tokaji Aszú is best
consumed at a temperature of 11 to 14 °C. Warmer temperatures
enhance its flavour but make it appear less fresh. A Szamorodni can be
enjoyed at slightly cooler temperatures than an Aszú.
If the Aszú has been made in the traditional, oxidative style, a tightly sealed
bottle can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks after
opening without any loss in quality. This way you can easily open several
bottles at the same time for parallel tasting! A Tokaji Aszú is an
elegant companion to many desserts. As a rule of thumb. make sure that
the sweetness of the wine is greater than the sweetness of the
dessert. As with Sauternes, Tokaji wines also compliment blue mold
cheeses, especially Roquefort.