Tokaj Re-discovered

“Tokaj is one of the world’s great historic wine regions. Over the centuries, Tokaj has been praised by kings, popes, tsars, writers, and gourmets. Its wines have been regarded as a sign of wealth, a source of gold, a focus of nationalist sentiment, a diplomatic lever, and a semi-miraculous curative.”

The History

The rise of Tokaj as a major wine region can be dated to the early 16th Century. Tokaj became a symbol of distinction amongst the upper classes and aristocracy in Europe. Tokaj became known as a luxury wine with this association being encouraged from the beginning by its close relationship with the Hungarian landed nobility, particularly in the Upper Tisza region.

When communism in Hungary collapsed in 1989, local enthusiasm, quality focus, and plenty of foreign investment took hold in the Tokaj region. The French (AXA insurance), the Spanish (Vega Sicilia), and the British (Hugh Johnson) were amongst several foreigners that came into Tokaj in the early 1990s to restore its wines to former glory – and to even vinify it to new heights!

Viticulture

The Tokaj region today consists of roughly 5,500 hectares (approximate) of vineyards spread out between 27 named villages.

The microclimate determined by the volcanic clay or loess soils, the sunny southern slopes, and the Tisza and Bodrog rivers provides favorable conditions for the development of Botrytis cinerea (noble mold) and its subsequent assimilation.

Another feature of the region is the presence of grape varieties, Furmint, Hárslevelű and Sárgamuskotály (Yellow Muscat) which have been native for centuries. The production of the typical Tokaj wine requires a huge system of cellars carved into the rocks, which, with its constant temperature of around 12 ° C and high humidity of around 96%, is an ideal place for the maturation of wines. And what is also essential, in addition to the environmental conditions, is the knowledge of people who have been involved in viticulture and wine culture for generations.

Dry Furmint

Tokaj in particular is building a reputation for dry Furmint worth ageing, and it has a headstart over other countries and regions where it grows. As serious quality wine in its own right (rather than an afterthought when noble rot didn’t appear), dry wines in Tokaj have barely two decades of history.

Furmint, combined with the volcanic soils of the region, has the potential for greatness and the potential for long-ageing.