Hungarian Wines Tokaj
Viticulture has existed in Tokaj since antique times; according to proof from finds, grapes are an endemic (indigenous) plant species here. We are particularly privileged that traces of leaves from a primitive Miocene era grape species (vitis tokaiensis), which may be considered a common ancestor to modern grape species, were discovered here. The primitive grape type vitis sylvestris to this day grows wild in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region.
The cultural landscape of Tokaj graphically demonstrates the long tradition of wine production in this region of low hills and river valleys. The intricate pattern of vineyards, farms, villages and small towns, with their historic networks of deep wine cellars, illustrates every facet of the production of the famous Tokaj wines, the quality and management of which have been strictly regulated for nearly three centuries.
Hungary's most renowned wine region lies in the foothills of the Zemplén Mountains of the far north of the country - in fact the traditional area crosses into the southeast corner of modern Slovakia. The area is famous for its long warm autumns and mists that come in from the River Bodrog, creating perfect conditions for noble rot. This can contribute towards creating the botrytised ('aszú') grapes for which the region is famous. These are individually picked as late as mid-November into buckets ('puttonyos') and crushed to a paste. Varying amounts of this aszú paste are then added to non-aszú must or wine made from a mix of Furmint, Hárslevelű, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Kövérszőlő or Zéta grapes, and left to ferment. The resulting wine is then aged in relatively small barrels in a labyrinth of cellars in the soft volcanic tuff, on whose walls thick blankets of fungus regulate the humidity.
Read more about the main wine regions of Hungary:
North Transdanubia - Észak-Dunántúl
South Pannonia - Dél-Pannónia
Alföld - Duna
Upper Hungary - Felső-Magyarország
Tokaj
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