TOKAJI

Introduction to TOKAJI

In the northeast of Hungary, located the production area of the famous Tokaji. Tokaji Aszu may be the world’s first official grading system for wine, that is 100 years earlier than the Bordeaux grading system. The historically recorded grading system appeared in 1772. For the first time, the Rakoczi family classified vineyards into the First Growth, the Second Growth, and the Third Growth. Vineyards are distinguished according to the topography, climate and historical quality of the land. This grading system is still in use today and is accepted by the majority of vignerons and drinkers.

The local soil is mainly clay, loess and volcanic bedrock. The main grape varieties are Furmint, Harslevelu and Sarga Muskotaly. The slopes of Tokaji vineyards allow the vines to enjoy the warm summer sunshine, and dry autumn climate. Morning mist from the Bodro and Tisza rivers can bring “Noble rot” to the vineyards. When the fungus infects grapes, it absorbs water from the fruit and ends up with shriveled grapes known locally as “Aszu Berries”.

During the harvest, the grapes collected are divided into three categories, that are used to make different wines.

Dry wine

Grapes that are not affected by the Nobel rot fungus are picked individually and made into wine with high acidity which is often used as the base of Tokaji Aszu.

Szamorodni

This kind of wine may be slightly sweet or sweet, depending on how much of the grapes used at winemaking are botrytized.

Aszu

“Aszu Berries” are soaked in dry wine for 36 hours, fermented, and then aged for at least 3 years in a new 136-liter Hungary small oak barrel to produce Aszu.

Esszencia

The most prestigious and rarest Tokaji. The production process is beyond imagination. It’s only made from grape juice naturally flowing out of Aszu Berries. The legal minimum sugar residual is 450g/liter, and after 6-8 years fermentation, the alcohol content is still less than 5% ABV. This kind of wine can age well and retain the freshness of fruit for over a century.

What is “Puttonyos”

 Aszu Berries are traditionally picked by hand and placed into a 25 kg wooden basket. The amount of baskets used in winemaking determines the sweetness of wine finished. You can choose 3-6 baskets of Aszu Berries for wine in an oak barrel. Under the current law, wine must have a sugar content of 120g/liter before it can be called as Tokaji Aszu, which requires 5 baskets of Aszu Berries. The best Tokaji Aszu has a sugar content of 300g/liter, but you will never get tired, thanks to the unique high natural acidity.

Tokaji is the national quintessence of Hungary and is written in the Hungarian national anthem. It’s also the only wine in the world that is written in the national anthem. The brewing method of Tokaji is very different from the French Sauternes. The main difference is that the base wine is divided into two parts: one is Hungarian Furmint grapes that are not infected with Nobel rot, and the other part is on the contrary. Put the botrytized grapes in a large wooden barrel and let them squeeze out the juice naturally under gravity. These essence juices that have as high as 35g/liter sugar content flow out from the small hole at the bottom of wooden barrel. Finally, two kinds of juices are mixed and fermented, aged in oak barrels for at least 2 years, will you obtain Tokaji at last.

Tokaji Aszu in the 18th century was served to Loius XIV (The Sun King) of France as a gift. He tasted and said: “THIS IS THE WINE OF KINGS, KING OF WINES”

Emperor Franz Josef (who was also King of Hungary) 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 (1900), this totaled an impressive 972 bottles.

In 2002, Tokaji’s winemaking methods and traditions have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.