Tokay, the famous Hungarian appellation is also the oldest delimited appellation in the world. Very famous since the 18th century, it is capable of producing one of the most expensive wines in the world of viticulture. And with good reason! Its sweet wines are simply incredible!
AN ANCIENT APPELLATION FROM A UNIQUE TERROIR
Tokaj, also known as Tokaji, is a sweet white wine that comes straight from the misty plains of the Tokaj-Hegyalja vineyard. It is one of those rare wines to be tasted at least once in a lifetime!
Its production area was conscripted at the beginning of the 18th century, making Tokay the oldest delimited appellation in the world! Its wines come from a series of hillsides near the small town of the same name, located in the north-east of Hungary, along the border with Slovakia, which also possesses a small part of the appellation area.
The vineyard is almost 90 km long but its width is limited to only a few kilometres. It marries the foothills of the Zemplén Mountains, along the Bodrog River, near its confluence with the Tisza.
The area has a soil of volcanic debris and loess. Temperatures in the late summer in the Pannonian Plain are high because the mountains to the north-east protect the vines from the cold winds. In autumn, the dry, sunny climate favours raisining (natural drying of the grapes to increase the sugar content of the juice), while the humidity of the mist rising from the Bodrog accelerates the development of a fungus (Botrytis Cinerea,) which offers what is known as "noble rot”. It is therefore thanks to the over-ripening of the grapes, mainly composed of Furmint, that the taste of the specific flavours of Tokay is produced.
Main grape varieties:
Furmint (main)
Hárslevelü
Sárgamuskotály (small grain muscat)
FORTUITOUS ORIGIN OF THE VINIFICATION
The origin of this wine is as fascinating as it is fortuitous: Its winemaking secret is said to have been found by chance in the 17th century, following the threat of a war that delayed the harvest. The warriors who came back later than expected had missed their harvests; however they still decided, at that late date, to harvest the dehydrated grapes affected by noble rot... lucky historical chance, the result was absolutely amazing!
Once the grapes are picked and spread out on a large table, they are then selected one by one to retain only the most wrinkled ones. They are then pressed to obtain a paste which is then added to the grape must. This quantity is specified on the bottle label and is expressed in puttonyos.
What is that?
Puttonyos are the 25 litre hods traditionally used for the harvest and the proportion in each bottle is expressed on a scale from 2 to aszú on which the degree of quality and finesse of the wine depends.The higher the number of puttonyos in the bottle, the more expensive the wine is!
A rare wine:
A bottle of Tokay aszú of six puttonyos will probably come from the commune of Tallya in Hungary but lucky for anyone who tastes it, as it is currently untraceable... Perhaps by learning the language and travelling to Hungary, you will open the door to one of the deep cellars of the region where the jewel lies?
MORE THAN A WINE, A TASTY NECTAR
Tokay is a real nectar: this sweet and unctuous white wine surprises the palate with powerful notes of candied fruit, honey and "roasted" aromas... there's something inimitable about it!
Shall we taste it?
Appearance: The colour is intense, straw yellow or orange-yellow, even amber for the most syrupy bottles.
Nose: An extraordinary bouquet! Extraordinary complexity, combining rich aromas of apricots, orange peel, sultanas and a particularly pronounced smell of honey.
Palate: The complexity of the flavours echoes that of the nose, and the texture is incredibly smooth. However sweet it may be, Tokay conserves intense freshness thanks to the high natural acidity of the furmint grape variety.
Food and wine pairing: From starter to dessert, Tokay makes itself welcome at your table: You can enjoy it with foie gras (pan-fried or not), duck with orange sauce, a blue-veined cheese... ideally with a Bleu des Causses cheese. For dessert, it is a noble accompaniment to walnut cake and fruit tarts...with a tarte tatin, the harmony is stunning!
Let’s rediscover all our Hungarian wines
Assistance
Follow us
Location
You are on the shop Great Britain
Alcohol abuse is bad for your health, please consume in moderation.
© 2002-2025 VINATIS
