Tokaj (Tokaj), or Tokaj-Hedaya (Tokaj-Hegyalja) has long been one of the most renowned wine region of Hungary, largely because of its divinely sweet nectars of the same name, botrytised wines of Tokaj, in particular, Tokaji Aszú.
In Hungary the region is so valued that even mentioned in the national anthem with the words of gratitude to God for what Tokaj szőlővesszein nektárt csepegtettél – “shed the nectar of the vineyards of Tokaj”. And on the labels under the crown bears the inscription “Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum” (Wine of kings, king of wines).
Around the name Tokay for a long time there has been legal disputes, especially since 1990, when Hungary introduced strict norms for its winemaking.
In 2007, the name Tokaj has acquired the status of a protected appellation of origin, the use of which is permitted only producers of the region Tokaj-Hegyalja.
The European Union adopted this provision despite the loud protests of producers of Alsace (where Tokay for many years been used as a synonym for Pinot Gris) and also of Italians from Friuli (where the word traditionally meant Tocai Friulano variety).
The region is located in North-East Hungary, on the border with Slovakia. It’s about 30 towns and villages on the area approximately equal to the Golden Slope of Burgundy (Cote d’or). At the very southern edge is the town of Tokaj, which gave the name to the whole region and its wines. Along with him, the most important winemaking centers of the region are the city of mad (Mád) and Tarcal (Tarcal).
The climate of Tokaj-protected arc of the Carpathian mountains, relatively warm. The soils of the region – a patchwork quilt of widely varying types. On the slopes dominated by a volcanic clay, the foothills and plains – for the most part the loess and other sedimentary rocks. Off the coast of the Bodrog river, which flows along the Eastern border of the region is dominated by sandy soils, especially around the city of Tokaj.
6 grape varieties officially permitted in the production of wines of Tokaj.
The main 3 varieties:
Furmint (Furmint, 60% of the plantings in the region), Harslevelu (Hárslevelű) and yellow Muscat (local. Sárga Muskotály), in that order for importance.
Furmint, Tokaj dominant in the blend, known for high acidity, high sugar content and bright aromatic profile. The first two features provide the wines a very high aging potential, and a third distinctive character that distinguishes them from the other famous sweet wines in the world.
Classic blend of ACS (see below) includes all three of these varieties.
Muscat is usually a very small part of it. However, there are also monosortovye wines, even made from 100% Muscat, like the original Muskotályos Aszú.
The remaining three varieties:
Zeta (Zéta), formerly known as oremus (Oremus) – hybrid varieties Furmint and Bouvier (Bouvier).
Kabar (Kabar) – hybrid Harslevelu and Bouvier.
Coverdale (Kövérszőlő ) – Romanian variety originally from Transylvania, known as the graça de Cotnari (ruminski. Grasă de Cotnari) or Resertraube.
In the 18-19 centuries there were more grade Gohar (Goher), who played a major role in the production of wines of ASU and Essence, but this variety perished in the phylloxera epidemic in the 1880s. Now experiments conducted at its revival and use in the modern Tokai, but not yet included in the official list.
ACS (Aszú) – a category of sweet botrytised wines, i.e. wines from berries affected by “noble rot” Botrytis cinerea, selected from the vines by hand. This fungus dehydrates the grapes on the vine, increasing the concentration of sugars and giving the wine from these berries special aroma of honey and tropical fruits.
The sweetness of the wine Aszú is defined in “puttonyos” (puttonyos). Puttonyo, literally “dorsal” is the name of the large backpack basket for collecting grapes with a capacity of 25 kg. the Number of such baskets with selected botrytised grapes to a 136-liter barrel of base wine was traditionally used in Tokaji to determine the sweet wines of ASU.
In modern conditions this system has transformed into more accurate with measuring in grams per liter of residual sugar of the finished wine.
Three puttonyos – Aszú 3 puttonyos – correspond to 60 grams of sugar per liter of finished wine. From 1945 to 2014, it was the bottom bracket sweet wines ACS (until 1945 at least was 2 puttonyos). Each of the following polonio is a plus 30 g / l to the previous level.
2014 from category excluded Aszú wines 3 and 4 puttonyos. Since then, the wines category is represented by 5 puttonyos (120g / l) and 6 puttonyos (150g / l)
Fermentation lasts for several months. Then the wine is aged 3-8 years in an oxidative manner, i.e. with oxygen.
ASU produced every year. Every time the winemaker decides whether the current good crop for the production of such wine.
Tokaji Aszú Eszencia (Tokaji aszú Essence) – a wine with residual sugar greater than 180 g / l the wine has ceased to specify the number of puttonyos, but we can say that they correspond to the values 7-10 puttonyos.
The term ASU Essence known since the early 19th century. In the “year of the comet” (1811) was released the first wine that came to the market with that indication. Official category it was in the 1970s and remained in the course until 2009.
In 2009, the category of Tokaji Aszú Eszencia was officially abolished, in order not to create confusion with the Tokaji Essencia
Tokaji Essencia (Tokaji Essence) – the sweet version with sugar content in the finished wine of not less than 450 g / L. In some samples it can reach 800 g / L. Made from the juice of botrytised grapes, spilled by gravity under its own weight berries. Fermentation of this wort takes a fantastically long time: for some years the wine may score only 5-7 degrees ABV.
Drink with such sweetness and strength it’s hard to believe wine. It’s neat, slightly fermented juice of botrytised grapes. Not surprisingly, Eszencia is the most rare and expensive of the wines of the type Aszú, and one of the most expensive among the sweet wines in the world.
Szamorodni (Pol. literally, “what is born”) – Tokaji wine that does not Aszú. This wine receives far less attention of the wine public. The Polish name is connected with the historical market for this type of Hungarian wine.
In those years, when on the vine just a few berries are affected by Botrytis, making manual selection is not economically feasible, and the crop is removed entirely. I.e. this wine is produced from a crop in which there is some part of botrytised berries along with the usual.
Szamorodni Tokaji (Tokaji Szamorodni) is also divided according to sugar content: dry száraz (Saros) to sweet édes (IDAs). In the sweet minimal sugar content 30 g/l.
In a typical Tokaji szamorodni sugar content is comparable to level 2-3 puttonyos. Usually this wine is aged for several years and a slightly oxidative character. The dry version is reminiscent of the Spanish sherry and French “yellow wine” (FR. vin jaune).
In the 21st century more and more popularity began to gain dry Tokaj wines – in line with global consumer trends. Dry Tokaj can be divided into two categories.
And if in the first category use the partially botrytised grapes, the second (relatively serious category of dry wines) its flavors are not quite appropriate. Usually on the label indicates the grape variety, and usually it is the Furmint.
Harvest in Tokaj is a complex protracted event consisting of several stages.
The first grapes harvested in September, go to the production of the increasingly popular dry wines. The precious harvest of dried berries for Aszú harvested a few weeks later, sometimes the grapes remain on the vine until December.
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