It has been a while since I talked about the Tokaj wine region, this beautiful place which everyone who knows me knows, is my favourite. Not just because it is so close to the town where I was born — really just a few kilometres away — but because of its delicious sweet and dry wines and its main grape varieties, Furmint and Hárslevelű.
The Tokaj Wine Region and Its History
Tokaj is one of the most historic wine regions in Hungary and was first mentioned in connection with its wines in 1571. And maybe you didn’t know that Tokaj had one of the world’s earliest appellation systems, dating back as far as 1655, when the first regulations were made concerning the manual selection of noble-rotted, or botrytised, grapes.
This is one of the reasons Tokaj deserves its place alongside Sauternes, the Loire Valley and other great sweet wine-producing regions of the world.
The Tokaj wine region itself isn’t huge. Its potential planting area is 11,941 hectares, and 9,829 hectares of this lies on first-class slopes. However, only 5,768 hectares are actually planted. There is still room to expand, although specialists say it is unlikely that the whole potential area will be planted any time soon.
Tokaj’s Climate and Volcanic Soils
Tokaj is the most northern wine region of Hungary, lying between 48° and 49° north latitude. This means it has a relatively cool climate, although recent years have brought increasingly warm vintages as a result of climate change.
The region usually experiences long, sunny summers and dry autumns with plenty of sunshine. Its volcanic soils are another important part of what makes Tokaj so distinctive, contributing to the character and complexity of its wines.
The Rivers, Fog and Noble Rot
Thanks to the two main rivers close to the region, the Tisza and Bodrog, misty fog develops in the mornings towards the end of the growing season. This creates the conditions for Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot.
Botrytis is desirable when it arrives at this particular time of year. In spring, however, it can damage and destroy vines.
The fungus creates tiny holes on the grape skins. During the dry, sunny afternoons, water evaporates through these openings, causing the grapes to shrivel and concentrate their sugars, acids, and flavours. This is what helps create the famously rich and complex sweet wines of Tokaj.
Tokaji Aszú and the Sweet Wines of Tokaj
You may already have tasted a deliciously sweet glass of Tokaji Aszú somewhere around the world. This historic wine is one of the names most closely associated with the Tokaj wine region.
But Tokaj is not only about sweet wine.
Dry Furmint and Hárslevelű
Since the 2000s, dry wine production in Tokaj has increased significantly, with some excellent examples of sparkling wine also being produced.
Once again, we can thank the region’s volcanic soils. Together with Furmint and Hárslevelű, they make it possible to produce premium-quality dry wines that can express the character of individual slopes and vineyards.
Beautifully aged or fresh and young examples can show minerality, ripe fruit, freshness and a long finish. At their best, some dry Tokaj wines can show a level of complexity and ageing potential that makes them worthy of comparison with great white wines from Burgundy.
Why Tokaj Is One of Hungary’s Great Wine Regions
As you can see, I could talk about the Tokaj wine region for hours and write hundreds of pages, but I have to stop at some point; otherwise, I would just bore you with the details.
For now, the most important thing is to look out for these amazing wines and not just the sweet versions. Make sure you taste some dry Furmint and Hárslevelű as well, because they can give you a truly memorable experience and show just how diverse Tokaj can be.
The Author
A great read. So Much history in this region
Thank you Robert! Yes, there is a lot to talk about Tokaj indeed.