One of the oldest and most prestigious wine regions in the world is Tokaji, which is located in northeastern Hungary. Tokaji is well-known for its renowned Tokaji Aszú wine, which King Louis XIV referred to as “the wine of kings and the king of wines.” Its distinctive terroir, long history, and commitment to excellence have made it a wine industry classic. From its early beginnings to its golden age, its tribulations during political turmoil, and its current Renaissance, this essay explores the intriguing history of Tokaji.
The History of Tokaji Winemaking
Archaeological evidence indicates that grapevines were grown in the Tokaji region as early as the third century, indicating that the region has been a centre of viticulture since Roman times. Following the arrival of the Magyar tribes in the Carpathian Basin in the tenth century, Hungarian kings promoted vineyard production throughout the area, especially on the volcanic hillsides surrounding Tokaj. The region was perfect for making wines with concentrated flavours because of its terroir, which is defined by volcanic soils, a chilly climate, and misty autumns.
King Béla IV brought winemaking knowledge to the area in the 13th century by inviting French and Italian monks, who also brought new grape types and viticultural techniques. Since it laid the foundation for quality and craftsmanship that the area would build upon in the ensuing decades, this era signified the start of Tokaji’s serious winemaking.
The Finding of Tokaji Aszú: The Golden Wine of Hungary
Tokaji Aszú, a golden, sweet wine produced from grapes afflicted by “noble rot” (Botrytis cinerea), a fungus that dehydrates the berries and concentrates their sugars and flavours, is one of Tokaji’s distinguishing characteristics.
Many people attribute the birth of Tokaji Aszú to a woman named Máté Szepsi Laczkó, who postponed the 1630 grape harvest because of an Ottoman invasion. His harvest of botrytised grapes yielded a wine that was remarkably rich and delicious. Soon after Tokaji Aszú became well-known throughout Hungary, winemakers started to improve their production, coming up with a special method for gathering, crushing, and ageing these botrytised grapes to create the now-famous dessert wine.
Historical records indicate that noble rot may have been noticed as early as the 1500s, despite mythology that Tokaji Aszú was “discovered” in the middle of the 17th century. Botrytised grapes, or “aszúszőlő,” were mentioned in a text from 1571, indicating that winemakers were already aware of their special potential.
Royal Support and Tokaji’s Ascent to Stardom
Tokaji’s reputation grew throughout Europe because of the excellent Aszú wines. When the wines arrived at the court of French monarch Louis XIV in the 18th century, he famously declared Tokaji Aszú to be “the king of wines and the wine of kings.” At this point, Tokaji was already quite well-liked by the European nobility and in sovereign courts. To safeguard the basements in the Tokaj region, Peter the Great of Russia also established a permanent garrison and ordered a lot of Tokaji Aszú.
Tokaji was a favourite of both Empress Maria Theresa of Austria-Hungary and Catherine the Great of Russia, who even arranged for Tokaji Aszú to be imported for the Russian court.
These recommendations not only enhanced Tokaji’s standing but also raised demand for this outstanding wine, igniting a prosperous era for the area.
The First Wine Region in the World to Be Classified
Even before the well-known Bordeaux classification in 1855, the Tokaji region was one of the first wine regions in the world to be formally classified in 1737 by the Hungarian King Charles III. Since rising demand was resulting in counterfeiting and dubious production methods, the classification sought to preserve Tokaji’s quality and authenticity. The royal decree categorised the best vineyards, establishing a system that prioritised quality and transparency for Tokaji wine.
Vineyards were graded according to the quality of their grapes in three categories: prima, secunda, and tertia. The rigorous quality requirements that Tokaji wines still adhere to today were established by this pioneering example of controlled vineyard classification, which also served as a model for other appellation schemes.
Decline and Turbulence: Tokaji’s Challenges
The phylloxera pandemic, a vine-killing insect that decimated vineyards throughout Europe in the late 19th century cut short Tokaji’s golden age in the 19th and 20th centuries. It took years for Tokaji to recover after a large portion of his vineyards were destroyed by 1885. Despite the planting of new grape varieties, the area’s winemakers found it difficult to resume their previous levels of output and quality.
The difficulties persisted throughout the 20th century, with Tokaji being further affected by two World Wars and the governmental changes that followed the Treaty of Trianon in 1920. Hungary was influenced by the Soviet Union after World War II, and Tokaji’s wine industry was put under state control. Lower-quality wines were mass-produced for export during the Soviet era when the emphasis changed from quality to quantity. Much of the region’s history and customs were all but gone, and the famous Tokaji Aszú was diminished to a ghost of its former glory.
Understanding the Quality Stages of Tokaji: A Guide to Hungary’s Iconic Wine
Knowing the Tokaji Quality Stages: An Overview of Hungary’s Iconic Wine
The Tokaji wine area is renowned for creating some of the most unusual wines in the world, and part of what makes these wines so special is its classification system. Tokaji produces a variety of types, from dry to extraordinarily rich, but is best known for its botrytised, sweet dessert wines. These wines are categorised into quality groups according to their ageing processes, production techniques, and sweetness. The quality phases of Tokaji will be examined in this book, with an emphasis on the categories that make this ancient area one of the most fascinating for wine lovers.
Dry and Semi-Dry Tokaji: Dry Furmint’s Increasing Adoption
Even though Tokaji is known for its sweet wines, the Furmint grape is the main ingredient in the region’s superb dry wines.
Dry Tokaji Characteristics
Characteristics: The volcanic terroir of the area is reflected in the crisp, mineral-driven, and nuanced wines of Dry Tokaji.
Utilised Grapes: Mostly made from furmint, these wines frequently have citrus, green apple, and pear flavours along with a high mineral content. Dry Tokaji wines are evaluated based on their flavour purity and structure rather than sweetness. These wines have grown in popularity because they provide a cool alternative to Tokaji’s confections.
Semi-dry and Semi-Sweet Tokaji
Characteristics: Tokaji wines, which are semi-dry (száraz) and semi-sweet (félédes), have a well-balanced sweetness that goes well with light desserts or spicy foods.
Utilised Grapes: These wines, which are typically made from Furmint or Hárslevelű, are softer than the fully dry varieties and provide a subtle sweetness while maintaining freshness and acidity.
Szamorodni Tokaji: “As It Comes”
Szamorodni, which translates to “as it comes” in Polish, is a classic style that makes use of entire clusters of grapes, including both botrytised and unbotrytised grapes. The amount of sugar in the grapes at harvest determines whether the final wine is sweet (édes) or dry (száraz).
Production: Szamorodni is created by letting a natural mixture of healthy and botrytised grapes ferment together. It usually ages in oak barrels, which gives the wine more character and depth.
Dry Szamorodni: This type of Szamorodni frequently has a nutty and savoury flavour with a hint of oxidation.
Sweet Szamorodni: This variant has a rich texture and tastes like honey, dried fruit, and spices.
Growing older Szamorodni wines must be aged for at least two years prior to release, with at least one year in oak.
The Iconic Sweet Wine, Tokaji Aszú
The wine that made Tokaji famous was Tokaji Aszú, which is renowned for its complexity and exceptional harmony of sweetness and acidity. It is created by hand-picking Aszú berries, or botrytised grapes, and then turning them into a paste and adding it to a base wine.
The System of Puttonyos
The puttonyos system, which classifies Tokaji Aszú wines according to the quantity of puttonyos (buckets of Aszú paste) applied to a single barrel of base wine, determines the sweetness level.
3–4 Puttonyos: A sweeter, more approachable Aszú that is counterbalanced by sharp acidity. For individuals who are unfamiliar with sweet wines, these wines are ideal.
The most revered forms of Tokaji Aszú are 5–6 Puttonyos, which are frequently aged for years to provide a richer, more nuanced profile. These wines have strong apricot, honey, citrus peel, and spice flavours and are very concentrated.
Age-Related Needs: Wines from Tokaji Aszú must mature for a minimum of three years, including two years in oak barrels.
The pinnacle of sweet wines is Tokaji Aszú Eszencia, sometimes referred to as Tokaji Nectar or Tokaji Aszú Eszencia. It is the pinnacle of Tokaji wine expression. Made only from the unpressed juice of Aszú berries, it is one of the sweetest and rarest wines in the world.
Production: The juice from Aszú berries is slowly dripped to create Eszencia, which has a deep flavour and a very high sugar content. It frequently takes years for the juice to mature to even a low alcohol content of about 3-5%.
Regaining Tradition and Quality in Tokaji’s Modern Revival
After the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, Tokaji started its comeback. Companies like Vega Sicilia from Spain, AXA Millésimes from France, and other American investors flocked to the area to repair Tokaji’s reputation. They concentrated on restoring quality and restoring the area’s standing as a producer of fine wines.
Both domestic and foreign winemakers spearheaded this comeback, intending to restore Tokaji to its previous splendour by combining contemporary vineyard management with ancient methods. They brought dry Furmint varieties that demonstrated the area’s capacity to produce nuanced, terroir-driven wines and revived the traditional varieties, such as Tokaji Aszú.
Without committed local winemakers who took the initiative to restore Tokaji’s glory, the city would not have been able to recover. Often referred to as “the father of modern Tokaji,” István Szepsy played a key role in the rebirth of the area. He has dedicated his life to improving the quality of Tokaji wines, highlighting single-vineyard selections, and refining the manufacture of both dry and sweet Tokaji wines. His family has been engaged in Tokaji winemaking for more than 500 years.
The Spanish Vega Sicilia family purchased the Oremus estate and produced excellent Tokaji wines, demonstrating the importance of foreign investors and winemakers. Together, these initiatives have improved Tokaji’s standing internationally and restored its standing as a wine region of unmatched quality and legacy.
Tokaji in the Twenty-First Century: A Contemporary Icon of Innovation and Tradition
Today, Tokaji is celebrated not only for its iconic Tokaji Aszú but also for its diverse range of wines that highlight the unique characteristics of its indigenous grape varieties, particularly Furmint and Hárslevelű. Dry Tokaji wines have become increasingly popular, appealing to wine lovers who appreciate their minerality and complexity.
The Hungarian government has also invested in promoting the Tokaji region, and Tokaji wines have achieved international recognition in prestigious wine competitions. This renewed interest has led to increased tourism in the region, with wine enthusiasts flocking to explore Tokaji’s historic vineyards, ancient cellars, and the charming towns of the region.
The Significance of Tokaji in the Wine Industry Today
In the wine industry, Tokaji is unique not just because of its historical significance but also because of its persistent dedication to quality. Its wines—particularly the rare and precious Tokaji Aszú—represent a combination of nature’s gifts, centuries of craftsmanship, and a resilient spirit that has endured political upheavals and natural disasters.
The Tokaji region exemplifies the notion that fine wine is more than just a beverage; it’s an expression of culture, history, and tradition. For modern wine lovers, Tokaji offers a gateway into a world of unique flavours, rich history, and the enduring legacy of a region that continues to captivate palates and hearts alike.
Tokaji’s Contemporary Innovations and Quality Assurance
Hungary has strengthened quality controls and labelling laws in recent years to safeguard Tokaji wines’ originality and reputation. Since the minimal sweetness level for Tokaji Aszú has been standardised, the puttonyos classification is currently shifting away from official labels and focusing more on quality than sugar concentration. In order to highlight the uniqueness of particular vineyard locations, Tokaji producers are now reviving single-vineyard (terroir-driven) wines.
Additionally, sustainability and the preservation of traditional ways are highly valued in the Tokaji region. Tokaji winemakers are working to preserve the region’s distinctive terroir and create wines that are a reflection of its volcanic soils, climate, and history by investing in vineyard management techniques like organic and biodynamic methods.
