No one is sure what to call it, but everyone’s favourite grape in Central Europe can be appetisingly fresh and fruity, or richer, layered and complex – either way, the best wines are utterly delicious.

Today, producers across several countries are showing that it’s both incredibly versatile and well worth another taste – even if it does hide its light under a bewildering array of names.

It grows as Graševina in Croatia; Grašac or Rizling Italijanski in Serbia; Olaszrizling in Hungary; Riesling Italian (often just Riesling) in Romania; Riesling Italico in Italy (mainly in Oltrepò Pavese, Lombardy); Welschriesling in Austria; Laški Rizling or Grašica in Slovenia; Rizling Vlašský in Slovakia and Ryzlink Vlašský in Czechia.

It takes number one spot for vineyard area in Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia, but perhaps most surprisingly, it covers 3,000ha to 4,000ha in China, where it first arrived when an Austro-Hungarian consul was invited to be a winemaker in 1892 (its Chinese name 贵人香 means ‘noble fragrance’); there’s even some in Brazil.

No one is even sure where the grape originally comes from. One parent is a rare Italian grape called Coccalona Nera – the other remains unknown.

And some names either explicitly reference or imply an Italian connection – Olasz, Laski, Vlašský and Welsch all mean ‘Italian’ in their respective languages.*

So Italy may be the origin, although it wasn’t recorded there until the mid-1800s.

*Editor's note – Welsch/Welsh/Walloon/Vlach/Vlašský etc. are also cognate with the proto-Germanic 'Walhaz' meaning Roman/Romance-language speaker, later 'foreigner' or simply 'Italian'. Welschriesling's presence in the Illyrian border areas of the Roman Empire in contact with Germanic tribes may hint at a possible etymological origin.

A possible homeland

One twist in the unravelling of its origins comes from Serbia, where the grape (under the name Graschaz) appeared in an 1816 book called Soveršen Vinodelac (‘The Perfect Winemaker’) by Prokopije Bolić, the archimandrite, or head monk, of the Rakovac monastery on Fruška Gora mountain.

Even more important was the discovery of the world’s second-oldest grapevine herbarium in Sremski Karlovci grammar school in northern Serbia, and the only one with actual pressed grapes.

In 2017, researcher Dr Milica Rat uncovered some dusty, forgotten boxes with 75 samples of grapevine material, collected in around 1812-1824 on Fruška Gora – including a sample of Graschaz.

This gives Serbia current bragging rights as its most historic origin.

In many guises

The precise origin of the grape variety matters less than the fact that it has been widely adopted around the Danube basin.

It’s easy to grow and can be a generous yielder, which suited the previous, quantity-not-quality era, when it was often consumed daily from litre bottles and in spritzers (Hungarians in particular take spritzers seriously – always Olaszrizling).

But it’s now proving that it has much more to offer, culminating in a DWWA 2023 Best in Show award for Vinarija Vinčić’s Grašac 2020 from Serbia, an unoaked version from 50-year-old vines.

The names that mention ‘Riesling’ or ‘Rizling’ are confusing because the variety is unrelated to Rhine Riesling and doesn’t taste similar to it – typically with a softer, rounder texture, but also appetising freshness.

Young versions can be light and fruity, with bright acidity and notes of lemon, green apple, white flowers, sometimes green herbs, and a mineral, grapefruit pith finish.

Or, it can be profound and complex, with ripe apple, poached pear, lemon zest, pineapple, quince and sometimes honey and marzipan, especially from old vines and low yields.

At the same time, it can also suit sparkling wines (a handful in Central Europe and even in Brazil), as well as some stunning skin-contact wines and the occasional, delicious, botrytis sweet wine.

Like many great grapes, it’s also capable of reflecting terroir; a fact supported by a recent study that found different levels of certain aromatic compounds in grapes from different regions.

Sadly, it’s only slowly regaining consumer recognition, though a competition called GROW du Monde ('GR' from Graševina/Grašac, 'O' from Olaszrizling and 'W' from Welschriesling), founded by three friends from Croatia, Serbia and Hungary, aims to unify its identity and rebuild awareness.

Time for some GROW in your glass?

Gilby’s pick: Six white Welschriesling from across Europe

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Caroline Gilby MW, Stefan Neumann MS and Wieteke Teppema tasted 87 wines, with 6 Outstanding and 36 Highly recommended

Blaufränkisch: Panel tasting scores

87 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 6

Highly recommended 38

Recommended 30

Commended 13

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release still, dry red wines made in Europe from Blaufränkisch (single variety or blended, but Blaufränkisch must be 50% or more of the blend)

Scroll down to see the top-scoring wines from our Blaufränkisch panel tasting

Terroir transmitter

This great central European red grape often goes under the radar thanks to its multiple names.

Austria has led the way in showcasing Blaufränkisch, but Hungary, where it’s called Kékfrankos, is by far the biggest grower (6,983ha, compared to Austria’s 2,550ha, according to the countries’ most recent annual reports to July 2024) and is catching up rapidly.

These two nations provided most of the entries for this tasting, along with a handful from Germany (as Lemberger), Slovakia (Frankovka) and Romania.

Blaufränkisch is increasingly showing its mettle as an exciting, food-friendly grape capable of producing delicious, ageworthy wines that can reflect place.

Wieteke Teppema explained: ‘It has the capacity to show transparency of terroir, it can get lovely minerality and not every indigenous variety can do this. Blaufränkisch is edging into a territory where it can be considered a top variety.’

Stefan Neumann MS was ‘impressed that it can be a fantastic solo player with site-specific expression’. For him, ‘a standout was the Eger and Balaton flight, where oak is so well managed – a tricky thing with Blaufränkisch to allow the fruit to shine’.

Neumann also noted Austria’s Neusiedlersee and Leithaberg regions as offering ‘the right poise of elegance and not trying to over-extract’, adding: ‘Some of the best wines had age but hadn’t lost fruit.’

A fine dancing partner

The judges were also impressed by the role of Kékfrankos in blends (it’s the key grape in Hungary’s PDO Bikavér, of which there are five examples among the Highly recommendeds here).

Teppema enjoyed ‘the combination of international grapes with Kékfrankos – a lovely complement to the structure and mid-palate in those blends’.

Compared to Sangiovese/Brunello in Tuscany, Neumann found that the wines typically showed: ‘Red and sour cherry, black fruit, with a floral perfume and, in some higher crus, a meaty iodine character.’

Teppema summed up: ‘From a UK on-trade perspective, there’s a lot I’d be happy to list and share with guests.

What to eat with Blaufränkisch, by Fiona Beckett

The striking thing about many of the top-scoring wines in this tasting is that they’re from older vintages, so we’re looking for dishes that pair well with mature wines.

That generally means simple roast meats rather than spicy casseroles, although the more robust, earthy, structured and oak-influenced style of Kékfrankos would work well with a classic goulash.

Otherwise, think well-aged beef, venison, even wild boar, or roast duck or goose – especially with red cabbage – making them, perhaps, wines that would work better in autumn than high summer.

Yet there are lighter styles of Blaufränkisch and Kékfrankos that would work with summery foods: cold meats such as salami and smoked ham, grilled sausages (it’s hard not to think of barbecuing at this time of year), kebabs and koftas.

Both Blaufränkisch and Kékfrankos can handle a bit of spice. More traditional, full-blooded Egri Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) blends are probably best saved – and maybe incorporated in – hearty winter stews or robust dishes such as beef short rib and braised ox cheek.

See all notes and scores from the Blaufränkisch panel tasting

Blaufränkisch panel tasting results:

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Caroline Gilby MW is an awarded author, speaker and consultant with a passion for the wines of the Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea. She is a DWWA joint Regional Chair in multiple categories

Stefan Neumann MS is a Master Sommelier who runs his own wine consultancy, having spent many years working in the world of Michelin-starred restaurants. Born close to Austria’s Wachau region, he is the DWWA Regional Chair for Austria and Switzerland

Wieteke Teppema is director of wine for Brown’s Hotel in London. A wine buyer and competition judge, including for the DWWA, her career spans top Michelin-starred restaurants and specialist wine importers

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I once attended a festival in Mád in the heart of Tokaj in northern Hungary. It was dark, the streets empty, the houses shuttered. But if you happened upon the right address, you were suddenly thrust into a disco-themed cheese tasting or a lively pop concert in one of the village’s wineries. It was, dare I say it, wonderfully mad.

Tokaj: we all know the region’s name, its history and the superlative quality of its wines, but how many of us have recently explored its lesser-known paths and hidden corners?

Yes, there’s a limited market for sweet wines, and Tokaji wines aren’t cheap (quite rightly, due to the heavy manual labour involved). And there has been a strong marketing focus on dry wines since they made their debut in the early 2000s.

But the selection that follows reminds us that Tokaj is still one of the greatest regions for sweet wines that can both elevate and surprise.

Scroll down for notes and scores of 18 superb sweet Tokaji wines

Sublime stars

The stars of the show are the sublime Aszú wines, which feature strongly in my selection. Produced using shrivelled, botrytis-affected berries, with sweetness levels indicated via the quantity of botrytised berries added (historically measured in ‘puttonyos’ – wooden baskets), these sweet wines of Tokaj are so heavily dependent on harvest conditions that it’s worth examining a few of the vintages.

Six wines here come from the 2017 vintage and four from 2021. Both were outstanding Aszú years, offering great structure and elegance, as well as hallmark luscious tropical fruit. 2016 was another very good year, producing classical wines with fabulous intensity, and 2013 was also outstanding; I’ve included a beautifully aged wine from this vintage.

Given the impressive longevity of these wines, it’s worth seeking them out for cellaring.

When it comes to the sweet édes Szamorodni (which means ‘as it comes’; the dry version is called száraz) wines, producers seem to have reached new heights. A blend of both botrytised and healthy grapes, Szamorodni is a somewhat more immediate and (slightly!) less concentrated wine.

Change for good

In 2014, the authorities discarded the three and four puttonyos categories of Aszú; perhaps better-quality édes Szamorodni wines have filled that gap. Generally at a lower price point, they’re a fantastic introduction into the region but still have the capacity to age gracefully.

Within the selection, there are also a couple of delightful late-harvest wines with lighter-bodied, refreshing profiles. These wines show great versatility, equally adept at partnering cheese, dessert or an aromatic Thai curry.

There isn’t any Eszencia (syrupy nectars made using only aszú berries) in this list – there are hefty costs involved in sampling these rarities! But some of the producers featured here also make the best examples of this unique wine.

Winemakers in the region are keenly focused on expressing the personality of Tokaj’s volcanic terroir, whether in the form of a late-harvest or Aszú wine. Newer and established producers alike appear to be setting an unparalleled quality level: we might be heading into a new golden age of sweet Tokaji wines.

See notes and scores for 18 sumptuous sweet Tokaji wines

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Best of Hungary, a fine food and wine importer, wholesaler and retailer in the UK, is a family business based in West Wales that works directly with artisan food producers and boutique wineries.

The award-winning retailer has the largest Hungarian wine portfolio in the UK, and is also a purveyor of fine foods including Hungarian truffles, caviar, honey, paprika and more. 

Run by mother and son team, owners Monika and Zoltan have put together a mixed-case selection of DWWA-awarded wines from their homeland, including 96-point sparkling wine, bold reds and outstanding sweet wines from Tokaj. 

Discover the ‘Best of Hungary’ with this exclusive wine offer:

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Decanter readers can take 5% off site-wide on their first order with the code DECANTER5 at checkout.

The first 15 cases also come with Decanter’s December issue, including a special Tokaj supplement to learn more about the region while sipping on Aszú.

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or scroll down to see the DWWA award-winning wines on offer

Included in Best of Hungary’s DWWA mixed case

Use the code DECANTER5 at checkout to save 5% site-wide on your first order.

Bolyki, Egri Bikavér, Eger 2018

Bronze, 87 points | DWWA 2022

Nice blackcurrant and plum fruits with a slightly smoky edge. Simple and easy-drinking. Alcohol 13%

Gróf Degenfeld, Aszú 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2017

Platinum, 97 points | DWWA 2022

Pristine apricot and ginger jam, peaches and cream, honeysuckle, and orange blossom with a lovely light touch of warming spice. There’s a layer of new Hungarian oak adding toasted, woody notes, and the palate finishes with an assertive and imposing texture. Alc 11%

Kreinbacher, Prestige Brut, Wine of Hungary NV

Gold, 96 points | DWWA 2022

A complex and developed aroma, leading with rich toasty biscuits and nuts, then opening into fresh, ripe lemons. The palate shows vibrancy and offers flavours of fresh apple and quince. The palate is well-structured, with a juicy lemon acidity and a nice mousse. Alc 12%

St Andrea, Áldás Superior, Egri Bikavér, Eger 2021

Bronze, 88 points | DWWA 2023

Spicy nose with aromas of red fruits. Medium tannins, well integrated and fruit driven, vivid finish. Alc 15%

Tokajicum Winery, Aszú, Tokaj 2018

Bronze, 87 points | DWWA 2023

Classic earthy nose of mushrooms and quince jam. Concentrated and pithy on the palate. Tasty. Alc 10%

Zelna, Olaszrizling, Balatonfüred-Csopak, Balaton 2021

Platinum, 97 points | DWWA 2022

The wine opens with a lovely honeyed citrus character that melts into notes of golden apples. The palate shows lovely freshness, with a flinty, smoky note sitting over the complex tropical fruits and lemon cordial. Shows amazing value. Alc 14%

Shop now

Use the code DECANTER5 at checkout to save 5% site-wide, while supplies last.

First 15 cases come with Decanter’s December issue which includes a dedicated Tokaj supplement. 

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Tokaji Aszú is one of the most complex wines in the world and vintage really matters in this cool, volcanic, continental region on Hungary’s far northeastern edge. For most wines, one season is enough, if it goes well.

For Tokaji Aszú, three different seasons must come together. First, a good summer for ripe, healthy grapes, then a humid early autumn is vital for ‘noble rot’ to set in. After that, a sunny, breezy Indian summer is essential to desiccate the berries into aszú (Hungarian for shrivelled and noble-rotted berries).

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 Tokaji Aszú wines worth seeking out

The ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ fungus botrytis cinerea has two extreme faces. It mostly causes devastating grey rot but very rarely, in certain locations, when conditions are just right, it becomes noble rot. Tokaj (the spelling for the region; Tokaji is the wine) is one of the few places where this happens reliably, and aszú berries have been documented since 1527. Climate, terroir, grape variety and vintage conditions all play a role in allowing botrytis to turn noble – grapes must be ripe, or the result will be destructive grey rot.

Botrytis degrades the skins, making them permeable so water can evaporate, and it changes the composition of the grape, with a dramatic increase in quantities of aromatic compounds, including typical Tokaji characters of apricot, peach, apple, caramel and honey. Glycerol increases significantly, which contributes to the silky, mouthfilling texture of Tokaji wines, a reaction favoured by low pH (a notable feature of Tokaji compared to Sauternes – Tokaji Aszú is typically around pH 3.1-3.3, Sauternes closer to pH 4.0).

Timing of noble rot infection also affects the quality of the aszú berries, and the best is from ripe to overripe grapes (helped by old vines and low yields). At lower ripeness, fungal mycelia appear on the skins, and this external botrytis can give zesty flavours and some bitterness, with wines that can be good but more rustic. On very ripe or overripe grapes, it develops internally, giving more citrus and apricot notes, and less bitterness, so finer, silkier wines.

Singular winemaking

Harvesting aszú berries one by one in several runs of picking is another important feature of Tokaji. Aszú berries are so shrivelled that they can’t be pressed for juice as for most sweet wines, so the region has developed unique winemaking. One by one picking means that maceration is essential – but it also gives complex, structured (more like a red wine than a typical white), long-lived wines, which are different to other botrytised wines. Every winemaker has their own idea about whether aszú berries are macerated in grape must, fermenting juice or young wine, depending on the quality and health of the berries.

The climate, volcanic soils and grape varieties also contribute to Tokaji’s distinctive character and vintage variation. President of the wine council of Tokaj and general manager at Patricius Péter Molnár says that ‘God was in a good mood when he created Tokaj’, for its geology and geography, perfectly suited for botrytis and shrivelling of the grapes.

The complex volcanic bedrock has undergone aeons of hydrothermal activity, too, and the Furmint grape (the principal variety used to make Tokaji) is particularly well suited – late-ripening and susceptible to noble rot, as well as keeping its hallmark vibrant acidity. The vintage also determines the overall quality, blend and style for base wines (which may be produced from any of six authorised varieties), as well as the variety of aszú berries.

Botrytis cinerea is not unique to Tokaj, but the way it infects the region’s grapes – coupled with the cool continental climate, complex volcanic soils and distinct winemaking methods – all come together to make something very special, but that varies with each season. It’s a wonder that winemakers keep putting themselves through this complicated and uncertain process – which is in the hands of the weather gods on so many levels. That is, until you taste the glorious wines.

Tokaji Aszú: Know your vintages

Tokaji Aszú is truly one of the glories of the wine world: use our expert guide to vintages below, to help you make a beeline for the best wines.

2017 vintage rating: 5 / 5 

One of the best vintages of the past decade is now widely available, though wines are still incredibly young. They are already gloriously drinkable in a fruity, vibrant style but will gain complexity with time. This was an outstanding and generous aszú year, thanks to a mild spring and early bud break, cool April and May and then a summer of heatwaves interspersed with rainstorms. Lots of botrytis developed on very ripe grapes, giving creamy textured, luscious wines, with great elegance and finesse.

2016 vintage rating: 4 / 5 

2016 also produced some lovely wines, though in a style that’s more classically Tokaji with its concentrated aszú and notably high acidity. A year for silky, vivid and very fine wines, similar in style to the legendary 1999 but with more botrytis influence. It was a variable, rather damp growing season, giving late-ripening fruit, then early botrytis – and lots of it due to autumn rains – and then very rapid concentration thanks to an Indian summer. Wonderful and still youthful wines.

2015 vintage rating: 1 / 5 

This was the hottest and driest year to date in Tokaj and most producers didn’t make any aszú at all, but for the very few that did, I just love the results. It was all about specific plots, with the right soils, close enough to the river for a touch of humidity. For the tiny amount of aszú, there were two very different harvests as September to October was dry and just about shrivelling, but then October rains brought botrytis on incredibly ripe grapes, giving some gorgeously silky, impressive wines.

2013 vintage rating: 5 / 5 

Another magical vintage with truly glorious wines, vying with 2017 to be the best aszú vintage of the decade. It was a late spring with a rainy, early summer but then a heatwave until September, so the fruit ripened perfectly. September became colder and rainier so intense botrytis developed, then a dry spell delivered superb drying conditions for beautiful aszú berries which produced fine, rich and aromatic wines that will go on for decades.

2011 vintage rating: 2 / 5 

This was a tricky vintage with very few aszú wines, but I’ve tasted some rather lovely examples recently that are at a beautiful meeting point of freshness and development. Even in such unregarded years, aszú can be fantastic and, as in 2015, down to micro-location. It was hot and dry, but there was still soil moisture after the soggy washout of 2010. A dribble of rain fell in August, then it was unusually dry until October. The result was tiny quantities of very late aszú, strongly influenced by shrivelling, with very clean, pure flavours giving elegant, charming wines.

2007 vintage rating: 5 / 5 

Some beautifully complex wines are showing how well modern Tokaji can mature, adding overtones of spice and tobacco to the lusciously fruity palate, with generous dried apricot, peach and mango notes. Fifteen years on, the wines are still sleek and velvety with supple freshness. 2007 saw early flowering and a hot summer with rain in September and plenty of fog, so botrytis arrived on overripe grapes, giving incredible intensity of noble rot, and great aszú, though there was also a risk of vinegar flies so meticulous selection was vital.

2006 vintage rating: 4 / 5 

Another year I love but very different in style with perfectly balanced, super-clean, precise wines. It was a long, cold winter and a late start to the season, but the summer was warm and dry. A tiny splash of rain in early September and cool autumn evenings kept the acidity high, and the late, slow botrytis allowed a perfect sugar-to-acid ratio and whistle-clean aszú. Drinking beautifully now.

2003 vintage rating: 5 / 5 

I also have a soft spot for this, at the time, unusually warm year. The harvest was incredibly long, lasting from August to mid-November, and the wines ended up being very complex while retaining high acids. Early pickings were mostly about shrivelling, then October rain encouraged botrytis, resulting in complex yet velvety textured berries. The wines are maturing and showing lovely layered depth, with coffee, toffee, dates and orange zest overtones, but also fresh and vibrant.

2002 vintage rating: 4 / 5 

A little overshadowed by the vintage that followed, but I’ve recently tasted some simply incredible wines of amazing precision that can still hold for several years yet. It was an early year and a warm summer, but with enough rainfall in early September to bring morning fogs, so fine botrytis infected ripe grapes, then a dry Indian summer was perfect for desiccation. The best wines are still in great shape – refined, graceful, with great concentration and vivid acid balance.

1999 vintage rating: 5 / 5 

An amazing, admirable vintage – for many, one of the greatest ever. It has superb balance of sweetness with lingering spinetingling acidity and fantastic longevity. I rarely get to taste it nowadays, though it’s always exciting to see just how incredibly well modern-era aszú can age. And it speaks of how great the Tokaji terroir is, made at a time when understanding of winemaking complexities was less sophisticated and the relearning of specific vineyard locations was still in its infancy. Try it if you can.

Tokaji Aszú years to avoid

2010 and 2020 were largely washouts – both very rainy years, which allowed botrytis development but a lot of grey rot, and too humid for berries to dry out, though with occasional nice wines from well-drained loess soils. 2014 was similar, but some appealing wines were made where meticulous selection was applied.

For the future

Sneak previews from the barrel suggest great vintages to come. 2019 looks to have great structure, complexity and firm acidity. 2021 may be the best aszú year ever, according to some leading producers. 2022 is more of a mixed picture, with lots of botrytis. Some wineries report lovely balance in their aszú, while for others autumn was too humid to dry the berries, rating it instead a year for rich, sweet szamorodni (derived from a Polish word meaning ‘as it comes’, these are styles made using whole bunches, with a mix of botrytis-affected grapes and healthy berries).

Sweet success: Caroline Gilby MW’s pick of wines from top Tokaji vintages

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First created in the 19th century, Bikavér – ‘bull’s blood’ – is Hungary’s most renowned red blend, produced in Eger and Szekszárd.

The Hungarian name ‘bika (bull) – vér (blood)’ gives up the first hint about the colour of Hungary’s iconic red wine: legend has it that during the Ottoman invasion in 1552, Hungarian soldiers drank dark-coloured red wine to fortify themselves while defending the Eger castle against the Turkish siege. The blood-like red wine stains on their clothes and faces caused rumours among the tee-total Turks that the Hungarian soldiers were drinking bull’s blood to gain power, hence the birth of the name ‘Bikavér’.

As fascinating as it sounds, the legend is unlikely to be true, primarily because Hungary was largely a white wine-producing country in the 16th century. It was only after Phylloxera had rampaged through the vineyards in the 1880s that growers in certain regions started to replant their vineyards with red grapes.

Bikavér: Key regions

Eger in the north and Szekszárd in the south of Hungary are the only two regions designated to produce the famous red blend and to use the term ‘Bikavér’ on the label.

‘There are far more differences than similarities between the two regions,’ said Elizabeth Gabay MW during the 2022 Hungarian Wine Summit.

Eger

Only two hours’ drive from Tokaj, Eger is a cool-climate region on a similar latitude to Burgundy. With the Bükk mountains to the east, volcanic soils dominate its 5,500ha of vineyards. Among the region’s single-vineyard sites is Nagy-Eged-hegy, the highest vineyard in Hungary at over 530 metres above sea level.

The first ‘official’ Egri Bikavér was made in 1868 by Jewish businessman Lipot Kanitz, who was responsible for restoring the local wine industry in the post-Phylloxera era and gaining an international recognition for its wines

Szekszárd

Szekszárd is in the Pannon region of southern Hungary, located west of the river Danube. The region’s 2,100ha of vines are planted on a complex patchwork of different orientations and altitudes, with loess and chalky limestone soils dominating its vineyards.

Szekszárdi poet János Garay first mentioned ‘Bull’s Blood’ in his poem, ‘Szegszárdi Bordal’, in 1846.

The Bull’s Blood wine blend

Bikavér (‘bull’s blood’) usually includes a minimum of four varieties:

Kékfrankos

Kékfrankos (aka Blaufränkisch) is the soul of Bikavér and perhaps the only constant in what can be a diverse blend. Taking the top place in Hungary’s red grape plantings, the variety’s sturdiness, its ability to reflect the terroir and retain acidity even in hotter years are especially treasured by Hungarian winemakers, according to Caroline Gilby MW, a wine writer and judge specialising in Central and Eastern European wines.

Kékfrankos must make up at least 30% of Egri Bikavér, while 45% and above is necessary for the Szekszárdi version. The warmer climate of Szekszárd doesn’t necessarily lead to heavier and jammier wines, explained Gabay – the higher minimum percentages of Kékfrankos means that Szekszárdi Bikavér may actually appear lighter and fresher than its Egri peer.

In a warm vintage such as 2017, when the Bordeaux varieties are building up alcohol, ‘Kékfrankos can take it [the alcohol levels] back, so you still get moderate alcohol levels in the final blend,’ explained Csilla Sebestyén of Sebestyén Winery in Szekszárd.

Kadarka

The thin-skinned Kadarka used to play a far more important part in the blend but as it’s prone to disease and ripens too late, the grape is now largely replaced by Kékfrankos in Hungary, with small areas of plantings carefully managed by winegrowers in Szekszárd. A small percentage of Kadarka (5-10% ) is mandatory for Egri Szekszárdi.

Other varieties

Classic Bordeaux varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, are also common candidates in Bikavér, contributing tannic structure and fruit favours.

Other permitted grapes include local varieties such as Zweigelt and Portugieser, in addition to international varieties such as Pinot Noir and Syrah.

Also read: Hungarian red wines: expert’s choice

For many, the name Bikavér may still ‘conjure up memories of cheap and rustic wine,’ said Gilby. This is mainly due to the reputation of mass-produced, low quality reds exported during the Communist era.

According to Tibor Gál of Gál Tibor Winery in Eger, however, in the last five years ‘more [changes have] happened to both Bikavér regions than the last 170 years.’ Increasingly, the younger generation of Hungarian winemakers are making their Bikavér with a more gentle approach, followed by ageing for a much shorter period than their grandparents’ generation. The aim, said Gál, is to make ‘fresher and more contemporary’ wines, from easy-drinking food wines to refined single-vineyard editions capable of ageing for decades.

Bikavér ageing requirements

To make Kékfrankos-driven ‘Bull’s Blood’ wine, ageing in oak is a must for both Egri and Szekszárdi versions, and both have their own quality categories:

Egri Bikavér has three ageing criteria, starting with Classicus (six months in oak), then Superior (12 months), and finally Grand Superior (16 months).

There are only two categories for Szekszárdi Bikavér; Regular and Premium, both demanding at least a year of ageing in barrel. To qualify as Premium, the wine must meet further restrictions, including lower maximum yields.

Six Bikavérs from Eger and Szekszárd to try

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Hungary: A history of sparkling wine production

Surprising as it may sound, Hungary has had a long history of making sparkling wine since the 19th century. As a matter of fact, it used to be the world’s second-largest sparkling wine-producing country, only next to Champagne.

Similar to Champagne, the limestone quarried from the ancient underground wine cellars in Budafok, on the outskirts of Budapest, is said to have been used to build a number of magnificent historical buildings in the capital, including the parliament.

With producers trained in the French homeland, the Hungarian ‘pezsgő (sparkling wines)’ used to be crafted mainly using the Champagne grapes. The country’s leading sparkling producer Törley, established in 1882 in Budafok, carried on this tradition, though is also exploring other varieties, including Riesling and Zöldveltelini (Grüner Veltliner).

The booming sparkles in Tokaj

Tokaj, located north-east corner of the country, is perhaps best known for its lusciously sweet wines, with the botrytis-infused Aszú being its crown jewel.

The region itself is a complex patchwork of volcanic soils with vineyards planted on the steep slopes facing varied aspects. Furmint is the most widely planted grape variety there, spreading more than 3,500ha (out of the nation’s total 3,700ha), responsible for a wide spectrum of expressions and styles.

‘Furmint showed a similar sugar:acid ratio to Chardonnay when picked at the right moment,’ said Caroline Gilby MW, wine writer and consultant specialising in Central and Eastern European wines.

Read more: Furmint: the journey continues

Thanks to Tokaj’s moderate-to-cool climate, the white grape can achieve full ripeness while retaining its hall-mark high acidity. This, combined with its relatively neutral flavour and moderate alcohol levels, lays the foundation for quality sparkling wines.

‘Vencel Garamvári was almost certainly the first to make traditional-method Tokaji sparkling in 2002, with Chateau Vincent. However, it didn’t really take off more widely until the cold, rainy 2010 vintage, which produced very high-acid wines – perfect sparkling raw material,’ according to Gilby.

Although sparkling Furmint is still a relatively new notion in the region with most producers releasing wines from a specific vintage with limited quantities, some have started to build their own reserve for non-vintage blends.

It’s worth noting that Furmint isn’t the only hero in the Tokaji fizz story – a considerable proportion of sparkling wines produced in Tokaj are blends, where the region’s second most-planted Hárslevelű and international variety such as Chardonnay, among others, also play their parts.

The wines

Although not many sparkling Furmint from Tokaj are available in the UK yet, it’s apparent that the versatile poster grape of the region can take on the rich, toasty notes from prolonged lees ageing very well while maintaining its penetrating acidity. The traces of honey and quince, on the other hand, are friendly clues to its varietal characters.

Gilby highlighted the Tokaji Pezsgő Brut 2017 from Tokaj Nobilis, praising its ‘delicate bouquet of apple crumble with lemon zest and quince’, ‘elegant and long’ palate and a ‘graceful yet crisp finish’.

Barta Furmint Pezsgö 2016 also stood out in the sparkling Furmint masterclass during the 2022 Furmint February event. The traditional method fizz is rich in yellow fruit and floral charm, with yeasty depth from 36 months of lees ageing. The tell-tale mineral acidity of Furmint dances elegantly on the tip of the tongue.

Another excellent tipple is the Sauska Brut NV – perhaps the only non-vintage sparkling Furmint produced in Tokaj, for now – featuring 70% Furmint, 20% Hárslevelu and a dash of Chardonnay. Toasty notes from 18 months of lees ageing, underlined with a honeyed, buttery palate, formulating a real beauty at an affordable price (£19.50).

These wines, plus the ‘Sparkling Furmint’ from 4 Haz, a value choice made using the Charmat method, are telling examples of what Tokaj is capable of when dressing up its star grape with sparkles. As Caroline Gilby MW puts it, ‘all with the poise and structure of an aristocrat, with a twist of bohemian wildness.’

Based on the masterclass hosted by Hungarian-born wine expert Dr Orsi Szentkiralyi.

Try eight sparkling Furmint from Tokaj

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What are the key differences between the two well-established sweet wines made with botrytis-infused grapes?

The perfect mesoclimate for botrytis

The smooth onset of botrytis cinerea on white wine grapes requires certain growing conditions. Humidity in the early morning combined with aerated, sunny afternoons in autumn is a must for the fungus to remain benign and develop complex flavours as the berries shrivel to a perfect status.

Needless to say, both Sauternes of south Bordeaux, France and the Tokaj of northeastern Hungary enjoy the ideal terroir for botrytis, allowing the noble fungus to puncture microscopic holes through grape skins and nurture some of the world’s top expressions of these golden, lusciously sweet wines, which are capable of ageing for decades.

In the case of Sauternes, the cooler tributary Ciron feeds into the warmer Garonne, creating misty mornings in its communes and allowing the onset of botrytis in autumn. Meanwhile, the warm, sunny afternoons reduce the moisture and prevent the fungus from going rogue.

Likewise, the Tisza and Bodrog rivers that meet in Tokaj are the reasons behind the foggy autumn mornings that trigger the inception of botrytis, with the sunny and breezy afternoons safeguarding the healthy development of the fungus.

Despite sharing a similar mesoclimate, producers of Sauternes and Tokaji Aszú are using different grape varieties and taking a diverse approach in winemaking to create their own versions of ‘liquid gold’.

Choice of varieties

Sémillon is the primary grape for Sauternes due to its thin skins, which are highly susceptible to botrytis. The grape tends to provide a rich, textured body in addition to beeswax, citrus and honeyed stone fruit flavours to the sweet wine. Sauvignon Blanc is its crucial blending partner, providing fresh acidity and a lift to the palate. Sometimes Muscadelle is also added to provide further aroma complexity.

Furmint, on the other hand, is the diva of the Tokaj wine region. This versatile variety has the ability to go from bone-dry to lusciously sweet, with the high, mineral acidity being its ‘hallmark character’, according to Caroline Gilby MW, wine writer and consultant specialising in Central and Eastern European wines.

Also read: Furmint – A versatile variety to watch

When making Tokaji Aszú, Furmint is ‘typically supported by Hárslevelű and Muscat to add fruitiness and fragrance’, says Gilby.

Production methods

Making naturally botrytized wine can be costly and extremely labour-intensive, as it demands careful, manual selection in the field. The shrivelled berries have to be picked by hand only when they are ready. Also, producers may risk insufficient onset or even no-show of botrytis when the weather condition is less ideal.

The classic production method of Sauternes involves carefully pressing these precious, noble rot-infected berries, before painstakingly going through a slow fermentation process, often in partial or all-new barriques, until the alcohol level reaches around 14%.

Also read: Best Sauternes and Barsac 2020 wines tasted en primeur

Winemakers in Tokaj, however, adopt an ancient, arguably more flexible approach in extracting the botrytis flavours.

In fact, the first written records of the Aszú (the Hungarian word for shrivelled and botrytis-affected berries) method can be traced back to 1571, far before noble rot was recognised as a legitimate method of making sweet wines in France.

‘Sauternes are made from berries that are still juicy and can be pressed and fermented. The Aszú berries, however, are so raisined and dry. If you try to press them, you get a trickle of thick syrup, so sweet it barely ferments at all,’ explains Gilby.

Therefore, in order to extract sweetness and flavours, Aszú producers have to soak the sweet paste of botrytis-influenced, shrivelled berries in either grape juice, young wine or fermenting must. The wine is then aged in barrels under oxidative conditions for at least two years.

Indeed the word ‘Puttony(os)’ used as a unit to describe the sweetness of Tokaji Aszú refers to the bucket traditionally used to collect Aszú berries. Though today the sweetness of Tokaji is no longer measured by the number of Puttonyos added but based on residual sugar, said Gilby.

Read more: What is Aszú and why is it special?

Tell them apart in blind tastings

If we are to blind taste quality Sauternes and Tokaji Aszú, what should we look for to tell them apart? Stephen Brook, contributing editor to Decanter, provides his thoughts.

‘In the past, the various quality levels of Aszú – 3, 4, 5, and 6 Puttonyos – were defined by strict rules requiring minimum levels of residual sugar, acidity, and sugar-free extract. They no longer exist in a rigorous form, so there is now a far greater stylistic variation among Aszú wines. But two trends are discernible,’ says Brook.

‘First, the wines are far sweeter than they used to be. The same is true of Sauternes, but Aszú wines have a much higher acidity, giving them a different character. Moreover, most Aszú wines used to be deliberately oxidative. There was much debate about whether oxidation was intrinsic to Aszú, but today few would argue that case.

‘So Aszú wines are no more likely to be oxidative in style than good Sauternes. In short, it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell the two wines apart, although the higher acidity and raciness of Aszú wines remains a major difference.’

It is 450 years since the first written mention of Aszú in Tokaj and the region’s glorious wines are still worth celebrating. Clearly, there’s something special about a wine style that has lasted more than four centuries, adored by royalty, and praised as ‘king of wines and wine of kings’ by Louis XIV.

In these days of drinking young, fresh, uncomplicated wines, where do these gorgeous, honeyed elixirs fit into modern drinking habits? They certainly deserve more than just being consigned to the dessert menu, on the rare occasions we health-conscious generations even allow ourselves that little luxury.

Scroll down to find 10 best Tokaji wines for food pairing

First, a quick description of what Tokaji Aszú is all about and why it’s unique. Tokaj is a cool northern wine region of complex volcanic soils, steep slopes and deep cellars carved into the bedrock. This cool climate and the local grapes, with Furmint in the leading role, mean the wines always have a spine-tingling thrill of acidity, whatever their style.

Two rivers meet here creating perfect conditions for foggy autumn mornings which give botrytis cinerea, the noble rot fungus, a helping hand. Then sunny breezy afternoons shrivel the berries into raisins, called Aszú. These must be laboriously picked one by one and they can’t simply be squeezed for juice as in other sweet wines. If you try, the result is a small trickle of gorgeously intense syrup that barely ferments – this rare Eszencia is sometimes served by the teaspoon. Yoghurt gelato makes a lovely sharp contrast to it. Its richness also matches well with sticky date pudding.

Read more: What is Aszú and why is it special?

Indeed, it’s that fine, vibrant acidity that makes Tokaji wines so versatile with food. Even the sweet wines always have a lightness and ethereal quality to them, finely balanced between sweetness and acidity, so they are never cloying to drink.

Pairing Tokaji Aszú with dessert is obvious – puddings based on apricot or mango; quince and honey cake, or spiced poached pears echo typical flavours in younger Aszú (2016 or 2017). Lemon cheesecake or creme brûlee also work well with these wines, with the acidity contrasting the creamy richness. For seasonal fare, match a more mature complex Aszú (2013 or older) with Christmas pudding and mince pies. The cheese board is another obvious match for sweet Tokaji – salty blue cheeses like Roquefort are a particularly heavenly match and for an unusual option try tangy dry Szamorodni with aged sheep’s cheese.

But there’s plenty of scope beyond these conventional boxes too. Indeed, Isa Bal MS believes that dry wine with savoury food is a relatively recent invention, as historically sweet wines would have been a more traditional choice.

‘I am always looking for balance and I believe Tokaji can do this with its acidity,’ he says, adding: ‘I focus on the saltiness of the food with the sweetness of the wine and its botrytis elements.’

In Hungary, there’s a tradition of matching pâté, especially goose liver with sweet Tokaji, but nuts and mushrooms can work beautifully too, or try a soup with a hint of sweetness like pumpkin.

There’s a place for sweet Tokaj with main courses too. At a recent food-matching lunch at Trivet in London, Bal matched bright young 6 Puttonyos Aszú to spiced poached lobster, while crispy veal sweetbreads took on a new dimension with a more mature 2013 Aszú. Pigeon with persimmon was a great match with beautifully complex, aged Aszú wines from 2003 and 2007, while for non-meat eaters, smoky roasted celeriac with bitter chicory and freekeh worked magically well with the same wines. Asian dishes with spices like five spices, zingy lemongrass and coriander, or sweet and sour notes can be great with sweet Tokaji too.

Of course, there are other options from Tokaji too with a new generation of refined traditional method sparklers offering a vibrant appetite-stimulating aperitif, and brilliant dry wines in several styles. Young fruit-driven fresh Furmints are great with dishes like fresh fish, grilled prawns, or fennel risotto to give just a few ideas, while the more complex, oak-aged, often single-vineyard expressions (think a slightly fiery, mineral version of white Burgundy) can partner more serious main dishes and would even be a good choice for the Christmas turkey or goose.

10 best Tokaji wines for food pairing

Hungary may be famous for its white wines, and especially for the glorious wines of Tokaj, but a third of its vines are in fact red grapes.

The Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 saw the country stake a strong red claim on the map, with its first ever Best in Show for a red wine. And not just any red, but a Bull’s Blood (Bikavér in Hungarian) – a name that may conjure up memories of cheap and rustic wine.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 18 Hungarian red wines worth seeking out

St Andrea’s Nagy-Eged Dűlő Grand Superior [not featured here] is a world away from that era. To rehabilitate Bikavér as a flagship blended red for Hungary has been a lifetime’s passion for father and son György and György Jr Lőrincz, along with several other like-minded wineries in the two regions of Eger and Szekszárd (where Bikavér is a protected denomination).

The other important thing to note about this wine (as with all Bikavér) is that it’s based on Kékfrankos. This central European variety is usually better known as Blaufränkisch and is increasingly admired for its exciting, vibrant, elegant and appetising reds. It is Hungary’s most planted grape and probably originated in old Hungarian territory during the Middle Ages (in what is Slovenia today).

Once a volume workhorse, Kékfankos is loved by producers for its ability to be a lens for where it’s grown and to keep its freshness even in hotter years. Wineries have got much better at handling it more gently (more like Pinot Noir), with a focus on elegance over sheer power, which makes it hugely food-friendly too.

Another important local grape is Kadarka. Once Hungary’s most planted red grape, its fickleness in the vineyard meant it fell out of favour when up against Kékfrankos, and its pale colour didn’t win friends in an era when sheer power ruled. Today, as drinkers search for drinkability and freshness, Kadarka fits the bill perfectly with its gently spiced red fruit and refined tannins, offering real pleasure in the glass.

The grape also has a role in adding an extra dimension in blends – it’s obligatory in the Szekszárd version of Bikavér, for example. Several producers are working hard to rescue other forgotten grapes from obscurity in Hungary. Look out for Csókaszőlő, Fekete Járdovány, Turán and Laska already being made commercially, and there are more to come.

Hungary’s lively wine scene certainly boasts great diversity – and it’s not just about local grape varieties; several international grapes also perform well here. Notably, Cabernet Franc is a star in Villány, in the warmer south of the country, where it has its own classification of Villányi Franc. Here, it makes serious, long-lived, structured reds, but always with freshness and silkiness in the mouth.

Pinot Noir can produce exciting results on cooler, north-facing limestone slopes in Villány and even as far north as Tokaj, and pockets of Syrah can work very well too.

Increasingly, Hungary is my go-to choice for exciting and diverse reds. There’s something for every occasion, from fresh, elegant and vibrant to richly complex and structured. Egészségedre!*

See Caroline Gilby MW’s pick of 18 Hungarian reds worth seeking out

Caroline Gilby MW is a widely published wine writer, awarded author and consultant specialising in the wines of Central and Eastern Europe, and DWWA joint regional Chair for North, Central and Eastern Europe

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The vintage

The 2017 vintage marked a ‘new era’ of Royal Tokaji, said MD Charlie Mount, because it was the first made fully under the supervision of winemaker Zoltán Kovács, who joined the producer as winery director after having worked with another Tokaji estate, Disznókő, for 11 years.

Scroll down to see the six Royal Tokaji 2017 tasting notes and scores

It was an ‘outstanding, opulent’ vintage, according to the producer, bearing similarities to the extraordinary 2013, although thanks to ‘even temperatures and rainfall throughout the year’, the 2017 vintage showed ‘better final balance and higher acidities’.

Considerably more Aszú wines were made for the 2017 vintage compared to 2016, which suffered a reduction in yields due to frosts in spring.

Botrytis first appeared after a hot August, which encouraged early ripening. ‘Light but widespread’ precipitation at the end of August and the beginning of September helped the onset of noble rot. The ‘textbook’ morning mist and warm temperatures in October resulted in ‘plenty’ of quality Aszú berries, said Kovács.

‘We believe the 2017 Aszús are on a par with our greatest vintages of 1993, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2008,’ according to the producer.

Also read:

Tokaji sweetness – What is Aszú and why is it special?

Vinification

The shrivelled, botrytis-affected berries from the 2017 harvest were macerated in fermenting must for two days to extract the sugar and complex flavours of noble rot.

Royal Tokaji’s classic Blue Label and Gold label were fermented in stainless steel tanks before moving into 300L or 500L Hungarian oak barrels.

Following the 2013 and 2016 vintage, 2017 is Royal Tokaji’s third release of single-vineyard Aszú wines, including four wines sourced from ‘First Growth’ sites Szt.Tamás, Nyulászó, Betsek and the ‘Great First Growth’ site Mézes Mály respectively.

Kovács fermented and matured the 2017 single-vineyards in 300L or 500L oak casks in an effort to ‘increase their complexity and give them greater depth’.

The wines

Co-founded in 1990 by wine author and historian Hugh Johnson, Royal Tokaji is now exporting to 30 countries around the world, with the USA and South Korea being its largest overseas market.

The Blue Label is the producer’s best-known Aszú wine, sold as Red Label in the USA. The 2017 vintage remained the most refreshing among the whole Aszú range, although the acidity has dropped from the razor-sharp 9.9g/l in 2016 to 7.9g/l. The drop in acidity also appeared in the producer’s other 2017 Aszús, which coincides with a warmer vintage. Once again its sugar level (158 g/l) sits well above the hallmark for 5 puttonyos (120g/l).

The 2017 Gold Label is made with 100% Furmint, with top-quality Aszú berries sourced from across the producer’s vineyards, including the classed growths. The 2017 version of the 6 puttonyos Aszú displayed a more vinous nose than the Blue Label and a more intense texture than the 2016 version. Its power, complexity and consistency in quality again excelled among the producer’s Aszú range.

The 2017 Nyulászó is another top performer of the 2017 vintage. With the highest residual sugar (203.3 g/l) among all six 2017 Aszú wines from the producer, Nyulászó maintained a well-lifted body, thanks to its solid varietal acidity and multi-layered palate. Royal Tokaji also produces an excellent dry Furmint from this ‘First Growth’ site, which further demonstrates the sophistication of its flavour profile.

As one of the only two ‘Great First Growth’ sites in Tokaji, Mézes Mály (Royal Tokaji owns 11 of its 19 hectares) presented a distinctive nose among the other 2017 single-vineyard Aszús by the producer; bruised fruits, minerals and even a touch of candied red fruits. The south-facing, volcanic soils combined with warmer weather of 2017 resulted in a riper and broader version than 2016.

Szt.Tamás is another 100% Furmint Aszú from the range, sourced from the estate’s 30-year-old vines. Another ‘First Growth’ site, it slopes southwest-west, featuring red clay soils. The 2017 vintage is spiced and honeyed on the nose and the palate, mellow but well-structured.

The Betsek site is rich in clay and dark humus and chalk-white minerals, which tends to produce ‘weighty and spicy’ wines. The 2017 version features freshly-cut ginger spiciness on the nose and the palate.

Royal Tokaji’s 2017 single-vineyard Aszú wines will be released by allocation this autumn.

Royal Tokaji 2017 Aszú: Our verdict

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It’s been 450 years this year since the Aszú winemaking method in Tokaj was first mentioned in writing – back in 1571. Get to know one of the world’s great sweet wines from Hungary and its unique production method…

What is the Aszú method?

Aszú is the Hungarian word for shrivelled and botrytis-affected berries, and the resulting wine they make.

It is not known exactly how the method of selecting Aszú berries came about, but it may be in part because serfs working the vines and the land were allowed to pick Aszú berries separately and keep the money they made from them, rather than paying a share to their landlords – a right they fought tooth and nail to protect.

The Aszú grapes must be harvested laboriously one-by-one. A good picker may pick less than 10kg per day, visiting each vine four or five times. After harvest, these grapes are crushed and soaked in either grape juice, young wine or (most commonly today) fermenting must in order to extract flavours and sweetness.

What makes Aszú wines special?

This special winemaking method is a reflection of the unique climate in this part of Hungary.

The Tisza and Bodrog rivers meet in Tokaj and because their waters are slightly different temperatures, most autumn mornings see the region enveloped in fog. Afternoons are then sunny and breezy, creating the perfect environment for noble rot to develop.

The noble rot fungus punctures microscopic holes through the grape skins, and the resulting evaporation of water content shrivels the berries to raisins.

Puttonyos and the Tokaji sweetness scale

The traditional measurement of sweetness for Tokaji was based on the number of buckets, called puttony in Hungarian, of Aszú berries added to each 136L gönci barrel (a typical Hungarian barrel) . However, today the classification is based on residual sugar.

In 2013, Tokaj regulations changed significantly, removing the ‘three’ and ‘four’ Puttonyos categories.

Today, all Aszú must be the equivalent of at least five Puttonyos, measured as 120g/L of residual sugar, whilst six Puttonyos must reach at least 150g/L. In practice, producers choose to label their wine according to the style it most represents, as long as it also meets the legal minimum.

This may sound very sweet, but Aszú wines are incredibly well-balanced with vibrant acidity. This is due to a combination of the region’s complex volcanic soils, cool nights which help to retain acidity, and the unique native grape varieties.

Furmint is Tokaj’s most planted grape variety, susceptible to noble rot but always with its hallmark vivid acidity. When making Tokaji it is typically supported by Hárslevelű and Muscat to add fruitiness and fragrance.

These wines are a true labour of love, and are also some of the world’s greatest sweet wines.

Matching Tokaji Aszú with food

Five Puttonyos Tokaji is mostly about the interplay between sweetness and refreshing crispness, which means they are well-matched to pâté and light cheeses. Fruit-based desserts like apple crumble, poached pears or fruit tart go well with this style too.

Six Puttonyos Tokaji is more about gorgeously luscious sweetness, although acidity still comes into play so that the best wines are never cloying. Try matching these wines with full-flavoured blue cheeses or varying types of paté.

More ambitious chefs might try Asian-spiced savoury dishes: Peking duck with plum sauce, caramelized pork, sticky sesame tofu, or Thai red curry with pumpkin.

What are the ageing requirements for Tokaji wines?

Recent rule changes have brought the minimum ageing period for Tokaji Aszú down to two years in total, with at least 18 months in barrel, though individual producers may choose to age for longer.

Of the other sweet styles of Tokaji, Szamorodni, which is made from whole bunches of grapes with varying proportions of Aszú berries. It must be aged for 12 months, with a minimum of six months of oak ageing. Late harvest Tokaji does not have any oak ageing requirements.

The incredibly rare Tokaji Essencia, made from the syrupy free-run juice that trickles from pressed Aszú berries, usually contains more than 450g/L of residual sugar and is fermented in glass demijohns. It is occasionally served by the spoonful, and legend has it that this exceptionally sweet wine can cure many illnesses.

You might also enjoy: 

Decanter travel guide: Tokaj, Hungary

Furmint is famous as the key ingredient in the amazing sweet wines of Tokaj, but over recent years it has quietly been building a reputation as a variety to watch: with multiple claims for joining the ranks of great white grapes.

Incredibly versatile, Furmint has some similarities to Riesling – able to go from bone dry, crisp and vibrant all the way to intensely sweet, though always with its hallmark steely acidity.

Scroll down for Furmint food pairing suggestions and top recommendations

At the same time, it has a touch of Chardonnay’s nature about it: capable of fine sparkling wines and able to respond well to oak and malolactic fermentation to give layered, complex, almost Burgundian-style wines.

This all makes sense, as genetic analysis shows it’s a half-sibling of both Chardonnay and Riesling.

The variety’s homeland is almost certainly Hungary, where it first appeared by the name Furmint in 1611, and of the 4,954ha planted in the world, Hungary has nearly 4,000ha (of which the biggest plantings are in Tokaj at 3,766ha).

Its second-biggest home is Slovenia, where it is better known as Sipon (supposedly a corruption of the nickname Napoleon’s soldiers gave – ‘si c’est bon’ – for ‘it’s so good’).

In the past it was treated as a high- yielding workhorse here, but now winemakers are identifying parcels of old vines, harvesting at low yields and giving it proper respect in the winery.

There’s also a new generation of bottle-fermented sparkling wines in both Hungary and Slovenia – Furmint’s naturally crisp acidity makes great raw material for bubbly.

Croatia is the third most important grower of Furmint, though it’s often hidden under alternative names like Moslavac and Pušipel.

Hungarians outside Hungary seem to feel a spiritual connection to Furmint, and there are notable small producers in Slovakia, Romania and Serbia, typically with Hungarian roots.

In the spotlight

A sense of place or terroir – reflecting different growing conditions – is another important feature of any great grape.

Furmints grown in Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, Romania, or even other Hungarian regions such as Somló, are distinctive.

In Tokaj, winemakers are increasingly searching out micro-locations or dűlő (the Hungarian word for a site selection), which show clearly how the variety responds to differences in soil and aspect.

The final question to establish a grape’s quality credibility is ageability.

Tokaj’s luscious aszú wines can age for decades, but serious dry wines from Furmint are relatively new on the scene, though recent tastings show 15-year-old examples still in great shape.

The warm, dry vintage of 2003 was a turning point for many producers, kick-starting new thinking about how to make dry wines deliberately (and managing the vineyards in a different way – aiming for super-healthy grapes).

It’s been a rapid learning curve to discern how best to grow and vinify this new generation of amazing dry wines, but the results today are truly exciting.

Whatever your choice: sparkling, dry or sweet, Furmint should be in your glass. It’s good enough to rival any of the world’s more famous whites.

Hungarian wine facts

• Regions: 22 wine regions, 33 PDOs
• Area under vine: 58,276 ha of vineyards in production in 2020 (white: 40,396 ha, red: 17,880 ha).
• Total production: 2.7 million hl in 2020
• Furmint accounts for 3,712 ha (3,573 ha in production). It is the country’s third most important white grape.

What food pairs well with different styles of dry Furmint?

Furmint is of strong interest for gastronomy due to its versatility, said Isa Bal MS, co-founder and sommelier of Trivet, London. It can be made into a range of styles and of varying sweetness, therefore diners can enjoy wines made from the same variety throughout the entire meal. ‘Not that many varieties can do that,’ he said.

Dry Furmint with its aroma characters and underlying acidity can work well with a diverse range of world cuisine, especially oriental spices. And it’s not only for aperitif and starters, he stressed, the weightier and more concentrated bottles can serve as alternatives to red wines to take on stronger flavours such as stews and other pot dishes. That is especially helpful when you are having heavy dishes in hot summers, he said.

Matching the weight of the wine with those of the food is the key, said the Master Sommelier. Here is his pairing guide based on four styles of dry Furmint.

1. Lighter, unoaked style

Examples: Patricius Furmint 2019, Sauska Furmint 2020

To be paired with: Japanese Tempura of red mullet and sea vegetables, with mild sweet and sour dip with a touch of spiciness.

The hot and crunchy Tempura dish is a perfect partner for a lighter dry Furmint with refreshing acidity and floral, citrus and green apple notes, which refreshes the palate and creates an extra dimension of flavours. Lightly seasoned seafood and soft-rim goat cheese could also pair nicely with these crisp dry Furmints.

2. Fuller with some oak ageing – ‘estate style’

Examples: Zsirai Estate Furmint 2016, Kikelet Furmint 2018

To be paired with: Seared scallop confit Kombu, with purée of sesame and pickled Hand of Buddha

For dry Furmints with a more oily texture but firm underlying acidity, Isa Bal MS recommends a dish that features citrusy acidity from the pickled Hand of Buddha, a touch of earthiness from the sesame seeds, and caramelised Kombu (kelp seaweed) for an element of umami. The scallop is seared brown on top and decorated with sesame for extra texture.

Both the dish and the wine style showcase a combination of richness and freshness, with the matching acidity level being the key to the marriage.

3. Single vineyard, more linear ‘Riesling style’

Examples: Sanzon Tokaj Nobilis Rany Furmint 2018, Tokaj Nobilis Barakonyi Furmint 2018

To be paired with: Lobster tagliolini. Native lobster tail steamed in its shell, with fresh trivet pasta, lobster and miso broth.

The dish plays on two different flavour profiles and textures, namely the firm texture of the lobster and the soba noodles-like tagliolini pasta. Miso provides umami and richness to the dish.

The textural quality of the wine and its poised acidity matches well with the lobster. The saltiness of the dish also complements the ripe and long fruity notes on the finish of the wine.

4. Single vineyard, richer ‘Chardonnay style’

Examples: Demetervin Úrágya 57 Furmint 2015, Grand Tokaj Kovago Furmint 18

To be paired with: Chicken with a vinegar sauce, lyonnaise potatoes and braised turnips

The sauce is based on vinegar and shallots that are finely chopped, thus high in acidity in itself. The crisp skin of the chicken provides further textural interest. Such a rich and complex dish works in perfect harmony with a full-bodied dry Furmint that boasts layers of flavours.

Pork belly with high acidity sauce, as well as a rich and full cantal cheese, could be another classic match.

*Stay tuned for more food and wine recommendations on Hungarian varieties in Decanter’s Hungarian supplement 2021, on sale at the beginning of March, in collaboration with Wines of Hungary.

See Caroline Gilby MW’s top Furmint wines in addition to our top picks for Furmint February 2021

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Wine Legend: Royal Tokaji, Nyulászó Aszu 6 Puttonyos 1993, Tokaj, Hungary

• Bottles produced 12,007
• Composition Furmint-Hárslevelű
• Yield 0.5hl/ha
• Alcohol 10.7%
• Release price $77
• Price today £234/50cl

A legend because…

After decades of Communist state monopoly, the Hungarian wine industry underwent gradual privatisation after 1990. Royal Tokaji was one of the very first to benefit from international investment. Initial vintages of that decade were not exceptional, but ideal conditions in 1993 allowed new producers to make Tokaji of high quality. Although vintages of the early 1990s have not aged particularly well, 1993 has stood the test of time.

Looking back

Royal Tokaji was founded by Hugh Johnson, Peter Vinding-Diers and other investors, who acquired some outstanding vineyards and hired István Szepsy as consultant winemaker. Szepsy was profoundly knowledgeable about traditional techniques for the production of Tokaji Aszú. From the outset there was a conflict between an oxidative style of winemaking, misleadingly thought of as ‘traditional’, and a more modern approach that ignored the rulebook and permitted experimentation with fermentation techniques as well as ageing in newer barrels. Royal Tokaji would prove innovative without pursuing an oxidative style.

The vintage

Warm weather at flowering ensured a good crop, and the balmy summer that followed brought the vines to full maturity. Autumnal mists brought an early onset of botrytis, allowing the production of exceptional aszú wines.

The terroir

The Royal Tokaji founders relied on historic vineyard classification maps from the late 17th century when buying or leasing parcels of vines. Nyulászó had been classified as first growth, and the company acquired 12ha (today expanded to 18ha) of southeast-facing vines at an elevation of 200m. The topsoils are volcanic, and below lies a complex blend of clay, calcareous loam, tufa and quartz.

The wine

Aszú means a wine made from hand- picked botrytised grapes. A paste is made from compressed aszú grapes and added to a base wine, which re-ferments. This results in a wine with high residual sugar, acidity and extract. The puttonyos number reflects how many 20kg hods of berries are added, and the higher the number the greater the intensity and sweetness of the finished wine. In recent decades the system has simply reflected the proportion of berries, rather than a counting of hods. After fermentation, the wine was aged for three years in small casks of Hungarian oak. At bottling the wine had 218g/L of residual sugar and an acidity level of 10.3g/L.

The reaction

In a 1997 review, Wine Spectator found the wine ‘complex and multilayered… clean and pure, with loads of tropical, dried apricot and dried fig, vanilla bean, ginger snaps and curry… Bravo!’ A year later, Stephen Brook relished the wine’s ‘lovely racy honeyed nose, smoky, dried-fruit aromas. Lean, firm, robust, voluptuous, with fine acidity giving tangy citric tones. Creamy, complex and very long’.

Richard Hemming MW reported in 2017: ‘Caramel, milk chocolate, mint, pear and ginger – the list goes on. Fractal complexity and endless persistence… Captivating, profound, extraordinary.’ In the same year, Peter Richards MW wrote in World of Fine Wine: ‘…the palate explodes in a burst of vigour and juicy energy, full of tangy acidity and bittersweet candied fruit… somewhat old-school, but with plenty of life and swagger in the bones.’

In 2019, Neal Martin said in Vinous: ‘Floral nose features yellow plum, dried honey and quince notes that blossom in the glass… well balanced, offering quince, marmalade and dried orange peel toward the finish. This significantly improves with aeration. Perhaps the first really great post-1990 Tokaji.’

See all Wine Legends here

Ageing gracefully is something much admired in wine – as it transforms from fresh and fruity into something more layered, complex and intriguing. Not all grapes can age but most of the best do.

Ageability is one of my arguments in favour of adding Furmint to the list of great grapes, channelling aspects of its half-siblings like Riesling and Chardonnay, both noted for longevity. Furmint itself is relatively neutral, with notably high acidity. This neutrality makes it honest: it amplifies defects in the vineyards and poor wine making as there are no aromatics to hide behind. At the same time, this is also a great strength – it can really express terroir and it gives winemakers lots of options.Furmint has the most credibility and longest history in Hungary’s far northeast corner. As a key ingredient in sweet Tokaji, there is a track record of Furmint’s ageability; Aszú from 1956 tasted recently was still in great shape (sugar and acid are great preservatives), in spite of coming from an era when yield was the prime focus.

A new era for Aszú dawned in 1990s, but even in this world-renowned sweet region, dry wines are coming to the fore. There are multiple reasons: Furmint makes great dry wines; the volcanic Tokaj terroir is amazing and economically it’s easier to sell dry wines – people drink more on more occasions, than a rare glass of sweet wine.

Tokaj dry wines

Wine drinkers will quite reasonably want to know if what they’re buying needs drinking up or has more to offer over time. Tokaj in particular is building a reputation for dry Furmint worth ageing, and it has a headstart over other countries and regions where it grows. As serious quality wine in its own right (rather than an afterthought when noble rot didn’t appear), dry wines in Tokaj have barely two decades of history.

The renowned István Szepsy was behind the 2000 Úrágya from Királyudvar, which made a serious impression on those lucky enough to taste it. Then the warm, dry vintage of 2003 brought wider change, with many wineries launching their own premium dry wines. This required a switch in mindset about viticulture – sweet wines need conditions for rot (albeit the noble kind) whereas grapes for dry wines must be healthy. That meant identifying the breeziest, sunniest and most stony sites above the humidity of autumn fogs.

One such site is Úrágya vineyard (dűlő in Hungarian), which means “god’s bed” as the sun sets over this ridge from Mád village.

‘Our most mineral vineyard full of hard rhyolit stones,’ according to Géza Lenkey, while Szepsy explains that, ‘Plantations in higher rocky sites mean roots to go deeper (up to 12-15m).’

He adds, ‘Wines produced this way should have a long life and develop well.’

Szepsy’s 2003 and Lenkey’s 2006, both from Úrágya, were tasting superbly in London in January 2020. This is not the only great site for dry wines, though still work-in-progress as Attila Domokos of Dobogó notes, ‘There are 400 extinct volcanoes in the region, so each vineyard differs and it’s still a learning curve.’

Producers have also had to learn new winemaking approaches. Szepsy notes, ‘Early Furmint wines were made from later harvested grapes and complexity was emphasized while elegance was overshadowed, resulting in higher alcohol and softer wines.’ In spite of this, rare tastings of the few that still exist (no one kept archive stock then) show wines still in amazing shape. Izabella Zwack (Dobogó) reckons that ‘Furmint’s depth and minerality is the key and shows through in every vintage.’

Better understanding

Today’s winemakers are tending towards picking earlier for elegance and freshness and winemakers know their sites better and understand more about how Furmint reacts to barrels and oak quality.

Most premium dry Furmint will be barrel-fermented (and matured around 6 to 10 months), though nowadays usually in larger 300 to 500 litre barrels with as little as 10% new wood, while some such as László Szilágyi of Gizella are moving almost entirely away from oak. Most prefer local oak from the nearby Zemplen Hills, where the more desirable Quercus Petraea dominates.

It’s a hugely complex topic though, producers also need to choose exactly what barrel, spontaneous versus cultured yeast, or even selected wild yeast, and whether to encourage malolactic or not. None of this would even be a debate if it weren’t for the fundamental quality and ageing potential of Furmint – which everyone agrees is a wonderful grape.

Ageability in Furmint-dominated sweet wines is pretty much a given but increasingly it’s the premium dry wines that are showcasing both the fantastic volcanic Tokaj terroir and the sheer class of Furmint as Charlie Mount of Royal Tokaji sums up, ‘We believe that Furmint, combined with the volcanic soils of the region, has the potential for greatness.’

This wine style may be less than two decades old but is already showing that these wines can age with true grace. Géza Lenkey states, ‘I have demonstrated that Furmint wines are suitable for long ageing and that I can trust my region Tokaj.’ With better understanding of vineyards and winemaking, today’s wines should have an even brighter future.

Furmint fact sheet

Proposed parentage Heunisch Weiss (Gouais Blanc) x Alba Imputotato

Likely origin Tokaj region Hungary

First mention by name 1611

Area in Hungary 3,928ha

Area in Tokaj 3,766ha

Area in other countries Slovenia 543ha, Slovakia 290ha, Croatia 159ha, Austria 11ha, Serbia 6ha

Ageable Furmint to try

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An 'amazingly persistent' wine....

Wine Legend: Szepsy, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 1999, Tokaj, Hungary

Bottles produced 8,000

Composition 70% Furmint, 30% Hárslevelű

Yield 4hl/ha

Alcohol 10.5%

Release price £80

Price today £200/50cl

A legend because…

In 1989, István Szepsy became the winemaker for Royal Tokaji, one of the first foreign-investor companies to produce Tokaji after Hungary threw off Communist rule. The wines were highly acclaimed, but in 1992 Szepsy left to focus on his own label. Even during the Soviet era, he had been able to make small quantities of Tokaji, but he was keen to expand. By 1997 he had about 9ha in some of the region’s best sites. 1999 was an excellent year, and those who tasted it were dazzled.

Looking back

After privatisation of the vineyards in Tokaj, it was hard for the early investors to find qualified winemakers. Many of the region’s traditional production methods were no longer understood, let alone practised. Szepsy explains: ‘We all knew that new methods had to be found, but there was no fund of knowledge and experience from the past. We were starting from scratch.’

One of his 17th- century ancestors had been credited with ‘discovering’ how Tokaji Aszú should be made and Szepsy realised that mass-produced wines, sweetened with concentrated must, were false to the authentic style of Aszú. Royal Tokaji’s Hugh Johnson and Peter Vinding-Diers encouraged Szepsy to recover those methods and try to restore the region’s lost reputation. Everything had to be revised, from identifying top vineyards, to farming to vinification and ageing.

The vintage

A fine growing season led to very ripe grapes, and harvest took place during the second half of October. Botrytis came in stages, so conscientious growers had to pick selectively. The wines showed not only exemplary richness, but purity of fruit and balance. Szepsy was initially cautious about the quality of the vintage, but his own wines proved him wrong.

The terroir

Most of Szepsy’s vineyards are close to Mád, with parcels in outstanding sites such as Nyúlászó, Király, Szent Tamás and Betsek. However, in 1993 Szepsy stopped producing single-vineyard wines, and blended the aszú berries. When planting or replanting, he favoured massal selections of old-vine Furmint to ensure small bunches. In 1992 he began green-harvesting. No fertilisers are used and he prunes short to manage yields, which, for aszú wines, are around 4hl/ha. The grapes are picked berry by berry. Each vine yields roughly half a glass of aszú wine.

The wine

To make aszú wines, a paste of botrytised berries is added to a dry base wine for a second fermentation. Szepsy uses late-picked (but not botrytised) berries to produce his base wine, as he wants a high level of ripeness. The grapes are crushed, given brief skin contact, then fermented with natural yeasts in Hungarian oak barrels, 25% new. The wine is aged for 28-34 months in barrel. The 1999 was released with 228g/l of residual sugar.

The reaction

In 2003 Stephen Tanzer wrote: ‘Apricot, orange rind and smoky botrytis aromas and flavours dominate, but with fascinating floral, spicy and carnal notes… the most intense acidity, ravishing complexity, and ultimately the most refinement and delicacy.’

In 2018 Stephen Brook found the wine still radiant: ‘The nose is intense, with complex aromas of crème brûlée and marmalade. The attack is lean thanks to its high acidity, but it has a silky texture. Pungent and spicy flavours of oranges and barley sugar. It’s surprisingly fresh and citric without losing its caramel character. Amazingly persistent.’

See more Wine Legends here

With its rural villages, atmospheric cellars and sweet golden wines, this northeastern corner of Hungary is a hidden gem, waiting to be explored. Caroline Gilby MW shares her highlights...

Decanter Tokaj travel guide – Need to know:

• When to go: You can still get there for the 2018 Furmint festival on 2 and 3 September
• Fly to: Budapest and take a train or hire a car. It’s a 2.5-hour drive.
• Top tip: Take a taxi out to wineries. There is zero tolerance for drinking and driving.

Quick links:

• My perfect day in Tokaj

• Where to sleep, eat and shop in Tokaj

Fact File

Vineyard area 5,747ha

Number of growers 3,900

Number of wineries 190

Six permitted grape varieties  Furmint (69%), Hárslevelu (18%), Sárga Muskotály aka Yellow Muscat (9%), Zeta, Kövérszolo, Kabar (all together 4%)

Wine styles  aszú (10%), dry (21%), wines with natural residual sugar (69%)

Tokaj is simply stunning; a region of hundreds of extinct volcanoes, wooded hilltops and vineyards. It covers 27 villages and the hillsides are full of tunnels that are carved into the volcanic rock, which provide perfect ageing conditions for its golden wine treasures.

It’s little wonder that in 2002 UNESCO listed the Tokaj wine region as a World Heritage Cultural Historic Landscape, one of only a handful of wine regions to achieve this status.

Tokaj (the place – Tokaji with an ‘i’ is the wine) lies in Hungary’s far northeast, so close to the border that a small part of the region is actually in Slovakia.

Wine and tourism are closely intertwined here and just about every winery is open to visitors, though usually you’ll need to make an appointment, as most are small, family-run concerns.

Unique landscape

Twelve million years ago this area was under the Pannonian Sea, at which time undersea seismic activity created the porous volcanic rock that now underpins the region and allows vine roots to grow deep. The region also lies at the confluence of two rivers: the Tisza and the Bodrog. The humid air leads to dense foggy mornings in the autumn, which creates the perfect environment for botrytis cinerea in its noble rot form to infect the grapes. The sloping vineyards enjoy sunny and breezy afternoons, which then shrivel the grapes too.

The resulting aszú grapes (aszú was first mentioned as early as 1571) are so dry that juice can’t be squeezed from them, so Tokaj has a special winemaking method. These shrivelled grapes are mashed into a paste, which is soaked in fermenting juice to make the luscious golden Tokaji aszú wines. These are the wines that made Tokaji world-famous, enjoyed in royal courts all over Europe. Tokaj has possibly the oldest vineyard classification in the world, produced in 1707-1708, long before Bordeaux or Burgundy. Then in 1737, a royal decree defined the Tokaj region and which villages were permitted to use the name – arguably the first controlled appellation.

Cellar discoveries

Hundreds of small cellars are a fascinating feature of this region, dug several metres into the coolness of the volcanic tuff bedrock – the perfect environment for ageing Tokaji. Most are lined with the velvety, cushioned growths of a fungus called Zasmidium cellare. This mould only grows in wine cellars and is believed to help purify the air and regulate the humidity. See it for yourself in the multi-level 17th-century cellars at Dereszla and contrast this with a visit to its brand-new winery and terrace wine bar in the heart of the vineyards at Henye.

Another option is Patricius, voted Hungary’s most beautiful winery in 2013. Explore the cellars, taste excellent aszú and late-harvest wines, and enjoy the stunning vineyards with their collection of almost-forgotten historic grapes. Vega Sicilia owns Tokaj-Oremus in Tolcsva, which makes the stunning Mandolás dry white, as well as wonderful sweet and aszú wines in its historic winery and deep underground cellars. Here you can even taste the legendary eszencia – the rich syrup that trickles from aszú grapes and is reputed to have miraculous medicinal properties.

For a complete contrast, visit the small Balassa winery, where owner István Balassa will take visitors into the vineyards and share his incredible knowledge of the landscape and soils of the region.

Wineries to visit

Tokaj is Furmint heartland – a wonderful grape that can truly reflect its terroir. Recently the development of single-vineyard or dulo wines has been a strong trend. István Szepsy has been a pioneer in so many aspects of Tokaji winemaking and lately he has focused on the fine details of the soils in his 400 vine parcels. Try his wines at Percze or Gusteau restaurants in Mád.

The talented Zoltán Demeter makes a stunning range of vineyard-selection dry wines, as well as elegant sparkling, fine f˝obor sweet wine and great aszú in an 18th-century house in Tokaj, where he plays classical music to his young wines. He and his wife will happily show you their wines if they are at the winery.

Other small wineries worth a visit include Dobogó , Gizella, the biodynamic Bott Pince and Tokaj-Nobilis. Meanwhile Frenchman Samuel Tinon has made his home in Olaszliszka and is king of the now rare, flor-aged dry style of szamorodni (made from whole bunches, mostly in sweet styles). Remember to book ahead to visit.

Wine is at the heart of tourism, but there are also lovely walks through the wooded hilltops of the region and breathtaking panoramic views, including the brisk hike to the region’s highest point, the Tokaj hill itself. Boat trips, mountain biking or horse riding can also be arranged nearby. The majestic, beautifully restored Rákóczi Castle at Sárospatak is well worth a visit. The 18th-century synagogue in the village of Mád, which forms part of a Jewish pilgrimage route through the region, should also be on your list.

When to visit

Best times to visit include late April when the annual Tokaj wine auction takes place, with the Tokaj Spring programme of visits and special tastings. Late May sees St Urban’s Day when a number of wineries open their doors, while in June there’s a wine festival in Tokaj town and Mád holds a Furmint Festival in September.

There are frequent flights to Budapest and it’s a straightforward 2.5-hour drive on good roads to Tokaj. A direct train leaves Budapest- Keleti railway station for Tokaj every two hours; journey time is two hours, 40 minutes. If you drive, leave the car at the hotel when you arrive and take a taxi – there is zero tolerance on drinking and driving.

This is a new travel guide, published in Decanter magazine’s August 2018 issue, and it replaces the original guide, published on these pages in 2014. 

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With its rural villages, atmospheric cellars and sweet golden wines, this northeastern corner of Hungary is a hidden gem, waiting to be explored. Caroline Gilby MW shares her highlights...

My perfect day in Tokaj

Morning

Relax in the spa before breakfast at the Andrássy Rezidencia Wine & Spa in Tarcal. Go for a stroll and take the short but steep climb to the Blessing Jesus statue for stunning views over the Tokaj landscape; 15 minutes more will take you down to the peaceful, emerald-coloured Bányató quarry lake. On the way back, stop at Tokaj-Kikelet to taste Stéphanie Berecz’s gorgeously refined wines and don’t miss the vineyard selections of Hárslevelu and pristine Szamorodni. Call beforehand to arrange your visit (+36 30 636 9046).

Lunch

Head to Mád village (about 15 minutes by car) and stop midway for coffee at Sárga Borház and a short visit to Disznóko’s stunning vineyards and winery. Have a light lunch at Elso Mádi Borház és Bisztró located at the entrance to Mád itself, where you can also taste a good range of wines from the Szent Tamás winery and pick up a t-shirt as a souvenir. Then head for a visit to the Holdvölgy experience with its contemporary winery and the longest cellar network in the village. Here you can taste a line-up of luscious, single-vineyard aszú and see tunnels lined with the cushiony velvet of the famous wine cellar fungus. Call ahead (+36 30 925 1808) and arrange for Mád’s stunning 18th-century synagogue to be opened, which is one of the most beautiful in Hungary.

Evening

At the end of the day, linger over dinner at Gusteau which has taken food in the region to new culinary heights. Modern interpretations of local flavours are accompanied by an excellent selection of Tokaji wines.

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With its rural villages, atmospheric cellars and sweet golden wines, this northeastern corner of Hungary is a hidden gem, waiting to be explored. Caroline Gilby MW shares her highlights...

Tokaj: Where to stay, eat, shop and relax

Hotels

Andrássy Rezidencia Wine & Spa

The only five-star hotel in the region, with a beautiful pool and spa, set in the manor house of the Andrássy family.

Barta

Stay in a period-furnished suite in the 17th-century mansion or in the more casual guesthouse. Organic wines are made by the talented Vivien Ujvári.

Gróf Degenfeld

A romantic castle hotel with elegantly appointed rooms and an outdoor pool. Stroll to the 18th-century Theresa Chapel or book a winery tour.

Hotel Botrytis

A new luxury boutique hotel in Mád with just four rooms and two suites, that’s perfectly located to explore this important wine village.

Restaurants

Elso Mádi Borház és Bisztró

A useful stop for freshly cooked breakfast, coffee or very good informal meals. Also has an excellent wine list featuring the best wineries in the area.

Gusteau

Chef Gábor Horváth has brought a new level of fine dining to the region, reinterpreting traditional Hungarian flavours in a refined style. Dishes feature local ingredients as much as possible. Thoughtful vegetarian options.

Henye

A new wine bar run by the Dereszla winery. The vineyard terrace is a peaceful place to enjoy cheerful frizzante or a flor-aged, complex and tangy dry szamorodni. There are five attractive double guest rooms too.

LaBor Bistro

A popular addition to the food scene in Tokaj town, offering seasonal, locally sourced dishes in comfortable surroundings. There are rooms too.

Percze

This new restaurant in Mád uses local ingredients and matches dishes to the Szepsy family’s wines. It is also a spa and adventure centre and can also organise vineyard tours and tastings.

Sárga Borház

The ‘Yellow Winehouse’ is the first place you see when you arrive in the region. It offers tasty local dishes and a good selection of Disznóko wines. Walk up to the viewpoint in the vineyards or book a visit at Disznóko winery.

Tímári Halsüto

Located in Timar, literally on the bank of the Tisza river, this is a popular spot for simple and well-done fresh fried fish. (+36 30 388 2658)

Shops

Wineries sell local jams, pickles, honey and pálinka fruit brandy.

Also try Tokaj Renaissance Wine Bar & Shop run by the local wine-growers’ association in Tokaj (Bethlen Gabor út 7).

The nearby Tokaj Coffee Roasting Company takes its coffee very seriously. Or taste local cheeses at Zempléni Sajt Manufaktúra in Tarcal.

There’s also an artisan market every second Sunday of the month at Sárga Borház.

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Find out why Fiona Beckett picked Babel as the Decanter/Hine International Restaurant of the Year 2017...

Decanter/Hine International Restaurant of the Year 2017: Babel, Budapest

I have to confess, I didn’t visit Budapest in the expectation of finding a thrilling restaurant, let alone a world-class one, but Babel was undoubtedly one of the most exciting restaurants I ate in last year, and a worthy winner of the 2017 Decanter/Hine International Restaurant of the Year.

Originally set up in 2008 by then 29-year-old Hubert Hlatky-Schlichter, an entrepreneur with a taste for eating out but no restaurant experience, it has developed into a dining room that ticks all the modish boxes: cutting- edge design, savvy wine service, locally sourced ingredients (75% come from Hungary and neighbouring Transylvania) and some dazzling skill in the kitchen thanks to its talented young chef István Veres, who comes from Transylvania himself. I have longing memories of his take on egg galuska (noodles), a decadently indulgent dish of spätzle topped with an airy cloud of truffle-infused foam.

The path to success (a Michelin star has inexplicably eluded them) hasn’t been easy. ‘We started with 27 covers, without investors, in the middle of the financial crisis,’ says Hlatky-Schlichter, ‘but we were recognised as very cosmopolitan and quickly rated among the five best restaurants in Hungary.’

Even then, Hlatky-Schlichter boldly closed the restaurant at one point for three months because he felt they had lost their way. ‘I said we’d open again when we were ready, which ended up being when we found István. We went back to our roots with everything, drawing on our memories and traditions to find our unique voice. We had to be brave.’

It’s clearly been a tempestuous ride, though the staff are unwaveringly loyal to their boss, crediting him with giving them unparalleled freedom to develop their own ideas.

Hungarian wines

Nowhere is that more true than with sommelier Péter Blazsovszky, who has created a list of more than 200 Hungarian wines, mostly comprising bottles you simply wouldn’t find outside the country. In another point of difference, he recommends only white wines (and the occasional rosé) with Babel’s tasting menu – although you can of course order a bottle of red from the extensive list.

Blazsovszky works closely with the kitchen, and the pairings he recommends, especially with the indigenous Hárslevelü and Juhfark varieties, are convincing. ‘With the wine matches I don’t have to correct the balance of the food, because the dishes are perfectly balanced already,’ he explains. ‘My goal is to find a wine match with exactly the same balance – and that can be very exciting.’

He also eschews big names in favour of smaller, less well-known winemakers. ‘I don’t tend to recommend famous wines as some hit the jackpot only once in a lifetime with a perfect vintage. Obviously I try to buy those, but I’m always looking for interesting and special wines that can’t be reproduced. I always try to give small, unknown wineries a chance.

‘That said, we start and finish our menu with Alpha and Omega from the Kaláka winery in Tallya in the Tokaj wine region. The winemaker, László Alkonyi, has arguably been Hungary’s best wine writer of the past two decades and then he turned his hand to winemaking,’ he explains.

Blazsovszky’s main regret is that most of the bottles he stocks are opened too young. ‘We Hungarians like robbing the cradle. Wines live as we do. They’re born, become a child, teenager, young man, a man in his prime, then become old, wise and finally die. But we drink wines at the age of a child. It’s a huge mistake.’

I asked Hungarian food critic Andras Jokuti how he placed Babel among the world’s top restaurants. ‘In my view, it is the first really successful attempt to create a contemporary Hungarian fine-dining restaurant,’ he says. ‘It is not easy to do in a country where most of the popular dishes are slow-cooked fatty meats, but they’ve nailed it.

‘Babel could have a similar effect as Noma had first on Copenhagen and later Scandinavia – at least on a smaller scale: to wake the interest of diners all over the world to a fantastic country with great traditions,’ adds Jokuti. So Babel might be the new Noma. You heard it here first!

Babel, Piarista Köz 2, 1052 Budapest

babel-budapest.hu/en

Tel: +36 70 6000 800

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm-12pm. Tasting menu: HUF30,500 (£88)/six courses, HUF45,000 (£129)/nine courses. Wine pairing: HUF9500 (£27)/HUF11,000 (£32)

Fiona Beckett is a Decanter contributing editor and chief restaurant reviewer

Stephen Brook looks back at Royal Tokaji's first decade of wines, and the resurgence of a once-great region following the fall of communism in 1990.

This ‘first decade’ tasting that I attended was a welcome reminder of the revolution, oenological as well as political, that took place in Europe in 1990.

The communist years, when private ownership and winemaking were suppressed, nearly destroyed the Tokaji style, which had to be painstakingly resurrected after its fall.

I was a frequent visitor to the region in the 1980s, and simply assumed that the oxidative and rather heavy style then prevalent was the norm.

Scroll down for Stephen’s tasting notes

Royal Tokaji was one of the very first new companies in Tokaji after the collapse of communism, and the style that it and other new wineries pioneered was not just fresher and more vibrant, but lower in alcohol and higher in residual sugar.

Hungary’s wine authorities fought against this change, but the passage of time has proved the newcomers right – Tokaji aszú since 1990 is far more intense and energetic, and in good vintages is able to age and develop for decades.Spearheaded by Hugh Johnson, Peter Vinding-Diers, and winemaker István Szepsy, Royal Tokaji sought from the outset to focus on high quality single-vineyard wines, as identified in the 17th-century classification.

The company bought grapes from local growers until 1993. Today, Royal Tokaji farms 112 hectares of its own vineyards.

Background to this tasting

In spring 2017 the company decided to review all of its old vintages from the 1990s, opening all bottles and rejecting those (about one quarter) that were faulty or oxidised.

The remaining 1,746 were rebottled and recorked in 37.5cl bottles, rather than the traditional 50cl format.

All the wines I tasted were from the first growths of Szent Tamás, Nyulászó, and Betsek.

Ben Howkins, involved here since 2003, admitted: ‘To be honest, we really didn’t know what we were doing in the first few years. The tradition of authentic Tokaji had almost been lost.’

It was therefore gratifying to see how well those early wines have held up.

Continue reading below

Stephen’s top Royal Tokaji recommendations:

All about Tokaji

Tokaji’s sweet wines are very individual. They are produced solely from botrytised grapes, or ‘aszú’.

Aszú wines have very high acidity, which, together with their sugar levels, allows them to age and develop for decades.

These are pressed after harvest and macerated with dry wine or must that is already fermenting. The must activates the yeasts on the aszú grapes, which ferment to moderate alcohol levels but leave a large amount of residual sugar.

The region, in eastern Hungary, has a dry continental climate, so the wines are very different from those of, say, France, where the climate is more humid.

Tokaji aszú is greatly affected by vintage, and in some years no sweet wines can be produced at all. Fortunately, producers are now able and willing to produce dry wines of high quality too.

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Producer profile: Château d’Yquem

Fine-tuning in vineyard and cellar and a move towards freshness and finesse in both the esteemed Sauternes and dry white

Fiona Beckett gives her verdict on Babel restaurant

Originally published in Decanter magazine in partnership with Hine Cognac

Babel, Budapest

Piarista köz 2, 1052 Budapest, Hungary

Tel +36 70 6000 800

babel-budapest.hu

• Rating: 9.5/10
• Open Tuesday-Saturday, 6pm-12am
• Restaurant style: Hungarian regional cuisine
• Signature dish: Egg Galuska
• 4-course tasting menu with wine £58
• 6-course tasting menu with wine £85
• Wine to try: Juhfark 2012

Full review

Ask for recommendations for restaurants in Budapest and you get a list of places that do goose, goulash and dumplings, and the ubiquitous foie gras. What you don’t expect – however unfairly – is a Noma-esque restaurant of great beauty that sends out food that will knock your socks off.

Why wasn’t Babel on my radar? I only stumbled across it because I was speaking at a wine event and had demurred (I can’t remember why) at the restaurant choice on the official programme. I ended up with another group at Babel by sheer good luck.

Run by two chefs, István Veres and Gábor Langer, the restaurant is gratifying at every level. The room is light, airy and contemporary – all Scandi-style furniture, glass and open brickwork. Some 75% of the ingredients and furnishings, and all the wines, come from Hungary.

There’s a short à la carte menu but you’d be mad not to choose one of the two tasting menus (four courses for £59 or six for £85), which include most of the dishes you’d want to eat anyway. And for once, because I’m not always an advocate, I’d encourage you to choose the wine pairings, which were strikingly all white.

As the sommelier Péter Blazsovszky explained afterwards – and here I paraphrase him loosely: ‘Red wine is always the hero of the meal. White wines can show more facets and give you an entirely different perspective on the food.’

Apart from the original and cleverly judged juxtaposition of flavours on offer here, what was so striking was the contrasting textures. The signature dish of egg galuska (noodles) – a swoonworthy combination of spätzle topped with an airy cloud of truffle-infused foam – was followed, by way of refreshing contrast, by a silky but deeply savoury duck broth (which reminds you why consommé used to be considered such a delicacy), and then by a robustly smoky dish of octopus.

Both the octopus and subsequent veal dish (accented with coffee) were paired with a weighty Juhfark 2012 from Spiegelberg that was in no way diminished by the intensity of the food. (Juhfark may be even more interesting a grape variety than Furmint and Hárslevelű on the basis of this experience.)

A savoury-sweet dessert of pumpkin, hay, garlic and cumin (much nicer than it sounds) made it easy to switch back to a dry Hárslevelű 2015 by Kaláka Báthory as a refreshing finale. For £22 (£29 if you have six courses) you get to taste some extraordinary wines from the 140-bin list.

I hesitate to award Babel a perfect score because nothing is ever perfect, but it’s hard to see what could be improved here.

Fiona Beckett is a Decanter contributing editor and chief restaurant reviewer. To get the first look at her bar and restaurant reviews from all over the world, subscribe to Decanter magazine

See the short-listed shots, and the winner, from the 'artistry of wine' category at this year's Louis Roederer International Wine Writers' Awards.

Award-winning wine photography

See the gallery below for the judges’ shortlist, including shots of a raucous La Paulée de Meursault lunch and behind the scenes at an Académie du Vin black tie party.

• See all winners at the Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards 2017

Champagne Louis Roederer Artistry of Wine Award 2017 shortlist (winner in gold)

• Tim Atkin MW | Award-winning wine journalist, photographer
• Johan Berglund | Photographer specialising in Bordeaux
• Gretchen Greer | Photographer, wine and travel writer
• Árpád Pintér | Wine, food and travel photographer
• George Rose | Photographer specialising in California 
• Jon Wyland | Photographer specialising in Burgundy

What is the Artistry of Wine competition?

Entries were to be a ‘non-verbal representation of the world of wine’, which can include anything from photography to film, or even original art.

The winning shot: 'High Stakes' - George Rose.

This year's 'great Tokaj wine auction' fetched 68,000 euros and proved a showcase for the emerging trend towards dry white wines in the region.

Over 80 % of the wines offered at the great Tokaj wine auction were sold, bringing the total to €68,000 for the event, held by the Confrérie de Tokaj in the city of Tokaj, north-east Hungary, on 23 April.

This year’s sale was marked for the increased presence of dry wines in a traditional sweet wine region.

• READ ALSO: Tokaj travel guide

The 2015 Tokaj vintage was outstanding for dry wines and allowed the 19 producers to offer 14 lots out of 27 of single vineyards, all sold and showing the potential of the volcanic terroir, according to critics.

Sweet wine production has been in decline in recent years. Since 2008, only the 2013 harvest gave botrytis grapes in generous quantity.

Most of the Tokaj auction wines were sold in barrels – or half barrels – and a blind tasting gives the opportunity to judge before bidding. This year, for the first time, some bottle lots from earlier vintages were also offered.

Manuel Peyrondet, best sommelier of France 2008, was the biggest buyer with four lots – equivalent to 800 bottles – and including wines from three dry, single vineyards from Mád, and a 2013 Aszú Collection from Disznókő.

These wines will be offered to the members of his wine club, Chais d’Oeuvre, created in Paris in 2012 and shortly due to open in London.

The auction also included a charity lot, a selection of 14 Tokaji Aszú wines offered by the Mád Circle producers for the benefit of Grgic Vina, a Croatian winery which was devastated by fire in 2015.

The next great Tokaj wine auction will be held on 22 April 2017.

Our third extract from Oz Clarke's new book, The History of Wine in 100 Bottles, looks at Europe in the 16th century, and the growth of Tokaji.

I’ve always presumed it was the gorgeous taste of Tokaji that first made it famous, or indeed its legendary restorative powers that had the great and good of Europe queuing round the block for their allocation. But perhaps it wasn’t. Perhaps it was something altogether more compelling.

Sixteenth-century Europe was a melting pot of crazy ideas and fantastical propositions. And into this world of alchemy and intrigue strode Tokaji. An Italian thinker called Marzio Galeotto spread the word that the wines of Tokaj contained gold. He’d visited Tokaj in Hungary and reported that there was golden ore in them thar hills, that the sand in the vineyards’ soils contained particles of gold, and that some of the vines even had golden shoots. That brought the most famous alchemist of the day, Paracelsus, to Tokaj and, not surprisingly, he failed to extract gold from the grapes or their wine, though he did make the rather baffling observation that sunshine ‘like a thread of gold, passes through stock and root into the rock’. So this kept the Tokaji and gold legend bubbling away for quite a while yet.

Of course, imbibing gold flakes was supposed to be good for you, which might explain why the Tokaji wines were so popular with the potentates of the time. But I suspect the reason was simpler – the stuff tasted so scrumptious. Intense, succulent and sweet.

Nowadays, sweetness is everywhere in what we eat and drink, but it wasn’t then. And any wine that could regularly come up with rich, sweet flavours was going to be clamoured for by the wealthy. And there’s some evidence that the growers of Tokaj, in an obscure province in the east of Hungary, may have been the first to make naturally sweet wines on a regular basis. To make a naturally sweet wine, it’s not enough to simply have super-ripe grapes; they must be over-ripened to the point of shrivelling on the vine, or, ideally, attacked by a fungus called ‘noble rot’, which sucks out the moisture from a grape and

concentrates the wine to the greatest extent physically possible. The Hungarians use the word aszú to describe shrivelled, desiccated grapes, and also to describe grapes whose sugar is concentrated by noble rot. The first mention of Aszú grape wine is in 1571, in a property deal clearly demonstrating that the Aszú grapes had been kept separate from the normal grapes in the vineyard of Mézes Mály. And this would at the very least imply that the producers of Tokaji were the first in the world to harvest shrivelled and nobly rotten grapes on purpose – the Germans on the Rhine didn’t get the hang of purposefully nobly rotting their grapes until 1775.

The more commonly accepted legend is that a guy called Szepsi Laczkó Máté postponed the vintage at the great Oremus vineyard in 1630, fearing an attack by the Turks. Or was it 1633? Or was it 1650? That’s the trouble with legends, who knows? Anyway, the Turks were certainly threatening – just over the Bodrog River (wonderful name) – and Oremus was the family estate of Prince Rákóczi, the most prominent local nobleman. The date doesn’t really matter, because the exceptional climatic conditions along the Bodrog River, with its morning mists and warm autumn days, would mean that grapes had been nobly rotting there on a regular basis for centuries. But it was the local Tokaji wine producers who first began to make one of the world’s great wine styles – naturally sweet, luscious wine from nobly rotted grapes.

This extract was taken from The History of Wine in 100 Bottles by Oz Clarke

More from The History of Wine in 100 Bottles:

History of Wine in 100 Bottles: The Birth of Claret

History of wine in 100 bottles: Monasteries – Clos de Vougeot

Hungary's Tokaj wine region is to get a 330m-euro investment to both upgrade its vineyards and bolster the international reputation of its wines.

The Tokaj wine region. Click on the second picture to see a wine map of the area.

The funding will come from both Hungary’s central government and the European Union and has been allocated until 2020, the Hungarian government said this week.

The wine industry is one of the main employment sources in Unesco-listed Tokaj, with an estimated 5,000 jobs relaying directly on wine.

‘Wine will be a cornerstone of the [investment] project, starting with grape production and winemaking, then everything else,’ said Andras Tombor, head of the Tokaji Regional Development Board.

Beyond winemaking, one of the main aims of the investment is to strengthen the global image and prestige of Tokaji wines, said Tombor, who is also head of state-owned producer Tokaj-Kereskedohaz.

Research commissioned by the Tokaji wine sector has found that producers could increase listings in high-end restaurants. Tokaji wines are listed in 20% of Michelin restaurants in the US, 29% in the UK and around 5% in Germany, France and China.

Around 10m euros have already been committed to a two-year branding project with brand consultancy Claessens International, whose previous clients include Mumm, Perrier-Jouet, Antinori and Petrus, to help develop Tokaj as an international brand.

This year, there will be a global marketing campaign to ‘re-establish recognition for Tokaji wines abroad,’ said Eniko Kiraly of Tokaj-Kereskedohaz.

A major vineyard research programme is also underway, with the results set to be reported in June 2015. The project involves assessing the 11,000 hectares designated as the Tokaji wine growing area for its production potential down to an accuracy of one metre. Around 5,500 hectares of that area are currently planted.

‘The results will show where to direct money for vineyard reconstruction and replanting,’ said Tombor. Some of the 330m euros of funding is also set to be spent on tourism, infrastructure and other agricultural products.

Related Content:

• Hungary abolishes three and four Puttonyos Tokaji grades
• The Decanter travel guide: Tokaj, Hungary

Written by Caroline Gilby MW

One of Hungary's greatest winemakers, Dr László Bussay, died yesterday after a long illness, aged 56.

Dr László Bussay was a leading figure in Hungary’s Zala region (Image: bussaypince.hu)

Bussay was born on 4 June 1958 in Baranya, Southern Hungary. After graduating and working for a short time as a doctor in Pécs, he moved to Muraszemenye, Zala, a small village in South-West Hungary, to be the family doctor of five villages.

He established his winery in Csörnyeföld in 1988, a village on the border of Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia, where he worked day and night to build up a very renowned winery of 5.5 hectares.

His Olaszrizling, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Traminer wines were considered to be among the top whites of Hungary.

He won a number of Grand Prixs for his wines at international wine competitions and in 2006 Decanter magazine crowned his Esküvé 2004 as one of the top 10 Rieslings in the world.

Until his death, he worked as a doctor and parallel to it, as a winemaker and became the leading producer of the Zala wine region. A philosophical man, Bussay had a fantastic knowledge of wine, and opened the eyes of many local young vinegrowers to see the huge potential of the terroir of the Zala region.

In 2009 he was elected to be a freeman of Zala and in 2013 he was awarded a state distinction, the Knight’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit.

Bussay leaves behind a wife and two daughters.

Written by Gábor Cseke

This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for Hungarian Sweet over £15 went to Béres, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2008 (10.5%)

Tasted against:

• Chateau Dereszla, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2008
• Château Pajzos, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Tokaj 2006
• Sauska, Birtok Hárslevel˝u, Tokaj 2012

Profile:

Melinda Regeczy-Beres freely admits the winemaking heritage of her family is on the light side: ‘Our original business lies in the pharmaceutical industry and we do not have any roots in Tokaj, but we were captured by its beauty and fame. Furthermore, my family have always been wine lovers and so we jumped at the chance to start a winery in Tokaj.’

It was in 2002 that the opportunity presented itself, with Regeczy-Beres’ parents buying a 100-hectare estate; 45ha of this is devoted to vines. The first vintage was in 2003 and the family has since assembled a dedicated, experienced team, as well as building an award-winning winery in 2006, designed by Australian Anthony Gall.

The vineyards are not all of the same maturity; 10ha were planted in 1982 while the rest were planted by the Béres family between 2004 and 2005. Plantings are entirely of traditional Tokaj grapes, mainly Furmint.

The vineyards are in a cool area of the Tokaj region, hence it can take slightly longer to achieve the level of botrytis necessary for premium wines; however the soil is volcanic, which brings with it great natural acidity.

Béres made 10,000 bottles of this Trophy-winner, which accounts for roughly 10% of its total production.

Written by Decanter

This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for Hungarian Red over £15 went to Takler, Minden 50 Évben 2007 (16%)

Tasted against:

• Bock, Cuvée, Villány, Dél-Pannónia 2009
• Bock, Kékfrankos Selection 2012
• Sauska, Merlot, Villány, Dél-Pannónia 2011

Profile:

‘My family has been growing vines and making wine in the terra rossa-rich region of Szekszard since the 1700s,’ says András Takler. The winery in its present form began life in 1987 and is run by Takler along with his father and brother.

‘As the name of the wine suggests,’ he explains, ‘Minden 50 Evben (meaning Every 50 Years) is a very special wine, which can only be produced once in a winemaker’s lifetime. It was harvested from an easterly vineyard plot called Felsö-Cinka, which sits at 200m altitude.

‘We chose to wait when it came to harvesting, and eventually picked the grapes on 27 October. Most of the berries were shrivelled so the sugar content was high. Fermenting these grapes proved rather difficult, but we managed it. After 24 months ageing in 500-litre Hungarian oak barrels we bottled the wine at the end of July 2012.’

This Trophy wine is made from Kékfrankos (or Blaufränkish) – a grape at the very heart of the winery: ‘We believe unequivocally in the Kékfrankos grape,’ affirms Takler. ‘Its reliability in producing wines of character and distinction is our main motivation.’

This is the first vintage ever made of Minden 50 Evben and, staying true to its name, Takler insists that it will also be the last he will have a hand in. Just 1,700 bottles were produced.

Written by Decanter

Hungary's Tokaji trade council has abolished the two lower grades of the country's most famous wine, leaving some merchants concerned about the effect on consumers.

Image: Panos Kakaviatos

Hungarian winemakers confirmed that the 3 and 4 ‘Puttonyos’ categories are eliminated as of this year. The Puttonyos scale relates to sugar levels and is viewed as a guide to quality.

‘There will be some initial confusion for consumers,’ predicted winemaker Miklos Pracser, of Erzsébet Pince winery, during Hungary’s annual wine trade show VinCe. ‘But we seek to raise the quality of Tokaji wines by only producing 5 and 6 Puttonyos level Tokaji,’ he told decanter.com.

Made from extremely dry noble rotten (Aszu) grapes that are fermented in vats of young wine or fermenting must, Tokaji is measured by levels of residual sugar per litre. A 3-Puttonyos Tokaji indicates at least 60g of residual sugar, 4 indicates at least 90g, 5 at least 120g and 6 at least 150g.

‘This [decision] is part of a renaissance for the Tokaj region,’ said Mészáros László, of the celebrated Tokaj Disznókő domain. The new minimum will be 130g of residual sugar per litre, he added.

But, not everybody welcomes the change, which is currently under review by the European Commission.

‘I think some people who purchase 3- and 4-Puttonyos Tokaji will try the richer and more expensive 5, but not all,’ said William Bentley, of Bentley’s Wine Merchants in Ludlow, which sells Crown Estates’ Tokaji 3, 4 and 5-Puttonyos.

Some people prefer lighter styled Tokaji, Bentley said. ‘Price will be an issue,’ he added, because 3- and 4-Puttonyos cost less than £20.

‘If they had just decided to do away with 3-Puttonyos, that would have been fine, but I do not want to see the demise of both.’

Written by Panos Kakaviatos in Budapest

An inaugural Tokaji wine auction is to be held this month in Hungary.

The event will take place on 27th April in the region’s historic Sárospatak castle, during the Tokaji Spring: a three day programme of wine events hosted by the new Confrérie de Tokaji, which unites many of Tokaji’s best producers.

According to the Confrérie president, each of the 22 lots going under the hammer is unique and offered in quantities equivalent to the traditional Tokaji gönci barrel of 136 litres, except the legendary elixir Eszencia which will be sold in just 10 litre quantities.

The organisers are hoping that the auction will promote the Tokaji region and raise funds to ‘help preserve this unique UNESCO heritage landscape.’

‘By purchasing one of these lots you will become the exclusive owner of a unique Tokaji wine and, at the same time, you will be participating in the restoration and enhancement of the viticultural landscape of Tokaji,’ Istvan Szepsy, the Confrérie President told decanter.com.

Some of the wines to be auctioned include Szepsy Nyulászó 58 from a parcel planted in 1928 and hand tended throughout the season by István Szepsy himself, and Tinon’s dry Szamorodni.

Other highlights include wines from Royal Tokaji, Disznókő, Pajzos, Hétszőlő, Patricius, Barta and others, with rare Eszencia from Dereszla and Tinon.

Written by Caroline Gilby MW

A new online store dedicated to Hungarian wines is about to open – with what its founders claim is the biggest Hungarian list in the UK.

Demeter: ‘Elegant and Burgundian’

London Tokaj will stock not only a Tokajs but ‘wines from across Hungary [with] a range range of whites, reds, Late Harvests and Tokaj Aszu all carefully selected after an extensive 18 month search,’ director Frank Smith told Decanter.com.

The online-only store will be stocking native varietals such as Furmint, Harslevelu and Olaszreisling, as well as ‘dry Olaszreislings from volcanic Somlo, which has elegance, structure and incredible minerality,’ he said.

He added that they had ‘cracked the difficult job of finding elegant, silky, smooth reds with a stunning Kadarka from Eger.’

There will be some 60 wines on sale, including such what Smith describes as ‘interesting’ producers as Lenkey, Balassa, Figula and Demeter.

Of the Demeter Kekfrankos 2006 he says, ‘this is a great example of how elegant and Burgundian this varietal can be – really worth a departure from your next Pinot Noir or Burgundy to try this smooth and beautifully concentrated wine.’

Smith is convinced that interest in Hungarian wine in the UK has reached ‘tipping point’.

‘There is sufficient breadth, volume and quality to make a real impact on the market. Hungary is only going to improve and we think Hungarian wine will become one of the big success stories of this decade. ‘

Written by Adam Lechmere

Hungary will be the sole provider of wines at an upcoming EU summit.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán hands over a ceremonial barrel of 2002 Tokaji Szamorodni to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Image: eu2011.hu

September’s Eastern Partnership Summit hosts the leaders of the 27 EU member states plus the heads of state of the six European Partnership states which include Georgia and Moldova. Hungarian wines will be served at the event as well as at all high level meetings during Poland’s EU Presidency, which lasts until December.

János Martonyi, the Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and his Polish counterpart Radosław Sikorski signed a letter of intent, which agreed to promote Hungarian wines with the aim of improving the cultural image of Central Europe.

Judit József, Hungary’s Permanent Representative before the Council of Europe in Strasbourg told Decanter.com, ’Hungarian wines have always played a key role in promoting the favourable image of not just Hungary, but the Central European region as a whole, so we are really enthusiastic about this chance to serve our wines throughout 2011′.

Polish organisers chose 20 Hungarian wines, according to Helga Gál, sommelier to the Hungarian presidency.

Whites include Bujdosó Pince és Étterem Aranyhíd 2007 and Disznókő Tokaji Aszú 5 puttonyos 2002, while reds include Thummerer Pince Vili papa cuvée Eger 2006 and Takler Pince Kft. Kékfrankos reserve Szekszárd 2007.

• An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Hungarian wines would be served at all EU events during the Polish presidency. We apologise for this error.

Written by Panos Kakaviatos in Strasbourg

Decanter has terminated its Hungarian licence with Hamu es Gyemant due to increasing differences of opinion over tone and content which were inconsistent with Decanter’s brand values.

The July 2011 issue will be the last Decanter Hungary to be published.

For further information please contact Andrew_horton@ipcmedia.com, or Sarah_kemp@decanter.com

Written by Decanter.com staff

A journalist’s libel conviction for describing a wine as ‘shit’ has been quashed by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

European Court: conviction quashed

Hungarian journalist Péter Uj was fiercely critical of a wine made by the state-owned T. Zrt wine company.

He wrote that the wine ‘had been enough to make me cry: sour, blunt and over-oxidised stuff, bad-quality ingredients collected from all kinds of leftovers, grey mould plus a bit of sugar from Szerencs, musty barrel – but because we are still there … hundreds of thousands of Hungarians drink [this] shit with pride.’

He was convicted of defamation in June 2009 in the Budapest district court for the article which had appeared in January 2008 in an opinion column in national newspaper Népszabadság. The court found that the criticism ‘went beyond the boundaries of journalistic opinion’.

Uj appealed and the following November the Budapest regional court changed the conviction to libel.

This judgement was upheld in the Hungarian Supreme Court in May 2010.

In its judgment on 19 July the European Court – Europe’s supreme court for human rights abuses – observed that the wine company had ‘the right to defend itself against defamatory allegations and that there was a general interest in protecting the commercial success and viability of companies’.

But it said ‘there was a difference between damaging a person’s reputation, with the repercussions that that could have on their dignity, and a company’s commercial reputation, which has no moral dimension.’

The court found that Uj’s intention was ‘satirical…that the applicant’s primary aim was to raise awareness about the disadvantages of State ownership rather than to denigrate the quality of the products of the company in the minds of the readers.’

In finding a violation of Uj’s right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Court ordered the Republic of Hungary to pay Uj €3,580 in costs.

The case is a direct echo of the celebrated case of 2003 in which French magazine Lyon Mag was taken to court by Beaujolais producers for describing their wine as ‘vin de merde’. The case was finally settled in the magazine’s favour in 2005.

Written by Panos Kakaviatos

Find out who won this year's regional trophy...

Sauska Cuvee 7 Villány 2007

Villány has long had pride of place in Hungary as the “go to” region for top red wines, but this trophy winner clearly shows that the region’s best wines are not just good for Hungary – but really are world class. Christian Sauska’s eponymous winery only made its first vintage in 2006 but sheer attention to every possible detail shows through in its impressively sleek and beautifully balanced wines.

Christian himself is a Hungarian ex-pat, who made his money in super high tech lighting in the US and decided to follow his passion for wine back to his roots and settled on as Villány as the closest wine region to the village where he was born.

Cabernet Franc is the buzz grape variety in Villány and it plays a key role in this gorgeous Bordeaux blend. Readers may wonder if the world needs another Bordeaux blend, though this answer is clearly yes when it’s as thrilling as this. Sauska has recruited a young and bright winemaking and viticultural team, and there’s not even a leaf out of place in the vineyards, in the evocatively named Ördögárok or Devil’s Trench.

In the winery, everything is all about rigorous fruit selection by hand and then letting nature get on with it – natural yeast ferments and as little intervention as possible. As winemaker László Latorczai says, “it’s about caring and sensitive winemaking with a strong focus on expressing the pure Villány-terroir instead of thinking in trends, beliefs or misbeliefs.”

Ex cellars 24.00 Euros

Written by Caroline Gilby MW

Find out who one this year's regional trophy. And the winner is...

Szent István Korona Irsai Olivér 2010

Irsai Olivér is a grape few people outside Hungary will have heard of – and learning that it’s a cross of Csaba’s Pearl and Pozsonyi doesn’t exactly help. What drinkers do need to know is that it’s gently grapey, floral and Muscat-like (actually a grandparent), and, when made well, it gives delightful pretty summery wines.

This wine is made by Gábor Laczkó who, aged just 34, is the youngest winemaker at Törley, one of Hungary’s biggest producers. He studied food technology to start with but fell in love with wine through spending summer holidays visiting wine cellars with fellow students. Trips to Argentina and South Africa helped him to broaden his vision, though he notes, “we have to accept that we can only support Hungarian viticulture by consuming Hungarian wines.”

The Szent István Korona (St Stephen’s crown) range is his responsibility and he says “my aim is to make refreshing wines at affordable prices.” This is a wine that does exactly that, and that’s no small achievement in the cool, rain-drenched 2010 vintage, one of Hungary’s worst for years.

However, what made it a trophy winner is that it shows something that is relatively rare in wines in this price category: a true sense of place. It comes from just 14 hectares of vineyards in the rolling hill of Etyek-Buda. Here the cool climate and chalky subsoil give wines a fabulous, crisp acidity and mineral backbone – exactly what this grape needs to lift it above just pretty summer drinking, and all for a very affordable price.”

Ex cellars 1.50 Euros

Written by Caroline Gilby MW

This sweet Hungary over £10 trophy is no surprise...

Dobogó Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2006

Three trophies, three years in a row and for three different vintages show this jewel of a winery is doing something seriously right.

It’s owned by the glamorous Izabella Zwack, of the Zwack Unicum family, and winemaker Attila Domokos. Izabella says “Dobogó’s philosophy from the beginning has been to make small quantities of Tokaji Aszú that is on the one hand side faithful to the centuries of tradition in the wine region but also to be a fresh, vibrant, young, joyous interpretation of Tokaj; maybe reflecting the personalities of the two young owners.”

The wine nearly didn’t make it to Decanter this year as after winning two successive trophies, Izabella thought it was statistically impossible to win three times! The name Dobogó means the clip-clop of horses’ hooves – something that reminds Izabella of the way her heart races near harvest time.

Luckily, 2006 was a near perfect season; an Indian summer followed a hot humid summer and the harvest from Dobogó’s five hectares lasted until mid November. The classic 6 Puttonyos Aszú is only made in excellent years, and in 2006 it was a typical blend of 70% Furmint, 20% Harslevelű and 10% Muskotály, fermented for three years in local Hungarian oak.

It’s wonderfully expressive; almost an explosion of pineapple and white peach on the nose, then rich and rounded on the palate, completed with Furmint’s hallmark beautifully vibrant, mineral acidity to balance the intense sweetness. A truly superb example of why Tokaj is one of the world’s great sweet wines.

UK Liberty wines RRP £54.99 USA Winenow $80

Written by Caroline Gilby MW

Find out what this year's regional trophy for white Hungary over £10 is...

Tokajicum Darázskő Dry Furmint 2009

For several years I’ve been a convert to the cause of Furmint as a grape in the premier league with its Riesling-like ability to reflect terroir in a range of styles from steely and dry, to gorgeously sweet. Serious dry versions of Tokaji are relatively new kids on the block compared to the world famous sweeties but no less deserving of praise.

This beautifully balanced, mineral rich version from Tokajicum is fine, elegant and lingering, with delicate notes of white peach and lemon. Darázskő actually means “wasp rock” a local name for the outcrops of volcanic limestone tufa that resembles wasp nests, but also gives a complex mineral backbone to the wines.

2009 is the first vintage made by the current winemaker – Janos Fogl, a young man who graduated in Hungary but then cut his winemaking teeth at Ornellaia and in Ribera del Duero before returning to Hungary to work in Tokaj, Villány and in his family winery near Lake Balaton.

In 2009 he was persuaded to jump ship and join the team at Tokajicum, a winery founded in 2002 by three young Hungarians. It has 16 hectares of vines around the famous Tokaj villages of Mád and Tarcal.

Fogl explains, “my aim with dry Furmint is to make a big wine – reducing yields to less than 1 kilo per vine and fermenting in oak barrels. I want to show the world the unique and special terroir of the Tokaj hills.”

Ex cellars 3.60 Euros

Written by Caroline Gilby MW

Hungary's Royal Tokaji Company plans to double production by opening a new €3.25million winery in September.

The official launch of the winery will coincide with the company’s 20th anniversary, co-founded by Decanter columnist and Decanter’s Man of the Year 1995, Hugh Johnson OBE.

The new facility will increase annual production capacity from 30,000 to 60,000 six-bottle cases, and will focus on increasing volumes of dry Furmint and a late harvest wine rather than the region’s signature style Aszu.

Ben Howkins, international sales director for the Royal Tokaji Company told decanter.com ‘We see the main growth coming in late harvest and dry Furmint wines although the core of our business will always remain Aszu, as that sets Tokaji apart from the rest.’

‘There will always be a limit on Aszu – in 2001, ’02 and ’04 we didn’t have any Aszu at all but we can always get the volumes of Furmint and late harvest,’ he added.

With increased production, it aims to grow sales in its biggest market, the United States, plus the UK and Europe.

Bordeaux 2009: All the coverage

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Written by Rebacca Gibb

Decanter’s Hungarian edition held its first reader event at the weekend, with 2,600 wine lovers gathering to taste and discuss the country’s wines.

The two-day event, Budapest’s first major consumer wine fair, was held at the city’s five-star Corinthian Hotel.

Among the highlights were masterclasses from Piero Antinori on the concept of ‘Supertuscans’ and Jancis Robinson MW on the question of ‘Brands v Terroir’, both of whom attracted a full house of 200 attendees.

Other speakers included the Michelin-starred chef Frédéric Carrion, Decanter editor Guy Woodward, Decanter World Wine Awards Eastern European chair Angela Muir MW, and Tokaj’s István Szepsy, arguably Hungary’s most famous winemaker.

A total of 90 producers had a presence at the show, pouring their wines for a keen audience. Dry Tokaj wines, mainly made from the Furmint grape, were particularly prevalent – and well received by an enthusiastic audience, made up of both trade and consumer visitors.

Liz Gabay MW teamed up with Lynne Sherriff MW to give a presentation on the Institute of Masters of Wine for potential students, and was amazed to be greeted by 150 attendees.

Gabay, who also gave a masterclass on rosé wines, said: ‘I was particularly struck by the quality of many of the small, and generally unknown producers and by the growing evidence of strong regional styles.

‘The visitors were very keen and very knowledgeable, and VinCe gave them a great opportunity to put the wines of Hungary into a wider context.’

The event was organised by Decanter Hungary, a Hungarian-language edition of Decanter produced under licence in Budapest, and launched in 2004.

Its editor Agnes Nemeth said she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the volume and international makeup of the attendees, notably at the lectures and workshops. A second event is planned for next year.

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Written by Decanter staff

It’s not all luscious stickies in Tokaj – a new style of top-notch dry white is taking hold among leading producers, finds CAROLINE GILBY MW.

Arriving in the town of Tokaj after the long drive from Budapest, you feel as though you’ve stepped into Tolkien’s Middle-earth. This region of volcanic hills is dominated by the rivers Bodrog and Tisza, which meet in the small town of Tokaj itself, and the small arched cellars

that tunnel into the hillsides only add to the Tolkien-esque impression. The Tokaji vineyards cover around 5,500ha (hectares) and have long basked in the reputation of the region’s sweet wines, famously dubbed ‘king of wines and wine of kings’. There’s little doubt that today’s top producers of the luscious golden Aszú wines are making simply stunning wines, a world away from the dreary brown, oxidised stuff that dominated production under communism. These are wines that can hold their own among the world’s very best sweet wines. However, they will only ever appeal to a tiny part of the market – partly because they are enormously labour intensive and expensive to make, and partly because sweet wines are consumed in tiny volumes, usually only on significant occasions.

The last three to four years have seen a new wave of very modern and exciting dry wines emerge from Tokaj: serious, complex, with a real sense of place. These are wines that should appeal to a much wider audience and give new prominence to Hungary’s most famous region.

Drying out

Dry wines have always existed in Tokaj, but were traditionally made with the leftovers from sweet wine production; grapes that failed to succumb to the transformation wrought by botrytis cinerea. The name for such dry wines in the past was ordinarium, which gives an indication of the scant respect they received. The region has a unique climate – protected from cold northerly winds by the Zemplén Hills. Altitude ranges from 150–300m, with vineyards ranging across the slopes of 400 extinct volcanoes. It’s the confluence of the two rivers at Tokaj that creates the foggy, humid air typical of autumn mornings, and vital for noble rot. Afternoons, meanwhile, tend to be dry and breezy, shrivelling the infected berries into Aszú grapes. What has changed recently is that top producers are no longer making dry wines with the remnants. They are deliberately working in sites with drier soils, well above the fog zone, and with good sun exposure to ensure high-quality fruit. Vineyard management is designed to produce healthy fruit by spraying to avoid botrytis and keeping vine canopies open for good air circulation.

The other change is one of mindset: producers are starting to recognise the huge potential of Furmint, the main grape in Tokaj. As Izabella Zwack, the glamorous owner of Tokaji Dobogó says: ‘Furmint is a really exceptional grape that, a bit like Riesling, goes from bone dry to unimaginably sweet.’ She adds: ‘People love the difference of it, the complexity, the freshness, the minerality and the depth.’ Zwack believes dry Furmint will appeal to wine lovers wanting a change and seeking alternative white grapes, in the same way that Austrian Grüner Veltliner has taken off.

https://www.decanter.com/premium/experts-choice-furmint-418928/

Furmint covers about 60% of Tokaji’s vineyards, and comes in big, compact bunches which are prone to botrytis but also retain very good acidity. Inevitably, under communism, grape varieties were selected for high yield above all else, so it has taken time for leading producers to select and plant clones from old vineyards. Tokaji evangelist István Szepsy has spent several years selecting cuttings from ancient vines, with an emphasis on low yields and quality. ‘Furmint is a fantastic grape if perfectly ripe, but this is difficult to achieve as each bunch varies,’ he says. Szepsy was technical director of the local coop in the communist era, and then became involved in various joint ventures, taking sweet Tokaji to a new quality level. He admits he ‘didn’t believe in dry wines – they were a by product of sweet wines.’

However, in 2006 he changed his focus and decided to concentrate solely on his own family business. He wanted the freedom to express individual terroirs in a way that is not possible in a larger company. ‘I wanted to be able to work almost vine by vine; cutting part bunches if necessary to get even ripeness.’ The 2003 vintage had been Szepsy’s first release of dry wine under his own name. He reckons ‘it’s through dry wines that our region can prove its quality and show off terroir’. His stunning Szent Tamás 2003 sold so well he recently had to buy some back from his German importer, just so he could keep a few bottles to follow the evolution and ageing capacity of the wine. He reckons his 2005s are even better – he’s added another dry Furmint from the first growth Nyulászó and a single-vineyard Hárslevel˝u from the Király grand cru – and certainly all the structure, minerality and depth of flavour are already there in the glass. In 2006, he produced six different terroir wines from individual plots, which are already impressive but will repay keeping, allowing them to blossom. Szepsy also believes firmly that dry wines can help bring Tokaji to a wider audience: ‘Those who will drink a bottle of good dry wine with a meal are a bigger market than those who will sip a small glass with dessert.’

https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/tokaji-sweetness-measured-aszu-430218/

Learning curve

Royal Tokaji is another major producer that resisted producing anything but top Aszú wines until 2003, when its first impressive dry Furmint was produced. Now director Dr George Rasko is optimistic about the category. ‘They’ve helped improve the image of the region,’ he says, though within Hungary he reckons most of the population prefer drier wines. ‘They are superficially proud of Aszú as their heritage, but don’t actually drink much [partly because it’s quite expensive for Hungarians].’ One of my favourite dry Furmints is the Mandolás from Tokaj Oremus. This winery in Tolcsva is owned by the Alvarez family of Vega Sicilia and is claimed as the site where Aszú berries were first gathered separately. Winemaker András Bacsó is a committed believer in using new barrels for all his fermentations, dry and sweet. The oak is cut from the local Zemplén forest and aged for three years before being coopered locally. ‘Our dry wines have become much more important to us and we try to avoid any botrytis,’ says Bacsó.

The Mandolás is a selection, rather than a single-vineyard wine, but it is a lovely demonstration of Furmint’s ability to take to oak fermentation, adding another dimension to its classic, mineral characters. Patricius is a relatively new name in Tokaj but has already made a big impression with the sheer quality of its wines. The investment started in 2001 with vineyards, and then a winery was opened in 2005. Technical director Péter Molnár highlights that his wines are all about ‘showing terroir through vineyard selection’. His lovely dry Furmint 2005 comes from a dry, hilly vineyard, giving it an unusually soft and rounded texture, while partial oak fermentation adds depth. Another recent investment is the architecturally stunning Béres winery, where the dry wines are increasingly impressive, especially the single-vineyard L˝ocse Dry Furmint and Naparany Cuvee.

For Dobogó, partial oak fermentation is important for adding depth and texture to the dry Furmint. This tiny but charming winery has 5ha of 30-year-old vines in some of the best sites in the region, and only produced its first dry wine in 2003. Like many in the region, winemaker Attila Domokos has been learning what works with Furmint as a dry wine, and the 2006 release is Dobogó’s best yet, with real elegance and balance. The winery name is meant to echo the ‘clip-clop’ sound of horses’ hooves, and also the sound of a heartbeat.French-owned Disznók˝o also makes an appealing, fresh, simple but good-value dry Furmint without oak, stocked in the UK by the Wine Society. Disznók˝o is the first winery you see as you drive into Tokaj. Its name means ‘pig rock’, though there’s some debate as to whether this refers to the shape of the large rock in the centre of the vineyards, or the fact that it was too much of a ‘pig of a rock’ to remove. Either way, László Mészáros is guiding the production of a simply stunning range of wines in a very architecturally dramatic winery – even the tractor shed is a thing of beauty.

Beyond Furmint

The new face of dry Tokaji is not just about Furmint. Hárslevel˝u is also used, appearing on its own and in blends like Béres’ Naparany cuvée. Sárga Muskotály, or yellow Muscat, is also widely grown in Tokaj, traditionally to add grapey perfume to the sweet wines, but it can also make delightfully pretty dry wines such as Chateau Megyer’s. This Frenchowned

winery has its vast network of cellars under the historic Rákóczi castle, dating back to the days when buildings above ground were heavily taxed. The vineyards are right at the northern tip of the region, on south-facing sites, and produce fine, crisp, elegant wines. There are many other up-and-coming names in Tokaj – too many to list here – but they include Pendits (which will become Tokaj’s first certified organic producer this year), Királyudvar, Degenfeld, Hétszo˝lo˝, Dereszla and Füleky.

The rise of dry wines, especially from Furmint, has given a new direction and focus on highlighting the unique volcanic terroir of the Tokaji region. It’s clear that Furmint is a grape that can offer a wide range of styles, sweet or dry, and with and without oak. It’s still a relatively new kid on the block, at least in terms of receiving serious attention as a dry wine, but there are already signs that dry Furmint is a genuine contender in the world of topquality dry wines.