Ch 13 Tokaj

Question 1

What is the difference between Tokaj and Tokaji?

Answer 1

Tokaj is the place
Tokaji is the wine

Question 2

When were the famous “Aszú” wines of Tokaj first mentioned? What are they?

Answer 2

First mentioned 1571
Sweet wines made from shriveled and botrytis-affected grapes

Question 3

When did Tokaj create one of the 1st controlled appellations? What did it control?

Answer 3

Created in 18th century
Classified vineyards and decreed which villages were allowed to use the Tokaj name

Question 4

Describe the general history of wine in Tokaj

Answer 4

For centuries, Tokaji (the wine) was one of world’s most famous, enjoyed by royal courts across Europe (offered sweetness B4 crystal sugar became avail)
Tradition brought to a halt when Hungary became Communist state in 1945, when focus shifted to quantity over quality
Wines were often deliberately oxidized, sweetened, fortified and pasturized
However, during Communist regime, more vineyards remained in private hands in Hungary than in other E Euro countries meaning that when Communism ended in 1989, producers in Tokaj were able to start rebuilding their reputation more quickly
Helped by foreign investment in early ‘90s (incl Hugh Johnson), winemaking has evolved and retuned to a fresher, fruitier style of Aszú and development of new gen of high-qual dry wines + new styles such as late harvest

Question 5

Describe the location of Tokaj

Answer 5

Tokaj lies in NE corner of Hungary
Latitude 48-49 degrees N
Extends from town of Tokaj into foothills of the Zemplén Mtns towards the Slovakian border (a small part of the region extends into Slovakia)

Question 6

Describe the climate of Tokaj
Mitigating factor(s)
Rainfall

Answer 6

Moderate, continental climate
Warm summers, cold winters, although sheltered from worst cold northerly winds by forested mountain peaks
Rainfall 500-600mm (relatively low), around 1/2 during growing season. Irrigation not permitted
AU dry and warm, ideal for shriveling of grapes
2 rivers (Tisza and Bodrog) meet in town of Tokaj

Question 7

Describe the location of vineyards in Tokaj

Answer 7

Vineyards planted on slopes which helps reduce risk of WI cold and frost damage
Important at Lat 48-49N
Slopes face S, SW and SE to take max advantage of sunlight
Sunlight hours between 1400-1500 in growing season

Question 8

What rivers contribute to ability to make botrytis-affected Aszú wines? How?

Answer 8

Two rivers — Tisza and Bodrog — meet in town of Tokaj
The Bodrog floods regularly, creating shallow marshes and water meadows
The moist air results in frequent morning fogs in AU, ideal for botrytis development
In AU, the warm, sunny afternoons control botrytis and limit grey rot

Question 9

Describe the soils in Tokaj

Answer 9

Think: volcanic, w/ some loess (sandy silt)
Tokaj is a region of hundreds of extinct volcanoes
Deep volcanic bedrock is overlaid by complex variety of soils,
The most significant of which are nyirok, a volcanic soil which is said to produce the most powerful wines
Also loess, a sandy silt w/ high clay content found particularly around the Tokaj hill (to W of town), thought to produce lighter, more delicate wines
Soft volcanic bedrock means vines can root very deeply, making water stress and nutrient deficiencies rare
Also ideal for digging cellars, famous for the grey-black cushiony growths of the cellar fungus Zasmidium cellare, believed to help regulate humidity

Question 10

What is “nyirok”?

Answer 10

A volcanic soil found in Tokaj
Said to produce the most powerful wines

Question 11

How do wines made from grapes grown on “nyirok” compare to those grown on loess?

Answer 11

Nyirok is said to produce the most powerful wines
Loess is thought to product lighter, more delicate wines

Question 12

What is “Zasmidium cellare”?

Answer 12

Previously Cladosporium
A famous grey-black cushiony growth of cellar fungus
Believed to help regulate humidity

Question 13

How are vines typically trained in Tokaj?
What density is common?

Answer 13

Traditionally grown on single post at density of up to 10K vines/ ha
This is still occasionally seen in small old plots
Most are now grown on trellis, using replacement-cane or cordon training system with VSP and at lower densities (avg 4K-5K/ ha)

Question 14

How are grapes in Tokaj typically harvested?

Answer 14

Modern training systems have allowed mechanization
However, many vines are still worked by hand, especially on steeper slopes
Additionally, hand harvesting is required for careful selection of Aszú berries
Labor availability is not currently an issue, but could be in future

Question 15

What are the main disease concerns in Tokaj?
How to combat?

Answer 15

Powdery mildew
In wetter years, grey rot
Managing the canopy to ensure good air circulation is important, particularly for dry wines

Question 16

What pests can be a problem in Tokaj?

Answer 16

Wild boar
Birds
(My note: remember that berries will be very sweet on the vine)

Question 17

What are typical yields for Aszú berries?
How does this compare to yields for dry wines?

Answer 17

Because Aszú berries have shriveled on the vine, yields are tiny (2-3 hL/ha)
To ensure quality, yields for dry wines are also kept relatively low — on avg 30-40 hL/ha
It is possible to have higher yields in warm, sunny vintages, but in poor years yields must be controlled to ensure ripeness

Question 18

What are the main grape varieties used in Tokaji PDO?

Answer 18

There are 6 permitted varieties
The most important are Furmint, Hárslevelü, and Sárga Muskotály (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains)

Question 19

Describe the Furmint grape
Ripening
Acidity
Skins
Sugar accumulation

Answer 19

Most planted
Versatile; capable of producing high-quality wines from dry to sweet
Late-ripening so needs Tokaj’s long, sunny growing season to fully ripen
Even when fully ripe, retains high levels of acidity
Thick skinned (!) — surprising that it is susceptible to botrytis
Naturally accumulates high levels of sugar

Question 20

What grape has the most plantings in Tokaj?
What %?

Answer 20

Furmint
69% of all plantings

Question 21

Describe a dry wine made with Furmint
Botrytis-affected?
Age-worthy?
Body & alcohol
Aromas

Answer 21

Produced in a range of styles, from early drinking to age-worthy
Age-worthy versions often matured in oak
Due to high sugar levels, can be full body and high alcohol
However, due to better viticulture practices, it is possible to get wines that are ripe at Med alcohol
Single varietal wines are increasingly common
Lemon, apple and pear can be detected in all styles
Develop honey and nuts w/ age
Grapes affected by botrytis give apricot and mango

Question 22

Describe the Hárslevelü grape and what it contributes to wines
% of plantings
Aromas
Styles of wine

Answer 22

2nd most planted grape (18% of total)
Fruitier than Furmint w/ distinctive aromas of white peach and orange blossom
Appears mainly in a supporting role in blends, adding its distinctive perfume
Sometimes made as a varietal wine, both dry and sweet

Question 23

What is Sárga Muskotály? What does it contribute to wines?
% of plantings
Aromas
Styles of wine

Answer 23

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Around 9% of region’s vines
Adds floral notes in blends
Both sweet and dry wines
Also appears as a varietal wine, but mainly dry (occasionally sweet)

Question 24

What does Aszú mean?

Answer 24

The Hungarian word for grapes that have been affected by botrytis and have shriveled on the vine

Question 25

Describe the winemaking of Tokaji Aszú

Answer 25

Grapes picked via several passes thru vineyard then stored until req’d
Shriveled grapes have concentrated sugary juice that cannot be effectively extracted w/ normal pressing
Prior to maceration, most producers mash the Aszú grapes into a paste, by crushing or breaking open the grape in some way (usually passing them thru a pump)
A # of producers prefer to use uncrushed grapes to avoid bitterness from skins and seeds
Paste or grapes are usually macerated 12-60 hrs,
Temps around 12-15C/ 54-59F, which may rise to 16-20C/ 61-68F if strong ferment
Grapes macerated in must, fermenting must, or base wine to draw out their sugars and flavors, depending on desired style
If uncrushed, these are punched down regularly
When maceration takes place in must or fermenting must, the juice is drained and Aszú paste or berries are pressed
Must is then fermented (or continues to ferment) to gain desired balance of sugar & alcohol
Some producers use ambient yeast for fermentation, but many prefer cultured yeast for reliability (high sugar can be difficult)
Both SS and barrels are used for ferment
Depending on desired style, some target higher level of abv (12-13.5%) to produce a less sweet style; ferment may stop naturally, especially at higher sugar levels (>180 g/L); many stop ferment (by chilling or racking or adding SO2) to avoid re-ferment and control house style
Must be stored min 18mo in oak; some prefer longer; Hungarian oak widely used for ferment & aging
Traditionally matured in 136L barrels (known as gönci), but most now using to larger (300-500L); mixture of new and older oak
Must be bottled in traditional clear glass 500mL Tokaji bottle

Question 26

What are the different maceration techniques and how does the choice of maceration technique affect the final Aszú wine?

Answer 26

Grapes macerated in must, fermenting must, or base wine to draw out their sugars and flavors, depending on desired style
In must = lightest styles
In young finished wine = next lightest
In fermenting wine = strongest extraction and most complex wines, but unless berries are both ripe and clean, can extract unpleasant bitter, unripe characteristics

Question 27

How does the timing of maceration affect the final style of Aszú wines?

Answer 27

Timing of maceration also affects final wine style
Strongest extraction occurs when must is fermenting most actively early on, while some producers prefer later stages for lighter extraction

Question 28

What rules apply to how the base wine for Tokaji Aszú is macerated?

Answer 28

Where base wine is used for maceration, it must have min potential abv of 12.08%, though in practice the base wine is often 14.5-15.5% abv (which is lowered by the addition of the Aszú berries/ paste)

Question 29

What rules apply to the grapes used for Tokaji Aszú?

Answer 29

winemakers are free to choose which grape varieties they use (Furmint and Hárslevelü are the most common)
They can also decide how botrytized the grapes that make the base wine are
Some producers prefer rich and botrytized base wine to give extra complexity and creaminess
Others prefer minimal botrytis to allow the character of the Aszú grapes to show through

Question 30

What is “gönci”?

Answer 30

A traditional, small 136L barrel used for maturing Tokaji Aszú

Question 31

What is the name for the traditional, 136L small barrel used for maturing Tokaji Aszú?

Answer 31

• Gönci

Question 32

What are “puttonyos”?
How are they used? When did that change?
What rules apply?

Answer 32

A traditional scale to classify of level of sweetness of Aszú wines
Used until 2013
This measured the # of pickers’ buckets or hods (puttony) of Aszú berries added to a traditional gönci barrel of must
However, more recently it had been measured by set min RS levels, w/ “three puttonyos” having the least RS and “six puttonyos” denoting the most
In 2013, Tokaj regulations changed significantly
Min RS was increased to 120 g/L, the equivalent of five puttonyos
Wines w/ lower levels of sugar are now labeled as Late Harvest or Tokaji Édes Szamorodni depending on how they are made
Aszú wines can be labeled as “five puttonyos” or “six puttonyos” (above 150 g/L RS) but this is not mandatory
Can be labeled as three or four puttonyos as long as they have min 120 g/L RS

Question 33

Describe “Eszencia”

Answer 33

Extremely rare, extremely expensive
Made from the tiny volume of syrupy free-run juice that trickles from Aszú berries
Juice is so sweet that it can take years to ferment
Even then it only reaches very low alcohol levels (usually <5%)
Legal min RS is 450 g/L
Wines are full bodied (often consistency of syrup)
Pronounced, highly concentrated flavors
High acidity
Can retain freshness and age a long time

Question 34

Describe Late Harvest (Tokaj) wines

Answer 34

Created as a reaction to the amount of time and investment needed to produce and mature Aszú wines
Produced in similar way to sweet wines found in other regions (the maceration process is not used)
Typically produced w/ a lower proportion of botrytized grapes than for Aszú wines
Tend to be lighter body and less concentrated than Aszú wines
Legal min RS is only 45 g/L; most are between 90-110 g/L
Oak aging not compulsory; many spend little or no time in oak
Ready for release much earlier, typically between 12-16 mo post-harvest

Question 35

Describe Szamorodni
Translation
Style (s)
Req’s

Answer 35

Polish word for “as it comes”
Indicates a traditional style made from whole bunches w/ varying amounts of healthy and botrytized grapes
Produced either sweet (édes) or dry (száraz) depending on ripeness and botrytis (sweeter style more common)
Sweeter style
Min RS 45 g/L; most are 90-110 g/L
Since 2016, only need 6mo oak (much less than Aszú)
Bottled in same traditional clear 500 mL Tokaji bottle as Aszú
Best are similar to Aszú but fresher style
Dry
Aged under a thin film of flor yeast (much thinner than in Sherry production)
Aged up to 10 yr w/o topping up
Wine is protected from excessive oxidation and develop nutty and green apple aromas

Question 36

What is the history of dry wine in Tokaj?

Answer 36

Historically, dry wines were essentially a by-product wine, produced when botrytis did not develop
However, as in many regions whose reputation was built on sweet wines, there has been a significant move towards dry wines in the 21st century
Some high quality examples are now being produced
Production has tripled in the last 5 years

Question 37

With the increased focus on dry wines in Tokaj, what practices have changed?

Answer 37

Good dry wines need healthy grapes w/ no botrytis so producers are planting new vineyards on higher and windier sites above the fog zone and
Using more open canopies and
Appropriate vine treatments to prevent rot

Question 38

How were dry wines initially made in Tokaj? How has that been changing?

Answer 38

At first, wines were made from very ripe grapes, underwent full MLF/C and lengthy new oak barrel aging
That has been reined in
Now using less ripe berries, fermenting in SS, generally taking a less interventionist approach to produce lighter-bodied wines which better show varietal character
Increasingly looking to express terroir and a # of single vineyard (Dülö) are now produced

Question 39

What grapes are used for dry wines in Tokaj?

Answer 39

Most often made from Furmint
Hárslevelü and Muscat are also used and blends are also made
Under PDO, wines labeled as a single varietal must contain at least 85% of specified grape

Question 40

When did Hungary join the EU?

Answer 40

2004
Adopted PDO/PGI system at that time

Question 41

What rules apply to the Tokaji PDO?

Answer 41

From 2013, PDO wines must be bottled in the region on the label
Tokaji PDO is broken down into more specific categories of village and estate wines, and certain designated vineyards can be named on the label
The various styles of Tokaji PDO (e.g. Aszú and Szamorodni) are defined by law
There is a PGI (Zempléni) used for wines made from other grapes, particularly int’l varieties, and for inexpensive wines produced at yields higher than those permitted for PDO

Question 42

What is nature of the wine biz in Tokaj?
Ha under vine and % of potential area planted
Average holding size
% production Aszú vs dry vs other (and what is other)

Answer 42

Currently 5747 ha under vine in the Tokaji PDO (although increasing, only 1/2 of potential area has been planted)
Avg holding size is small - 1-2 ha; many growers have contracts w/ larger producers to provide grapes, especially Aszú berries
Ex: state-owned Grand Tokaj sources from 2k growers & produces around 35% of region’s wines
Aszú accounts for around 10% of production; dry wines 21%; of the rest, a significant portion is inexpensive, non-botrytized wine (often made semi-sweet by stopping ferment early) destined for home market and other E Euro countries

Question 43

What % of Tokaj is exported? What are the top countries?

Answer 43

Only a relatively small amount of Tokaji are exported outside E Euro countries
Exports ~40%
China, FR, UK and USA are largest export markets