D3 Tokaj & Greece

Question 1

Tokaj Climate & Features?

Answer 1

Moderate Continental Climate

Forested mountain peaks protect from wind

Generally on slopes, reducing risk of frosts

South-facing aspects to maximise sunlight at this low latitude

Relatively low rainfall, but half falls in growing season

Tisza and Bodrog rivers frequently flood the area, providing humidity for botrytis, and the warm sunny afternoons prevents it developing into grey rot

Question 2

Tokaj Vineyard Risks?

Answer 2

Powdery Mildew

Grey Rot

Wild Boar & Birds

Question 3

Tokaj Grapes?

Answer 3

Furmint - most widely planted, late ripening, high acid, susceptible to botrytis, lemon, apple, pear

Harslevelu - fruitier than furmint, white peach and orange blossom

Sarga Muskotaly (MBaPG) - floral notes

Question 4

Aszu Processing?

Answer 4

So concentrated it cannot be extracted through usual pressing

Must be macerated in other must or wines, typically 12-60 hours, may be crushed into a paste first

Harvested in wetter years and held until needed

Fermented at 12-20 celsius

Maceration in must provides lightest wine, in fermenting must provides strongest (be wary of defective grapes)

Base wines themselves can also be botrytised

Must be stored minimum 18 months in oak, often smaller 136L barrels (gonci), mix of old and new oak used

Question 5

Minimum Tokaji Sugar Level?

Answer 5

120 g/L - formerly 5 puttonyos

150 g/L - 6 puttonyos

Question 6

Minimum Eszencia Sugar Level?

Answer 6

450 g/L - usually ferments over years up to maximum 5%

Question 7

Minimum Late Harvest Sugar Level & Maturation?

Answer 7

45 g/L though usually 90-110

No oaking required

Typically 12-16 months in steel

Question 8

Minimum Szamorodni Sugar Level & Maturation?

Answer 8

Sweet Version (Edes):

45 g/L though usually 90-110

Minimum 6 months in oak

Dry Version (Szaraz) - up to 10 years under flor

Question 9

Tokay PDO and PGI?

Answer 9

Zempleni PGI

Tokaji PDO

Question 10

Greece Climate & Environment

Answer 10

Generally Warm to Hot Mediterranean, moving to Hot Continental inland

Minimal rainfall during growing season, and irrigation is essential

Question 11

Greek Grapes?

Answer 11

Savatiano
Roditis
Assyrtiko
Moschofilero
Malagousia

Agiorgitiko
Xinomavro
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah

Question 12

Savatiano?

Answer 12

Drought resistant, for bulk wine (incl. Retsina) though occasional quality producers now

Question 13

Roditis?

Answer 13

Pink-skinned

High yields

As with Savatiano, historically made bulk wines such as Retsina, but better examples are emerging

At best: medium body; high acid; ripe melon

Question 14

Assyrtiko?

Answer 14

Extremely high acidity

High alcohol

Flinty/mineral aromas as well as citrus, stone and tropical fruit

Can take oaking

Question 15

Moschofilero?

Answer 15

Pink-skinned

Aromatic, with notes of citrus, flowers (rose petals), spices; similar to muscat

High in acid

Light body

Lower end of medium alcohol (~12%)

Question 16

Malagousia?

Answer 16

Medium acid

Medium body

Complex aromas of stone fruit and flowers, sometimes herbaceous

Question 17

Agiorgitiko?

Answer 17

Deep colour

Medium acidity

Medium to high levels of soft tannin

Medium alcohol

Ripe red fruit and sweet spice

Often aged in oak, including new

Mainly grown in Peloponnese e.g. PDO Nemea

Question 18

Xinomavro?

Answer 18

Best known in growths from Naoussa

Compared to Nebbiolo - aggressive high tannins and acidity, with vegetal notes instead of fruity

Pale coloured and turn to garnet quickly

Suitable for very long ageing

Can be blended with Merlot to soften

Question 19

Greek PDO and IGP?

Answer 19

POP and PGE

Question 20

Macedonia?

Answer 20

Naoussa and Amynteo

Parts are Mountainous, cooler and more continental

Others parts are on plains, and are warmer and more Mediterranean

Heavier, but still moderate, rainfall

Famous for Xinomavro, though Bordeaux Blends, CH, SB and Assyrtiko becoming more common

Question 21

Peloponnese?

Answer 21

Nemea & Mantinia (SW of Greece)

Mountainous with poor soils in PDO areas

Flatter areas too producing non-PDO bulk wines

Southerly latitude, moderated by altitude (450-650m in best sites)

Nemea - 100% Agiorgitiko, often oaked

Mantinia - Elevated plateau ~600m, white wines only

Question 22

Santorini?

Answer 22

Assyrtiko dominant

Very strong winds, lots of bush vines as a result

Minimal rainfall - moisture comes from fog in the caldera

Very old vines, very infertile soil - can have yields as low as 15 hL/ha

Vinsanto sweet wines, oxidative, late harvest, sun-dried, long aged, 200-300 g/L