Hungary

Question 1

What challenges has winemaking faced in Tokaj?

Answer 1

Tokaji wines have been celebrated and famous for hundreds of years. However, when Hungary became a communist state in 1945, the focus switched to quantity rather than quality. The wines were often intentionally oxidized, sweetened, fortified and pasteurized, damaging Tokaji’s long-held reputation as one of the world’s finest wines.

Question 2

What has led to the rejuvenation of Hungary’s wine industry in the last 25 years?

Answer 2

• Communism ended in 1989
• More vineyards in Hungary had remained in private hands than in other Soviet bloc countries
• early 1990s: foreign investment eg AXA, Vega Sicilia, and Hugh Johnson
• return to fresher & fruitier styles of Tokaji
• dry wine revolution