Hungary Flashcards
In the northeastern corner of Hungary, at the confluence of the?
Tisza and Bodrog Rivers, producers in the Tokaj region (formerly Tokaj-Hegyalja, or the Tokaj “foothills”) have long been crafting some of Europe’s most exemplary and longest-lived dessert wines
Tokaj’s classification dates back to?
1730, with a final legal recognition in 1772
Aszú appears in works published as early as?
1571, and Szepsi Laczkó Máté definitively produced botrytis-affected aszú wine by the mid-17th century
Name some top producers for Tokaji
Royal Tokaji Company, Vega Sicilia’s Tokaj Oremus, Disznókõ, and Királyudvar, Istvan Szepsy, Hetszolo
The Tokaj region, sheltered by the?
Carpathian Mountains
Name the grape varieties of Tokaj
The two principal grapes of the region are Furmint and Hárslevelű; Sárgamuskotály (Muscat Blanc à Petite Grains), Zéta (Oremus), Kabar and Kövérszőlő are authorized but generally used in small quantities
Soils are predominantly ?
volcanic loess and clay, and many of the better vineyards occupy south-facing slopes
Traditionally, the aszú grapes are handpicked individually and gathered in containers called puttony—puttonyos is an adjective rather than the plural form—which hold roughly?
25kg
gönc a Hungarian oak cask of approximately?
136 L
Tokaj Aszú was labeled with 3-6 puttonyos to indicate sweetness—until major revisions eliminated these categories in time for the ?
2013 harvest
Modern Tokaj Aszú ageing requierements and sweetness?
it ages for at least 3 years prior to release (with a minimum 18 months in barrel) and must contain at least 120 g/l of residual sugar and achieve an actual alcohol content of at least 9%
Esszencia alc and sweetness?
4-6% alc and can reach 450g/l
What is Tokaji Szamorodni?
(“as it comes”) is produced from a mixture of aszú and non-aszú grapes and is often oxidative in style as it is matured in cask for a minimum of six months, sometimes under a film-forming yeast similar to flor. Szamorodni wines may be édes (sweet) or száras (dry)
Which producer committed to elevating the stature of dry wines in the region?
The talented Hungarian winemaker István Szepsy, a key figure in the establishment of Hugh Johnson’s Royal Tokaji Company and Királyudvar, is a founding member of the Circle of Mád, a small contingent of producers committed to elevating the stature of dry wines in the region.
With the EU’s recent reforms, this number of regions qualifying for PDO status has increased to 31, with 6 additional PGI areas. These are divided among three major geographical zones of production:
the Northern Massif, the western region of Transdanubia, and the southern Great Plain
The Northern Massif includes?
Tokaj and Eger, a region famous for Egri Bikavér—the “Bull’s Blood of Eger.”
Egri Bikavér is made of?
Historically dominated by Kadarka—an indigenous, low-tannin, light-bodied and not particularly sanguine grape—modern Egri Bikavér is a blend of at least four varieties, incorporating Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch), and other Hungarian and international grapes. Only Eger and Szekszárd in Transdanubia are permitted to use the term “Bikavér” on labels. (In Szekszárd, Bikavér also requires four varieties.)
To the west of Eger is?
Mátra, Hungary’s second largest winegrowing region
Mátra is mostly famous for?
white wines, red grapes like Kékfrankos and Kadarka are gaining in reputation
Szekszárd is famous for?
Produces red, white and rose but it is mostly famous for its dark red coloured reds mainly from Kadarka
Szekszárd Bikaver is produced from a min of four grapes 50% Kadarka and Kekfrankos but no more than 5% and 45% respectively and 10% of other 13 varieties
Szekszárd Premium Bikaver needs an additional year in the bottle and a min of 35% Kekfrankos, 5% Kadarka and 10% Syrah
Somló and Nagy-Somló lies to the northwest, on the slopes of the extinct volcano. White wines dominate production in these three areas; grapes include ?
Furmint, Juhfark, Olaszrizling (Welschriesling), and a number of international varieties
High acidic and mineral wines
Chardonnay also and a small amount of reds
On the northern border close to Austria, Sopron is mostly famous for?
reds from Kekfrankos mainly
a little white from Zold Veltelini (Gruner), Zenit and Irsai Oliver Chardonnay
Finally, just south along the Croatian border is Villány, Hungary’s hottest region, which produces good-quality wines from?
Bordeaux varieties, Kékfrankos, and Kékoportó (Blauer Portugieser)
Aszu 3 puttonyos
Aszu 4 puttonyos
Aszu 5 puttonyos
Aszu 6 puttonyos
Aszuesszencia
Naturesszencia
120g/l
120g/l
120g/l
150g/l
180g/l (7-8 puttonyos)
450g/l
Badascony PDO produces?
Olaszriesling (Italian Riesling) mostl planted
Szukebarat (Pinot Gris), Chardonnay and the local Keknyelu
mostly dry and late harvested whites
