Hungary

Question 1

Basic history winemaking

Answer 1

Longstanding winemaking history - tokaji mentioned as early as 1500s.
Modern communism took control of winemaking - pulled up native varietals for vigorous varietal - focused on quantity and greater yeilds.

20yrs since end of communism and winemaking heritage is bouncing back. New innovative producers are working with traditional grapes as well as international varietals.
Exciting time

Question 2

How many wine making regions are in Hungary - name 2 most important

Answer 2

22 regions in total. Most on western side of Great Plains.

2 most important - eger (bullsblood) tokaji (tokaji) both east of county and Budapest

Question 3

Tokaji climate

Answer 3

Continental climate - hot summers, very cold winters, long autumn (optimum late ripening)

Question 4

Where is tokaji located

Answer 4

Eastern side of country, Slovakian border in foothills of Carpathian Mountains

Question 5

What is Szamorodni and what is this style of wine

Answer 5

Hungarian term meaning “as it comes” refers to grape bunches picked
With varying levels of ripeness and boyteytis. Made into wine style - dry or sweet. Lighter and dryer than aszu style.
Some late harvest, bottrytic character. Sometimes flor character, modern, clean crisp styles being produced.

Question 6

What does aszu mean

Answer 6

Hungarian for dried

Question 7

Describe aszu wine making - modern

Answer 7

Aszu (dried botryzed berries) added to fermenting must or finished base wine (from healthy grapes). Wine macerated with aszu for up to 48 hours), stirred, pressed and then aged for min 3 years

Sweet wine with bottrytic character and varying levels of sweetness (pluttonyos)

Question 8

Describe aszu winemaking traditional

Answer 8

Aszu berries crushed into paste and mixed in with base wine, left for up to 48 hours, racked and then aged for min 3 years, often much longer

Question 9

Describe plottonyos - traditional and modern meaning

Answer 9

Traditional- the amount of aszu added to 140kg of wine. 1 plottonyos = 20kg aszu paste. Ie. 5 plottonyos meant 100kg of paste added to 140kg wine.

Modern - rates the residual sugar levels in finished tokaji between 3-6 + aszu essencia for aszu category

Question 10

Plottonyos RS scale

Answer 10

3  - 60g/l
4  - 90g/lt
5 - 120g/l
6 - 150 g/l
Aszu essencia 180 g/l

Question 11

Soil type in tokaji

Answer 11

Volcanic soil - adds body to wine

Question 12

3 grapes in tokaji

Answer 12

Furmint
Harselevelu
Muscat

Question 13

Grapes in modern “bullsblood” from eger

Answer 13

Blaufrankish

Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 14

Tokaji essencia

Answer 14

Very very rare. Made from free run juice of aszu berries. Tiny amounts procured. Can take years to ferment, only reaches 5abv. Served on spoon. Very expensive. 450-850g/l

In separate category from Aszu. Can age 100 years or more. Nectar

Question 15

Aszu essencia

Answer 15

Very rare . Only made in best vintages with best grapes from best vineyards. Sweeter than 6 plottonyos. Highest level on sweetness scale for aszu - 180g/l

Not to be confused with tokaji essencia .