Hungary and Eastern Europe Flashcards
Tokaj is at the confluence of what two rivers?
Tisza and Bodrog
What was the region of Tokaj’s former name?
Tokaj-Hegyalja
Who is responsible for delimiting 28 villages in 1700 in the region of Tokaj?
The Transylvanian Prince Rákóczy
What kind of grapes are a fundamental component of the best Tokaj wines?
Aszú grapes
Grapes that have a high sugar level and afflicted with botrytis cinerea
What two dessert wines did Tokaj predate?
The dessert wines of Germany and probably Sauternes as well
What was Tokaj’s nickname? Think Barolo
The wine of kings and king of wines
What are the name of the top 4 producers of Tokaj? Which is owned by Vega Sicilia?
Royal Tokaji Company
Tokaj Oremus (Vega Sicilia)
Disznókõ
Királyudvar
What is the name of Vega Sicilia’s Tokaj estate?
Tokaj Oremus
What is the difference between Tokaj and Tokaji?
Tokaj is the region and Tokaji is an adjectival form used to indicate the wine.
What mountains provide the Tokaj region shelter?
Carpathian Mountains
What is the climate of Tokaj?
Continental
What are the two main soil types of Tokaj? What direction do the best vineyards face?
Volcanic loess and clay
Best vineyards face south
What is the name of the Tokaj classification? What is it divided into? What organization protects its integrity?
Rákóczy’s classification
Divides villages into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd growths
Tokaji Renaissance protects it
What 2 first growths of the Rákóczy classification are designated as Great First Growths? What are their respective communes?
Szarvas (Tokaj)
Mézes Mály (Tarcal)
What are the two main grapes of Tokaj? What are the other four that are used in small quantities?
Furmint and Hárslevelu are the main two
Sárgamuskotály (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), Zéta (Oremus), Kabar, and Kövérszolo are the other 4
What is the main grape of Tokaji Aszú? Why?
Furmint
It is particularly susceptible to botrytis and high in acidity
What is the traditional harvest container for aszú grapes? How many kg can it hold?
puttony (25kg)
What is Esszencia created from?
Created from the syrupy, free-run juice from aszú grapes
What is the name of the traditional barrel for fermenting Tokaj? What kind oak is it and what is the volume?
gönc (Hungarian oak of 136L)
What is the difference between gönci barrels and gönc barrels?
Gönci refers to barrels of must or base wine from non-aszú grapes.
Gönc refers to the traditional 136L barrel used for Tokaji-Aszú fermentations
What determines the final sweetness of Tokaji Aszú wine?
The number of puttony added to a gönc
What are puttony?
harvest vessels containing aszú grapes that have either been freshly harvested or ground into a pulp to be added to gönc barrels for Tokaji-Aszú fermentation.
Prior to elimination in time for the 2013 harvest a bottle of Tokaji-Aszú would be labeled with what? How is modern Tokaji-Aszú labeled today?
A number between 3-6 puttonyos
Today it is labeled “Aszú”
What are the aging requirements for Tokaji Aszú/Aszú? Min RS? Min abv?
minimum 3 years including 18 months in barrel
and must contain at least 120g/L rs
and achieve a min alcohol content of at least 9%
For how long does an Esszencia fermentation last? What is the min rs?
up to a decade
min 450g/L RS
Esszencia can also be labeled as what?
Natúresszencia
What are the styles of Tokaji other than Aszú? How are they produced?
Szamorodni (“as it comes”)
Produced from a blend of aszú and non-aszú grapes and often oxidative in style as it is aged in cask for a min 2 years. Produced in édes (sweet) and száras (dry) styles
Fordítas
Produced by refermenting wine with the pressed paste of a Tokaji Aszú fermentation
Máslás
Produced by refermenting wine with the spent lees of a Tokaji Aszú fermentation
What it the name of sweet and dry Szamorodni Tokaji wine respectively?
édés (sweet) and száras (dry)
What is the difference between Fordítas and Máslás Tokaji wine?
Fordítas is refermented with the pressed paste from a previous Tokaji Aszú fermentation
Máslás is refermented with the spent lees of a previous Tokaji Aszú fermentation
What are the 5 styles of Tokaji produced?
Esszencia/Natúresszencia Aszú Szamorodni (produced édés and száras in style) Fordítas Máslás
Who owns the Royal Tokaji Company? Who is the talented winemaker behind the establishment of this winery? What other Tokaji estate does he produce for?
Hugh Johnson
István Szepsy who also produces for Királyudvar
What is the name of the small contingent of producers in Tokaj that is committed to elevating the stature of dry wines in the region? What is the most famous member?
Circle of Mád
István Szepsy
As of what year is the use of “Tokaj” or its derivatives Tokay and Tocai prohibited from being used on wine labels outside of Tokaj in Europe?
2007
What are the 3 major geographical zones of production in Hungary?
North Hungary (includes Tokaj and Eger)
Transdanubia
Great Plain
Eger is famous for what wine? What is its nickname? What grape historically dominated for the production of this grape? What are the grapes used today?
Egri Bikavér (Bull’s Blood of Eger)
Kadarka is the traditional grape
Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) and other Hungarian and international grapes are used today
What is the synonym for Blaufränkisch in Hungary?
Kékfrankos
What are the only two production areas in Hungary allowed to use the term “Bikavér” on wine labels? What are there respective wine growing regions?
Eger (Northern Hungary)
Szekszárd (Transdanubia)
Badacsony and Blatonfüred-Csopak are two wine producing areas within what Hungarian wine region? On what Lake are they located?
Transdanubia
Both located on Lake Balaton
What is the synonym for Welschriesling in Hungary?
Olaszrizling
What is Hungary’s warmest region? What country does it share a border with? What grapes thrive here?
Villány
Borders Croatia
BDX varietals, Kékfrankos, and Kékoportó (Blauer Portugieser)