Hungary - Tokaj Flashcards
Tokaj is at the base of what mountains?
Carpathian Mountains
They wrap around this part of Hungary to the North, East, and South like a reverse ‘C’.
What are the rivers of Tokaj?
- *Tisza River**
- (flows from the Northeast)*
- *Bodrog River**
- (flows from the East)*
The very best vineyards are located right where the rivers join, just West and Northwest of the village of Tokaj.
Most of the classified vineyards are in the northern slope of the Tisza River. It seems to be the most important according to this map.
Permitted Grapes of
Tokaj
Furmint
Harslevelu
Kabar
Koverszolo
Zeta
Sargamuskotaly
(Yellow Muscat - Muscat a Petite Grains)
(Kaba Kover Zeta, Sarge!)
Describe the
Tokay Vineyard classification
Was first done in the 1700’s by Transylvanian Prince Rákóczy. Rákóczy set apart 28 villages in the region as the best producing.
They were separated into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Growths.
- There are 2 Great First Growths*:
- Mézes Mály
- Szarvas
74 Vineyards are First Growth.
Tokaj Great First Growth Vineyards
Mézes Mály
(near Tarcay commune)
in the north
Szarvas
(near village of Tokaj)
in the south
Styles of
Tokaj
Eszencia
(Essencia)
2 tons/ha
450 g/l min RS
27.75 min ABV
{1.2 - 8% actual}
3 years min aging (?)
2 months min in wood (?)
Aszu
(botrytis affected sweet wines)
- created in 2013 to replace Aszuessencia & Puttonyos -
70 hl/ha
10 tons/ha
120 g/l min RS
19% min ABV
{9% actual}
3 years min aging
18 months min in wood
- *Aszueszencia**
- (7-9 puttonyos)
- eliminated in 2013 –*
- *Aszu w/ Puttonyos**
- [3-6 puttonyos]
- eliminated in 2013 –*
- *Szamorodni**
- [szaraz/dry, edes/sweet]*
- *Forditas**
- [szaraz/dry, edes/sweet]*
- *Maslas**
- [szaraz/dry, edes/sweet]*
- *Kesoi Szuretelesu Bor**
- (Late Harvest)*
- *Feher Bor**
- (white table wines)*
- *Pezsgo**
- (sparkling)*
What is Szaraz?
- *A term indicating a dry wine.**
- (9 g/l Max RS)*
Can be added to:
Szamorodni
Fortidas
Maslas
What is Edes?
A term indicating sweet wine.
Used for wines of not 100% Aszu grapes.
(45 g/l min RS)
Can be added to:
Szamordni
Fortidas
Maslas
What is a gonc?
Traditinoal barrel of the Tokay region.
136 Liters
What is puttony?
The traditional basket used to collect Aszu grapes.
They can hold approximately 25kg.
The aszu grapes are pounded into an aszu paste and added to Gonc barrels (136L).
Traditionally, the amount of puttonyos worth of azsu paste that is added to the Gonc becomes the amount on the label.
(3-6).
Minimum RS for the levels of
Tokaj Aszu?
- *Essencia**
- 450 g/l*
- ~27.75% min ABV~*
- {1.2 - 8% actual)*
(takes decades to ferment)
Aszu
120 g/l
~19% min ABV~
{9% actua}
====================
everything else was eliminated from 2013 vintage forward
====================
- *Aszuessencia**
- 180 g/l*
~16.62% min ABV~
{6% actual}
- *6 puttonyos**
- 150 g/l*
~18.53% min ABV~
{9% actual}
- *5 puttonyos**
- 120 g/l*
- ~16.11% min ABV~*
- {9% actual}*
- *4 puttonyos**
- 90 g/l*
- ~14.31% min ABV~*
- {9% actual}*
- *3 puttonyos**
- 60 g/l*
- ~12.54% min ABV*
- {9% actual}*
Tokaj Essencia
Free run juice from the puttony
~2 tons/ha~
~14 hl/ha (approx)~
~27.75% min ABV~
{1.2 - 8% actual}
450 g/l min RS
(can sometimes reach upwards of 900!)
Can take decades to ferment
Tokaj Aszu
~70 hl/ha~
~10 tons/ha~
~19% min ABV~
{9% actual}
120 g/l min RS
*3 years min aging
**18 months min in barrel
Note:
- This has replaced Aszuessencia and all puttonyos categories as of the 2013 vintage.
Tokaj Aszuessencia
7-9 Puttonyos
~70 hl/ha~
~16.62% min ABV~
{6% actual}
180 g/l min RS
*3 years min aging
**2 years min in barrel
Note:
- This, and all puttonyos categories, have been eliminated as of the 2013 vintage and relaced by a single category:
“Aszu”
- ~19% min ABV~
- {~9% actual~}
- 120 g/l min RS
- *3 years min aging
- *18 months min in wood
Tokaj
6 Puttonyos
~70 h/l ha~
~18.53% min ABV~
{9% actual}
150 g/l min RS
*3 years min aging
**2 years min in barrel
Note:
- All puttonyos categories, and Aszuessencia, have been eliminated as of the 2013 vintage and relaced by a single category:
“Aszu”
- ~19% min ABV~
- {~9% actual~}
- 120 g/l min RS
- *3 years min aging
- *18 months min in wood