Tokaj

Question 1

Climate of Tokaj:

Answer 1

Moderate continental
Zemplen Mountains
S/SE/SW slopes
Relatively low rainfall - irrigation not permitted
Tisza and Bodrog rivers
Morning fog

Question 2

Soil in Tokaj:

Answer 2

Hundreds of extinct volcanoes
Nyirok (volcanic soil) and Loess
Volcanic soil helps prevent water stress - vines root deep
Cellar fungus - Zasmidium - helps regulate humidity

Question 3

Vineyard management in Tokaj:

Answer 3

Mostly hand harvesting, machine in certain areas
Powdery mildew, grey rot, wild boar, and birds
Dry wines: 30-40hL/ha
Aszu: 2-3hL/ha

Question 4

Grapes in Tokaji PDO:

Answer 4

6 allowed varieties
Furmint
Harslevelu
Sarga Muskotaly (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains)

Question 5

Describe Furmint:

Answer 5

69% of plantings
Late ripening
Thick skins but very susceptible to botrytis
Versatile
Full bodied, high alcohol, high acid
Lemon, apple, pear; honey and nuts with age; botrytis gives dried apricot and mango

Question 6

Describe Harslevelu:

Answer 6

18% of plantings
Fruitier than Furmint
White peach, orange blossom, distinctive perfume

Question 7

Describe Aszu winemaking:

Answer 7

Mash grapes into paste
Botrytis grapes are macerated in must/base wine to draw out sugar flavor
12-60 hr maceration
Stronger extraction: earlier fermentation; wait for lighter style
Cultured yeast
Stop fermentation by chilling, racking, or SO2
Min 18mo oak - 136L Hungarian barrels called Gonci

Question 8

Sweetness labeling in Aszu:

Answer 8

Until 2013, measured on puttonyos scale: 3-6 puttonyos
Now, 5-6 puttonyos only; less sugar now “Late Harvest” or “Tokaji Edes Szamorodni”

Question 9

Describe Eszencia:

Answer 9

Extremely rare/expensive
Tiny volume of syrupy free-run juice from Aszu berries
Takes years to ferment
Less than 5%ABV
Min 450g/L

Question 10

Describe Late Harvest:

Answer 10

Lower proportion of botrytis
Min. 45g/L RS, 90-110 common
Little or no oak

Question 11

Describe Szamorodni:

Answer 11

“As it comes”
Whole bunches with varying amounts of healthy and botrytized grapes
Can be sweet (edes) or dry (szaraz)
Min 6mo oak
Sweet: 90-110g/L, min 45
Dry: aged under a thin layer of flor yeast for up to 10 years

Question 12

Dry wines in Tokaj?

Answer 12

Production tripled last 5 years
Single vineyard (Dulo) wines now being produced
85% varietal for labeled wines

Question 13

Wine law in Tokaj?

Answer 13

Joined EU in 2004
Adopted PDO/PGI
PGI Zempleni uses international grapes

Question 14

Wine business in Tokaj:

Answer 14

State-owned Grand Tokaj - 35% of regions wine from 2000 growers
40% export - mostly Eastern Europe
Aszu 10%, dry wines 21%
Under 6000 hectares under vine