Tokaj Flashcards
When does the history of Tokaj date back to? What was the wine that was first mentioned?
It is one of the most historic and celebrated wine regions.
The first mention of the wine was in 1571, of Aszú (shrivelled, botrytis affected grapes)
In which period did Tokaj create the appellation?
The 18th century, making it one of the first controlled appellations, clasifying vineyards and stipulating which vineyards were allowed to use the Tokaj name.
How did opinions to Tokaji change in the 1940s?
For centuries it had been one of the world’s most famous wines, enjoyed in Royal courts across Europe as it offered sweetness before crystal sugar became available.
This tradition was stopped when Hungary became a communist state in 1945 and the focus shifted from quality to quantity: wines became often deliberately oxidised, sweetened, fortified and pasteurised.
How and why did opinions change towards Tokaj towards the end of the 20th century?
During the communist regime, more vineyards remained in private hands in Hungary than in other Eastern European countries, meaning that when communism ended in 1989, producers in Tokaj were able to start rebuilding the reputation more quickly.
This was further helped by investment in the early 1990s by AXA, Vega Sicilia and Hugh Johnson.
How has winemaking changed in previous years?
It has evolved considerably in the last 25 years with a return to fresher and fruitier styles of Aszú, and the development of a new generation of high-quality wines and new styles, such as Late Harvest.
