Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

WSET 4 > Tokaj > Flashcards

Tokaj Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
WSET ® Level 1 Spirits flashcards WSET ® Level 3 Spirits flashcards WSET ® Level 2 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 1 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 3 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 2 Spirits flashcards WSET® Level 4 Wine flashcards
1
Q

Tokaj history

A

Aszu first mentioned in 1571

18th century - one of first controlled appellations

Offered sweetness before crystal sugar became available - drunk by royals

1945 - communism changed towards quantity production

Foreign investments in 1990s (AXA, Vega Sicilia, Hugh Johnson)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Climate

A

Zemplen Mountains

Moderate continental climate

Sheltered from cold norherly winds by forested mountains.

Mainly slopes to reduce freeze and frost

Important southern exposure for sun reception

500-600mm rain - half during growing season - irrigation is not permitted

Warm and dry Autumns

Rivers Tisza and Bodrog - morning fog and warm sunny afternoons.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Soil

A

Hundreds of extinct volcanoes

Deep volcanic bedrock with complex variety of soils

Nyirok - volcanic soil which is said to produce the most powerful wines

Loess - sandy silt with high clay content - ligher delicate wines

Soft soil - vine can root deeply, no problem with deficiency of water and nutrients

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Fungus in Tokaj’s cellars

A

Zasmidium callare

Believed to regulate humidity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Vineyard management

A

Traditionally - single post with high density

Now grown on trellis (replacement cane or cordon with VSP) and lower densitions 4000-5000 per ha

Mechanization allowed but required for Aszu

Hazards - powdery mildew, grey rot - Managing canopy
- wild boars and birds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Average yields

A

Aszu - 2-3 hl/ha

Dry - 30-40 hl/ha

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Grape varieties

A

6 permitted for Tokaji PDO

Furmint

Harslevelu

Sarga Muskotaly (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Furmint

A

69%

versatile and capable of producing high quality wines from dry to sweet styles.

Late-ripening (needs long season)

Retains high acidity

thick-skinned but particularly susceptible to botrytis

naturally accumulates high levels of sugar

Dry wines can be also ageworthy (often aged in oak)
Due to high sugar they can be full bodied with high alcohol

Lemon apple pear. Can develop honey, nuts with age
Sweet styles: dried apricot, mango

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Harslevelu

A

18%

Fruitier than Furmint

White peach, orange blossom

Mainly supporting role in blends adding perfume

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Sarga Muskotaly

A

Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains

9%

adds floral otes in blends

also appears as varietal wine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Grapes affected by Botrytis

A

Aszu

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Winemaking of Aszu

A

Too concentrated to be pressed - therefore macerated in must, fementing must or base wine to draw out sugars and flavour (aszu can be mashed into paste)

Usually 12-60 hours (12-20degrees)

If uncrushed grapes are used - punched down regularly

Maceration in must - lightest styles
Maceration in wine - med.
Maceration in fermenting must - strongest expression but also can extract bitterness.

After maceration grapes are pressed and must is fermented (usually cultured yeast for reliability) in steel or barrels

Many producers stop ferment by chilling, racking or adding SO2. Otherwise it stops naturally around 180g/L RS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Aszu expression

A

Deep amber

high acidity

low to med alcohol

Intense aroma of orange peel, apricots, honòey

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Picking for Aszu

A

several passes - collecting individual berries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Ageing requirements for Aszu

A

min 18 months in oak

Hungarian usually used (often from Zemplen mountains above region)

traditional 136L Gonci barrels, now switching to 300-500L

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Bottling requirement for Aszu

A

500ml clear glass traditional bottle

17
Q

Gonci

A

Traditional 136L barrel

18
Q

Classification until 2013

A

Puttonyos scale - number of buckets of asxu added to gonci barrel.

19
Q

Minimum level of sugar for aszu

A

120g/l RS (equivalent of 5 puttonyos

can be labelled 3 or 4 puttonyos

20
Q

When can wine be labelled 5 or 6 putonnyos

A

above 150g/l RS

labelling is not mandatory

21
Q

Eszencia

A

Extremely rare and expensive

From tiny volume of free-run juice that trickles from Aszu berries

It can take years to ferment (still reaches very low alcohol - usually less than 5%)

Min sugar 450g/l

full bodied, pronounced, concentrated flavours, high acidity.

Retain freshness and age for decades

22
Q

Late harvest

A

Maceration process is not used

Recent style

Lower proportion of botrytized grapes than Aszu

Ligher bodied and less concentrated.

Min. RS 45g/l

Oak ageing is not compulsory

Ready for release much earlier, typically 12-16 months after harvest

23
Q

Szamorodni

A

Polish word for ‘as it comes’

Made from whole bunches with varying amounts of botrytised and healthy grapes.

2 styles

  • Edes - sweet
  • Szaraz - dry

Min RS for Edes 45g/l
Must be aged in oak for 6 months
Bottled in 500ml Tokaji bottle
Fresher style than Aszu

Dry style is aged under thin film of flor for up to 10 years without topping up. The wine is protected from excessive oxidation and develops nutty and green apple aroma

24
Q

Dry wines

A

Historically by-product

Triped in the last 5 years

New vineyards on higher and windier sites above fog zone, use of canopy management

Under PDO dry wines must contain at least 85% of the variety on label

Single vineyard wines - Dulo

25
Q

Wine Law

A

PDO wines must be bottled in the region

Aszu
Eszencia
Late Harvest
Szamorodni
Dry styles
PGI Zempleni - for international varieties and wines with higher yieds than allowed for PDO
26
Q

Wine Business

A

average holding size is between 1 and 2ha

Many growers have contracts with larger producers to provide aszu berries.

Gran Tokaj sources from over 2000 growers and produces around 35% of whole region

Aszu accounts for 10% (vintage variations)
Dry wines 21%
The rest is inexpensive semi-dry wine for home market.

Export 40% - Eastern Europe, China, France, UK, USA

27
Q

Which river flood frequently?

Creating perfect conditions for noble rot

A

Bodrog

WSET 4 (32 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions