Tokaj

Question 1

What is the difference between Tokaj and Tokaji ?

Answer 1

The region of Tokaj produces the wine Tokaji

Question 2

Where is Tokaj located ?

Answer 2

at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains in the far north east of Hungary, close to the Slovakian border.

Question 3

What is Tokaj famous for ?

Answer 3

A long tradition of producing premium botrytised sweet wines

Question 4

Which rivers ar responsible for creating the early morning mist required to develop noble rot ?

Answer 4

The Bodrog and Tisza rivers and their main tributaries

Question 5

What are the three principal white grapes used in the making of Tokaji ?

Answer 5

Furmint - makes concentrated, high acid white with flavours of apple when young, nuts and honey with age. Hárslevelü, also late ripening, contributes with perfume Sárga Muskotály (Muscat Blanc à Petit grains) also contributes with aroma

Question 6

How would you easily distinguish between a bottle of sweet wine and a bottle dry wine, both from Tokaji ?

Answer 6

The dry wines are sold n 75 cl bottles

The sweet wines are bottled in distinctive 50 cl bottles

Question 7

What three different harvests do grape pickers in Tokaj distinguish between in order to make a variety of different styles of wine ?

Answer 7

1. Widespread noble rot (aszú - rotten)
2. Unaffected by noble rot
3. Szamorodni - “as it comes”, designating bunches that are partially affected by noble rot

Question 8

What is Tokaji Szamorodni száraz in opposition to Tokaji Szamorodni édes ?

Answer 8

Dry Tokaji made from partially affected by noble rot in oppostion to sweet Tokaji made from partially affected by noble rot.

Both must be aged in cask for a minimum of one year. The casks are not filled entirely, to allow flor-like yeast to form on the dry wines => a character similar to Fino Sherry.

The sweet wines, on the other hand, do not develop flor, and may therefore have an oxidative character.

The wine must be 2 years old before release.

Question 9

How is Asz´wine made ?

Answer 9

1. A base wine is made from healthy grapes
2. During or after fermentation, the aszú berries (affected by noble rot) are macerated in the base wine. The amount of aszú berries determines the sweetness of the final wine. The unit to express the level of sweetness is called puttony.
3. The maceration lasts 12 - 60 hours.
4. Traditionally, the botrytised berries were made into a paste, but uncrushed berries avoids the extraction of bitter flavours.
5. The mixture is pressed
6. The wine is matured for a period of time on oak.

Question 11

Describe a classic Tokaji

Answer 11

• deep amber
• high acidity
• intense aromas
• flavours of orange peel, apricots, honey

The sweeter, the more intense and concentrated.

Question 12

What is Tokaji Eszencia ?

Answer 12

• Eszencia* means essence or nectar.
• wines are extremely rare, seldom available outside the region of production
• made from free-run juice of the aszú berries.
• the must is so sweet, it can take years to ferment, legal minimum of residual sugar is 450 g/L.
• alcohol is usually less than 5 %, as the must is so sweet
• the sweetness is balanced by the very high acidity and the enormously concentrated flavour.
• can mature and retain freshness for a century or more !