Tokaj Vineyards

Question 1

How many villages make up Tokaj?

How are they generally divided?

Answer 1

27 villages in all, who’s slopes make a wide V, thus facing southeast, south, or southwest

• Northernmost (i.e. Satoraljaujhely or Sarsopatak) make delicate and find Aszus from sandy soil
• Central (i.e. Olaszliszka) the soil is clay with stones, producing more potent wines
• South (i.e. Bodrogszegi, Tarcal, Tokaj) the “Cote d’Or” of the region; a succession of once-famous site names (greatest is Szarvas) which live on steep, sheltered vineyards.

Question 2

What are the soils of Tokaj vineyards?

Answer 2

Due to 20 million years of volcanic activity, Tokaj’s deeper subsoil is mostly tuff, with topsoil varying across the region. In grossly simplified terms, windblown loess dominates in the south and on Tokaj Hill, and a mixture of rock and clay locally called nyirok covers the rest.