WINES OF THE WORLD 🇭🇺 Tokaj Flashcards
Where Tokaj is located within Hungary
In the NE corner of Hungary.
Main grape varieties of Tokaj
Furmint, Hárslevelű and Sárga Muskotály.
Type of soils in Tokaj
Soils are nyirok (volcanic that produces the most powerful wines) and loess (sandy silt with high clay, around Tokaj hill, for more delicate and lighter wines). Soft volcanic bedrock, so roots go deep and found water and nutrients.
Where vineyards are located in Tokaj
Vineyards on the slopes with S, SW and SE aspects due to high latitude.
Hazards in Tokaj
Powdery mildew, grey rot (wet years). Wild boar and birds.
Main training systems in Tokaj
Traditionally, high density on single posts (up to 10,000 vines per ha). Now lower densities replacement-cane pruning or cordon training with VSP (4,000-5,000 vines per ha).
The factors that allow the development of the noble rot in Tokaj
The development of noble rot is encouraged in warm and humid autumns with the foggy mornings that allow botrytis to develop and the breezy sunny afternoons that shrivel the grapes. These conditions are promoted by the Tisza and Bodrog rivers. Lower yields in hotter and drier years.
Harvest for wines from Tokaj
Hand harvest especially for Aszú berries (picked in several passes and stored until required).
Key winemaking operations for Aszú wines in Tokaj
Made from grapes affected by botrytis and have shrivelled on the vine. No direct pressing due to the high concentration. Prior to maceration, most producers mash the Aszú grapes into a paste by passing them through a pump. Others prefer to use uncrushed grapes (avoiding any bitterness from the skins and seeds), with the possibility of punching down. Then, maceration (12-60 hours at 12–15°C) in must, fermenting must or base wine (alcohol of 12.08+% abv) to draw out their sugars and flavours. If maceration is in must or fermenting must, the juice is drained and the Aszú paste or berries are pressed. The must is then fermented with ambient/cultured yeasts in stainless steel tanks or barrels. Fermentation is naturally stopped at higher sugar levels, some producers stop it (chilling, racking, SO2) to avoid the risk of refermentation and control house style.
How the grapes for Late Harvest wines are in Tokaj
From grapes with less botrytis.
How the grapes for Szamorodni wines are in Tokaj
From whole bunches with varying amounts of healthy and botrytized grapes.
How the grapes for dry wines are in Tokaj
Essentially when no botrytis. Producers have just started to understand how to make them, using less ripe berries, stainless steel and a less interventionist approach.
How the choice of maceration method influences the Aszú wine style
Maceration in must gives the lightest styles followed by maceration in the young finished wine. Maceration in fermenting must gives the strongest extraction and most complex wines (ripe and clean berries are needed).
How the timing of the maceration influences the Aszú wine style
Lighter extraction in the later stages of fermentation while stronger in the most active stage.
How the choice of grape varieties and the proportion of botrytis development influence the Aszú wine style
Rich and botrytized base wine gives extra complexity and creaminess, while minimal botrytis in the base wine to allow the character of the Aszú grapes to show through.
The main factors during the winemaking that are responsible for the Aszú wine style
- the choice of maceration method
- the timing of the maceration
- the choice of grape varieties and the proportion of botrytis development
Key maturation practices for Aszú wines in Tokaj
18+ months in oak. Hungarian oak (from the Zemplén mountains) is widely used for fermentation and ageing. Traditionally, in small 136-litre barrels (known as gönci). Most producers are now switching to larger barrels (300 to 500 L). Mix of new and old oak.
Gönci
Small 136-litre barrels used in the traditional maturation of Tokaji Aszú.
Key maturation practices for Late Harvest wines in Tokaj
Possibility of oak, otherwise stainless steel. On the market 12-16 months after the harvest.
Key maturation practices for Szamorodni wines in Tokaj
6 months in oak. Dry Szamorodni is aged under a thin film of flor yeast for up to 10 years without topping up.
Type of bottle for Aszú and Szamorodni wines
Traditional clear-glass 500 mL.
Minimum residual sugar for Tokaji Aszú
120 g/L
Types of businesses that operate in Tokaj
Small avg size of holdings (1-2 ha). Many growers provide grapes to larger producers. 35% Grand Tokaj sourcing grapes from over 2,000 growers.
Minimum residual sugar for Tokaji Late Harvest
45+ g/L
Minimum residual sugar for Tokaji Eszencia
450+ g/L
Types of wines made in Tokaj
Aszú (10%), Eszencia, Late Harvest, Szamorodni, dry wines (21%).
Száraz
Dry version of Szamorodni
Édes
Sweet version of Szamorodni
Minimum residual sugar for Tokaji Édes Szamorodni
45+ g/L
Classification levels for Tokaji Aszú
Until 2013, classification by sweetness levels using the puttonyos scale (the number of pickers’ buckets of Aszú berries added to a traditional gönci barrel of must). Then measuring the minimum residual of sugar, 3-6 puttonyos. In 2013, significant change: 120 g/L is minimum residual sugar (ex five puttonyos), lower sugar wines are labelled as Late Harvest or Tokaji Édes, and Aszú wines can be five or six puttonyos.
Zempléni PGI
Appellation in Tokaj for wines from other grapes or inexpensive wines from higher yields than those permitted by the Tokaji PDO.
Main appellations within Tokaj
- Tokaji PDO
- Zempléni PGI
Main rivers in Tokaj
Tisza and Bodrog.
