Tokaj Flashcards

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1
Q

Climate of Tokaj:

A

Moderate continental
Zemplen Mountains
S/SE/SW slopes
Relatively low rainfall - irrigation not permitted
Tisza and Bodrog rivers
Morning fog

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2
Q

Soil in Tokaj:

A

Hundreds of extinct volcanoes
Nyirok (volcanic soil) and Loess
Volcanic soil helps prevent water stress - vines root deep
Cellar fungus - Zasmidium - helps regulate humidity

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3
Q

Vineyard management in Tokaj:

A

Mostly hand harvesting, machine in certain areas
Powdery mildew, grey rot, wild boar, and birds
Dry wines: 30-40hL/ha
Aszu: 2-3hL/ha

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4
Q

Grapes in Tokaji PDO:

A

6 allowed varieties
Furmint
Harslevelu
Sarga Muskotaly (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains)

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5
Q

Describe Furmint:

A

69% of plantings
Late ripening
Thick skins but very susceptible to botrytis
Versatile
Full bodied, high alcohol, high acid
Lemon, apple, pear; honey and nuts with age; botrytis gives dried apricot and mango

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6
Q

Describe Harslevelu:

A

18% of plantings
Fruitier than Furmint
White peach, orange blossom, distinctive perfume

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7
Q

Describe Aszu winemaking:

A

Mash grapes into paste
Botrytis grapes are macerated in must/base wine to draw out sugar flavor
12-60 hr maceration
Stronger extraction: earlier fermentation; wait for lighter style
Cultured yeast
Stop fermentation by chilling, racking, or SO2
Min 18mo oak - 136L Hungarian barrels called Gonci

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8
Q

Sweetness labeling in Aszu:

A

Until 2013, measured on puttonyos scale: 3-6 puttonyos
Now, 5-6 puttonyos only; less sugar now “Late Harvest” or “Tokaji Edes Szamorodni”

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9
Q

Describe Eszencia:

A

Extremely rare/expensive
Tiny volume of syrupy free-run juice from Aszu berries
Takes years to ferment
Less than 5%ABV
Min 450g/L

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10
Q

Describe Late Harvest:

A

Lower proportion of botrytis
Min. 45g/L RS, 90-110 common
Little or no oak

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11
Q

Describe Szamorodni:

A

“As it comes”
Whole bunches with varying amounts of healthy and botrytized grapes
Can be sweet (edes) or dry (szaraz)
Min 6mo oak
Sweet: 90-110g/L, min 45
Dry: aged under a thin layer of flor yeast for up to 10 years

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12
Q

Dry wines in Tokaj?

A

Production tripled last 5 years
Single vineyard (Dulo) wines now being produced
85% varietal for labeled wines

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13
Q

Wine law in Tokaj?

A

Joined EU in 2004
Adopted PDO/PGI
PGI Zempleni uses international grapes

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14
Q

Wine business in Tokaj:

A

State-owned Grand Tokaj - 35% of regions wine from 2000 growers
40% export - mostly Eastern Europe
Aszu 10%, dry wines 21%
Under 6000 hectares under vine

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