25. Hungary

Question 1

What is the climate in Hungary?

Answer 1

Moderate continental - short cold winters, long warm summer/autumn season.

Question 2

What factor is common with the best vineyards in Hungary?

Answer 2

Best vineyards have southerly aspect/slopes.

Question 3

Describe the vineyard humidity for Hungary?

Answer 3

Sufficient humidity for noble rot.

Question 4

Can black varieties ripen in Hungary?

Answer 4

Yes.

Question 5

What are the principal white grape varieties in Hungary?

Answer 5

Furmint (botrytis/principal variety for sweet Tokaji);
Harslevelu (botrytis/also used for sweet Tokaji);
Sarga Muscotaly (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains);
Olasz Rizling (crisp, light dry whites/bitter almonds);
Irsai Oliver (aromatic); Pinot Gris is an example of international variety, vinified in Pinot Grigio style.

Question 6

What are the principal black grape varieties in Hungary?

Answer 6

Kekfrankos (peppery, high acid, light); Kadarka (prone to grey rot/ low yields); International varieties such as Cabernet Franc

Question 7

Where is Tokaji located? -

Answer 7

Located in foothills of Carpathians.

Question 8

What are the attributes of the best Tokaji vineyards?

Answer 8

warm sloping vineyards, southerly exposure, two rivers and tributaries give morning humidity.

Question 9

Explain the harvesting of grapes in Tokaji.

Answer 9

Harvested by hand, 3 selections - Aszu (individual grapes taken that are completely botrytis-affected), Szamorodni (some botrytis but whole bunch picked), healthy grapes

Question 10

What is the key winemaking step in Tokaji?

Answer 10

Aszu: Aszu (botrytis affected) berries are macerated in dry wine and resulting wines aged for 2 years in oak, after which developes an oxidative character. The trend now to limit impact of O2 during maturation.

Question 11

What are the Key Wines in Tokaji?

Answer 11

Dry styles, Szamorodni (dry - cask aged with flor like fino sherry; sweet - oxidative), Aszu, Eszencia, modern-style sweet wines.

Question 12

What does the Hungarian wine lable term Puttonyos indicate?

Answer 12

a labeling term accompanied by a number from 3 to 6, indicating level of sweetness in Aszu wines, traditionally the number of buckets of Aszu grapes put into the dry wine

Question 13

What was the first wine in the world to knowingly be made from botrytised grapes?

Answer 13

Tokaji

Question 14

What is the rough German equivalent of 3 puttonyos Aszo Tokaji?

Answer 14

Auslese

Question 15

What is the rough German equivalent of 4-5 puttonyos Aszo Tokaji?

Answer 15

Beerenauslese

Question 16

What wine has the lowest alcohol level of any wine?

Answer 16

Eszencia, the most luxurious Tokaji.