Europe Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is Tokaji, and where is it produced?
A botrytized sweet wine produced in the Tokaj region of northeastern Hungary, traditionally made from Furmint and other native grapes.
What are the main grape varietals used in Tokaji production?
- Furmint – High acidity, prone to botrytis; main grape
- Hárslevelű – Aromatic, softens Furmint
- Sárgamuskotály (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) – Adds perfume
- Zéta, Kabar, Kövérszőlő – approved blending grapes
What are the two primary styles of Tokaji wines?
- Tokaji Aszú – Botrytized berries (Aszú) are macerated in base wine, then fermented and aged
- Tokaji Eszencia – Free-run juice from Aszú berries; extremely sweet and low in alcohol
How is Tokaji Aszú produced?
- Aszú berries (botrytized) are harvested by hand
- Mixed into a base wine or fermenting must
- Aged in oak (typically 2–3 years)
- Sweetness once expressed in puttonyos, now based on residual sugar (RS)
What are the quality levels of Tokaji Aszú based on sweetness?
- Measured in grams per liter (g/L) of residual sugar (RS)
- 5 Puttonyos: ~120 g/L RS
- 6 Puttonyos: ~150 g/L RS
- Aszú Eszencia: 180–450 g/L RS
What is Tokaji Eszencia, and how is it different from Aszú?
- Made from the free-run juice of botrytized Aszú berries
- Extremely high sugar (often >450 g/L)
- Very low alcohol (3–5%)
- Rare and long-aging, not legally considered a wine in EU (due to low ABV)
What does the term puttonyos mean in Tokaji wines?
- Refers to the number of buckets (puttonyos) of Aszú paste added to a gönci barrel of base wine
- Historically indicated sweetness; now symbolic due to legal change in 2013
What is Szamorodni in Tokaj wine classification?
- Means “as it comes” – bunches with both healthy and botrytized grapes
- Can be dry (száraz) or sweet (édes)
- Aged oxidatively or reductively
- Often nutty, Sherry-like if dry
What is the aging requirement for Tokaji Aszú?
- Must be aged for at least 18 months in oak, and not released before 3 years after harvest
What are the principal wine regions of Bulgaria?
- Danubian Plain (north) – moderate climate, white & red wines
- Thracian Lowlands (south) – warmer, best for red wines, esp. Mavrud
- Black Sea Coast – maritime climate, white wine production
- Struma Valley – southwest, warmest, home of Melnik grape
What are the principal wine regions of Romania?
- Moldova (northeast) – white wines (Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală)
- Muntenia & Oltenia (south-central) – red wines (Fetească Neagră, Merlot, Cabernet)
- Transylvania – high-altitude whites
- Dobrogea (near the Black Sea) – diverse styles, warm climate
- Banat & Crișana-Maramureș (west) – continental, mixed production
Name key Eastern European white grape varieties and where they are grown.
- Fetească Albă – Romania; floral, light-bodied white
- Fetească Regală – Romania; higher acidity, citrus and floral
- Tămâioasă Românească – Romania; Muscat family, used for dry and sweet wines
- Rkatsiteli – Georgia, also planted in Ukraine, Moldova; very old variety
- Graševina (Welschriesling) – Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia
Name key Eastern European red grape varieties and where they are grown.
- Fetească Neagră – Romania; dark fruit, spice, good structure
- Mavrud – Bulgaria (Thracian Lowlands); deep color, firm tannin
- Melnik – Bulgaria (Struma Valley); spicy, earthy red
- Kadarka – Hungary, Serbia; used in blends like Egri Bikavér
- Rubin – Bulgaria; crossing of Nebbiolo × Syrah
What is Fetească Neagră, and what are its characteristics?
- Indigenous red grape of Romania
- Produces wines with dark fruit, spice, moderate tannin, aging potential
What is Mavrud, and where is it primarily grown?
- Indigenous Bulgarian red grape
- Grown mainly in the Thracian Lowlands
- Deep-colored, structured reds with aging ability
What is Melnik, and what makes it unique?
- Native to southwestern Bulgaria (Struma Valley)
- Grown in sandy soils, often aged in oak
- Produces spicy, earthy reds with rustic character
