Hungary

Question 1

Where is Tokaj?

Answer 1

The Tokaj region lies in the north-eastern corner of Hungary. It extends from the town of Tokaj into the foothills of the Zemplén Mountains towards the Slovakian border (a small part of the region continues into Slovakia).

Question 2

Describe the climate of Tokaj.

Answer 2

• Moderate continental
• Vineyards are protected from the worst of the cold, northerly winds by the Carpathian Mountains.
• Average sunlight hours between 1400-1500 in the growing season.
• Rainfall 500-600mm
• Autumns are warm and dry.
• Rivers create humidity

Question 3

Outline the topography of the vineyards of Tokaji.

Answer 3

• Vineyards are mostly planted on slopes to reduce the risk of frost and winter cold.
• Slopes are south, south-west and south-east facing for max. sun exposure.

Question 4

What are the two rivers influencing the growing region of Tokaji?

Answer 4

Tisza and Bodrog
These rivers meet in the town of Tokaji

Question 5

How do the Tisza and Bodrog rivers influence Tokaji?

Answer 5

The Bodrog floods regularly creating shallow marshes and water meadows. The moist air results in frequent morning fogs in the autumn, ideal for the development of botrytis

Question 6

What is a major factor contributing to Tokaji’s soils?

Answer 6

Tokaji is a region of hundreds of extinct volcanoes.

Question 7

What is nyirok in Tokaji?

Answer 7

A volcanic soil which is said to produce the most powerful wines.

Question 8

What are the main soil types of Tokaji?
What styles of wine are they thought to produce?

Answer 8

Nyirok: volcanic. Produces more powerful wines.
Loess: sandy silt with clay. Produces lighter, more delicate wines.

Question 9

What is Zasmidium Cellare in Austria?

Answer 9

Grey-black cushiony growths of the cellar fungus which are believed to regulate humidity.

Question 10

What is the name of the cellar fungas famous in Tokaji cellars?

Answer 10

Zasmidium Cellare

Question 11

What is the name of the volcanic soils of Tokaji?

Answer 11

Nyirok

Question 12

How were vines traditionally planted in Tokaji?

Answer 12

Vines were grown on single posts at a density of up to 10,000 vines per hectare.

Question 13

How are most vines now planted in Tokaji?

Answer 13

Vines are grown on trellis using replacement-cane pruning or cordon training with VSP.
Lower densities of 4000-5000 vines per hectare.

Question 14

What are the main pests and diseases concerning growers of Tokaji?

Answer 14

The main disease concerns are powdery mildew and, in wetter years, grey rot. Managing the canopy to ensure good air circulation is particularly important for grapes intended for dry wine. Pests include wild boar and birds.

Question 15

What are the typical yields for Tokaji Aszú?

Answer 15

2-3hL/ha

Question 16

What are the typical yields for Tokjai dry wines?

Answer 16

30-40hL/ha

Question 17

What are the six permitted grape varieties in Tokaji PDO?

Answer 17

Furmint, Hárslevelű, Kabar, Kövérszőlő, Sárgamuskotály, Zéta

Question 18

How much does Furmit account for in Tokaji’s total plantings?

Answer 18

Around 63%

Question 19

Outline the viticultural characteristics of Furmit.

Answer 19

• Late ripening
• Thick skinned, but susceptible to botrytis
• Accumulates high sugar levels and retains high levels of acidity

Question 20

What aromas does Furmint contribute to wines?

Answer 20

Typical flavours include lemon, apple and pear which can be detected in all styles of wine.
The wines develop notes of honey and nuts with age. Grapes affected by botrytis give flavours
of dried apricot and mango.

Question 21

How much does Hárslevelű account for in Tokaji’s total plantings?

Answer 21

Around 19%

Question 22

What aromas does Hárslevelű contribute to wines?

Answer 22

It produces wines which are fruitier than Furmint with distinctive aromas of white peach and orange blossom.

Question 23

Sárga Muskotály is more commonly referred to as what name?

Answer 23

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

Question 24

What is Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains known as in Tokaji?

Answer 24

Sárga Muskotàly

Question 25

What does the word Aszú mean?

Answer 25

Aszú is the Hungarian word for grapes that have been infected with botrytis and have shrivelled on the vine.

Question 26

What are the containers used to collect harvested Aszú berries called?

Answer 26

Puttony

Question 27

What do producers make of the syrupy free-run juice of Aszú berries?

Answer 27

Tokaji Esszencia

Question 28

What are the steps of the extraction and fermentation processes for Tokaji Aszú?

Answer 28

The juice inside the berries is too concentrated to extract via pressing. Instead: * Winemakers will typically create a paste from berries, mashing by passing through a pump is the most common technique. * The paste macerates for 12-60 hours in must, fermenting must or base wine at 12-15ºC or 16-20ºC with strongly fermenting must. * After maceration, juice is drained and paste/berries are pressed. * Must is fermented (or continues to ferment).

Question 29

Aszú berries or paste macerate in must, fermenting must or base wine to extract aromas and sugar. How does the winemaker decide method to choose?

Answer 29

Depends on the desired style of wine. Maceration in must gives lighter styles followed by maceration in young, finished wine. Maceration in fermenting must gives the strongest extraction and most complex wines, but unless berries are both ripe and clean, can also extract unpleasant bitter, unripe characteristics.

Question 30

How does the timing of the maceration of aszú paste/berries affect the final style of wine?

Answer 30

Strongest extraction occurs when the must is fermenting most actively early on while some producers prefer the later stages for a lighter extraction.

Question 31

What are the requirements when using base wine for aszú maceration?

Answer 31

It must by law have a min. potential alcohol of 12% abv, though in practice the base wine is often 14.5–15.5% abv (which is lowered by the addition of the Aszú berries/ paste). Otherwise, winemakers are free to choose which grape varieties they use (Furmint and Hárslevelű are the most common) and how botrytised the grapes that make this base wine are.

Question 32

What vessels are used for fermentation in Tokaji?

Answer 32

Both stainless steel and oak

Question 33

What is a gönc in Tokaji?

Answer 33

A Hungarian oak cask of approximately 136 L

Question 34

On the label of Tokaji Aszú, what does the term puttonyos mean?

Answer 34

Traditionally, this referred to the amount of puttony (baskets) added to a gönc (cask) with must/base wine determines the level of sweetness of the final wine. Now measured by set min. RS levels. The wine will be labelled 3-6 puttonyos.

Question 35

What are the ageing requirements for Tokaji aszú wines?

Answer 35

Aszú wines must be aged in barrel for at least 18 months. They may not be released prior to January 1 of the third year after harvest

Question 36

What kind of oak is preferred for the fermentation and maturation of Tokaji Aszú wines?

Answer 36

Hungarian oak, often from the Zemplén mountains above the region, is widely used for fermentation and ageing.

Question 37

What is the traditional Tokaji bottle?

Answer 37

Aszú wines must be bottled in a traditional, clear-glass, 500 mL Tokaji bottle.

Question 38

What size of barrel is preferred for the fermentation and maturation of Tokaji Aszú?

Answer 38

Traditionally a gönc (136 L) but more producers are now leaning towards larger barrels of 300-500L.

Question 39

What year did Tokaji stop using the traditional puttonyos scale for its wines?

Answer 39

2013

Question 40

How did the puttonyos scale change for Tokaji Aszú wines in 2013?

Answer 40

* To be labelled Puttonyos, the wine must have a min. 120g/L of RS (the former requirement for the 5 puttonyos category). * Producers now may label their 120+g/l RS wine as 3-5 puttonyos, but most will label under 5. * 6 puttonyos wines are required to have min. 150g/l RS. * Wines with below 120g/l are labelled late harvest or Tokaji Édes Szamorodni depending on how its made.

Question 41

What is Tokaji Eszencia?

Answer 41

These are extremely rare, and therefore extremely expensive, wines made from the tiny volume of syrupy free-run juice that trickles from Aszú berries.

Question 42

Min. residual sugar for Tokaji Eszencia?

Answer 42

450g/l

Question 43

Typical alcohol levels for Tokaji Eszencia?

Answer 43

Usually less than 5%

Question 44

Describe the style of Tokaji Escenzia.

Answer 44

Full bodied with the consistency of syrup. Pronounced, highly concentrated flavours. High acidity. Can retain there freshness and therefore age for a long time.

Question 45

How do Tokaji late harvest compare to Tokaji Aszú?

Answer 45

Late Harvest wines tend to be lighter bodied and less concentrated than Aszú.

Question 46

What is the min. RS for Tokaji Late Harvest?

Answer 46

45g/l Most wines are between 90 and 110g/L

Question 47

Are Tokaji Late Harvest typically aged in oak.

Answer 47

Oak ageing is not compulsory and many wines spend little or no time in oak (and instead are stored in stainless steel) as producers aim to emphasise the fruit characteristics.

Question 48

When are Tokaji Late Harvest wines typically released after harvest?

Answer 48

Between 12-16 months after service.

Question 49

What does the term Szamorodni mean?

Answer 49

This is a polish word meaning as it comes.

Question 50

What are Tokaji Szamorodni wines?

Answer 50

This traditional style is made from whole bunches with varying amounts of healthy and botrytized grapes.

Question 51

What style of wine is Tokaji Szamorodni?

Answer 51

It is produced in either a sweet (édes) style or as a dry (száraz) wine, depending on the level of ripeness and botrytis. The sweeter style is more common.

Question 52

What is the min. RS for Tokaji Szamorodni édes?

Answer 52

Min. 45g/l although most are bottled between 90 and 110g/l.

Question 53

What is édes in Hungarian?

Answer 53

Sweet

Question 54

What is száraz in Hungarian?

Answer 54

Dry

Question 55

What are the ageing requirements for Tokaji Szamorodni?

Answer 55

Must be aged in barrel for at least 6 months. They may not be released until January 1 of the second year after harvest.

Question 56

What are Dry Szamorodni wines from Tokaji?

Answer 56

Dry Szamorodni is aged under a thin film of flor yeast (much thinner than those formed in Sherry production) for up to 10 years without topping up. The wine is protected from excessive oxidation and it develops nutty and green apple aromas.

Question 57

How much has the production of dry wines increased in Tokaji?

Answer 57

Production has tripled in the last five years.

Question 58

How are the practices of producers changing as more move to produce dry styles of wine in Tokaji?

Answer 58

Examples include: * Producing grapes with no botrytis * Producers are planting new vineyards on higher and windier sites above the fog zone * Using more open canopies and appropriate new treatments to prevent rot.

Question 59

How have the styles of dry wines changed in recent years in Tokaji?

Answer 59

At first, dry wines were made from very ripe grapes, underwent full MLF and lengthy periods of oak ageing. Now, many producers are using less-ripe berries, fermenting in stainless steel, and taking a less interventionist approach to produce lighter-bodied wines which show varietal character.

Question 60

What is a Dűlő in Hungary?

Answer 60

Single vineyard

Question 61

What are the assemblage requirements for dry Tokaji wines?

Answer 61

Varietal named wines must include a min. of 85% of labelled variety.Wa

Question 62

What grape varieties are most commonly used for dry Tokaji wines?

Answer 62

Furmit is most common Hárslevelü and Muscat also used.

Question 63

What is Zempléni in Tokaji?

Answer 63

PGI for wines made from other grape varieties of Tokaji.

Question 64

What is the land under vine in Tokaji? (ha)

Answer 64

In 2022, there were 5,260 hectares under vine in Tokaji PDO

Question 65

What is the average holding size in Tokaji?

Answer 65

Between 1-2ha

Question 66

How much of a role does Grand Tokaj have in Tokaji's total production?

Answer 66

The state owned Grand Tokaji sources from over 2000 growers and producers 30-35% of the region's wines.

Question 67

What is the average production (in hectolitres) of Tokaji?

Answer 67

Production over the five years from 2017–2021 has averaged at 150,000 hL

Question 68

How much does Tokaji Aszú account for in Tokaji's total production?

Answer 68

10%

Question 69

How much do dry wines account for in Tokaji's total production?

Answer 69

15%

Question 70

Which wine style is most produced in Tokaji?

Answer 70

A significant amount is inexpensive, non-botrytised wine (often made semi-sweet by stopping fermentation early) destined for the home market and other Eastern European countries.

Question 71

Outline the export market of Tokaji.

Answer 71

Only relatively small amounts of Tokaji are exported outside Eastern Europe, with UK, USA and Canada being the largest markets. Overall, exports account for around 40 per cent of production.