Hungary

Question 1

What is the climate of Hungary?

Answer 1

Moderate Continental

Question 2

Where in Hungary is the Tokaj region?

Answer 2

Northeast Hungary

Question 3

Tokaj is situated at the confluence of which 2 rivers?

Answer 3

Tisza and Bodrog Rivers

Question 4

What is the main grape used in Tokaji?

Answer 4

Furmint

Furmint is textural and redolent of freshly cut apples with high acidity and concentration; as it ages it develops nutty and honey flavors.

Question 5

What is the secondary grape used in Tokaji?

Answer 5

Hárslevelű

Hárslevelű is a spicy, aromatic grape with elevated acidity.

Question 6

What is the third grape used in Tokaji?

Answer 6

Sárga Muskotály, aka Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.

Sárga Muskotály is perfumed and floral.

Question 7

What is the bottle size for sweet wines in Hungary?

Answer 7

50cl, or 500ml

Question 8

What does Aszú mean?

Answer 8

Aszú indicates the grapes were affected by Botrytis/Noble Rot.

Question 9

What is Tokaji Szamorodni?

Answer 9

Szamorodni translates to “as it comes,” so Tokaji Szamorodni means “Tokaji as it comes.”

This means that there was no selection between normal ripe, non-Botrytis grapes and aszú grapes - all grapes were harvested together, pressed together, and vinified together. Even a smidge of Botrytis will display the notes of noble rot in even a dry wine.

Because there was no selection the wine may come out dry or semi-sweet, depending on how much Botrytis was present at time of harvest.

Question 10

What is the minimum aging requirement for Tokaji Szamorodni?

Answer 10

THIS HAS CHANGED!

New laws per WSET 3 textbook 2022 edition:

• Aged in cask minimum 6 months;
• Can be released January 1st the second year after harvest.

Old laws per textbook printed 2016, p.117:

• Aged in cask minimum 1 year and must be 2 years old prior to release.

Question 11

What does száraz mean on a bottle of Tokaji Szamorodni?

Answer 11

Dry

Question 12

What does édes mean on a bottle of Tokaji Szamorodni?

Answer 12

Sweet

How sweet the wine is depends on how much Botrytis was present when the grapes were harvested.

Question 13

Sometimes a Hungarian winemaker will not fill up their Szamorodni barrels all the way.

What happens to the wine if it isn’t topped up?

Answer 13

The wine may develop flor-like yeast which will lead to flavor characteristics in the wine similar to a Fino Sherry.

Question 14

What is a trend, or style of wine, coming out of Tokaj these days that doesn’t involve sweet wines?

Answer 14

Dry white wines made primarily from Furmint, often fermented and/or matured in oak (neutral or new).

Question 15

How is Tokaji Aszú made?

Answer 15

Botrytis-affected (aszú) berries macerate with non-botrytis affected must (a standard base wine) either before, during, or after fermentation for half a day up to 60 hours. The aszú infuses the must or wine with botrytis characteristics.

The must or wine is pressed and afterward it is matured in oak.

How many aszú berries were used will determine the final sweetness of the wine.

Question 16

As of 2013, what is the minimum residual sugar for Tokaji Aszú?

Answer 16

120g/L

Question 17

What is a puttony?

Answer 17

It is the unit of measurement used for aszú grapes that are added to dry wine to make Tokaji Aszú, and the number of puttony indicates the level of sweetness.

A puttony is a woven or wooden basket, usually with shoulder straps, that holds 20-25kg. See photo.

Question 18

What is the minimum aging requirement for Tokaji Aszú as of 2013?

Answer 18

• At least 18 months in oak

Question 19

What is Eszencia?​

Answer 19

Made only in the best vintages, Eszencia is made with the free-run juice (nectar, really) that seeps out from botrytis-affected grapes (aszú) after they’ve been hand harvested, berry by berry, and placed in a vessel.

The free-run nectar is fermented on its own and it takes years, sometimes up to a decade, to achieve just 4% abv.

Question 20

What is the minimum level of residual sugar for Eszencia?

Answer 20

450g/L

Question 21

What’s the difference between a Late Harvest wine and Tokaji Aszú?

Answer 21

Tokaji Aszú uses a maceration process of aszú grapes with base wine.

Late Harvest wines are made with grapes that were harvested late and which may or may not be affected by botrytis. If any grapes are aszú, they go right into the fermentation vessel along with the late harvest grapes.

Late Harvest wines are usually aged a shorter time than Tokaji Aszú.

Question 22

How are sweet Tokaj wines labeled if they have less than 120g/L of residual sugar?

Answer 22

Either Late Harvest or Tokaji Szamorodni, depending on how they’re made.

Make sure you know the difference in how Late Harvest and Tokaji Szamorodni are made.