1. Tokaji History’s most treasured sweet wine

2. Tokaji refers to the wines from the region of Tokaj-Hegyalja of Hungary. Hegyalja means “foothills” in Hungarian (the most complicated language of the EU The history of Tokaji marks it to be one of the world’s first great sweet wines, with records of it being highly reputable by the mid-17 th century. Signs of the beneficial effects of botrytis were noted in the Tokaji growing regions a whole century before they were accidentally discovered in Germany and France.

3. Tokaji - especially the rare free-run juice called Essencia - was the most highly regarded and sought after wine by the Russian, Austro- Hungarian and Polish royalty and nobility. The vineyards, mostly owned by the Hungarian aristocracy, were the country’s most valuable assets, and Tokaji is mentioned in the Hungarian national anthem. Russia's Catherine the Great can claim to be one of the first foreign investors; she owned (and protected with her own locally stationed infantry battalion) one of the most prestigious vineyards.

4. The historic Tokaj-Hegyalja wine-growing region is located in the northeastern part of Hungary, close to the borders to Slovakia and Ukraine. The area where Tokaji wine is traditionally grown is a small plateau, 457 m (1500 ft) above sea level, near the Carpathian Mountains. It is only 275 square kilometers in size (55 km long and 30 km wide). Today the area under cultivation measures around 6200 hectares.

7. Some of the characteristics which make the Tokaj wine region unique are: Soil and microclimate: The Tokaj terroir consists of clay or loess* soil on volcanic subsoil. The microclimate is determined by the sunny, south-facing slopes and the proximity of the Tisza and Bodrog rivers, and is conducive to the proliferation of Botrytis (noble rot) and the subsequent desiccation of the grapes. Indigenous grape varieties: Furmint and Hárslevelü have been cultivated in the region for centuries and, together with Yellow Muscat (Hungarian: Sárgamuskotály) and Zéta, are the only grape varieties officially permitted for use in the region. Cellars: A vast system of cellars was carved out of solid rock between 1400 and 1600 A.D. They provide a constant temperature of around 10-12°C. The cellars are covered with a characteristic mold, which feeds off the alcohol evaporated during aging and keeps the humidity in the range of 85-90%, which is ideal for the aging of Tokaji wines. Appellation system: A royal decree in 1757 established a closed production district in Tokaj, the world's first system of wine appellation. Vineyard classification began in 1730 and was completed by the national censuses of 1765 and 1772. *The word loess, with connotations of origin by wind-deposited accumulation, is of German origin and means “loose.” It was first applied to Rhine River valley loess about 1821.

8. Kövérszőlő Kabar (a cross of Hárslevelű and Bouvier* grapes) Furmint accounts for 60% of the area and is by far the most important grape in the production of Aszú wines. Hárslevelű stands for further 30%. Nevertheless, an impressive range of different types and styles of wines are produced in the region, ranging from dry whites to the Eszencia, the world's sweetest wine * Bouvier is a white wine grape planted primarily in Central Europe (Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia) where it is also known as Ranina

9. “The Wine of Kings, The King of Wines” Although it is unknown exactly how long Tokaji has been cultivated, the vines are believed to have grown from the volcanic soil of the fork of the rivers Bodrog and Hernád prior to the settlement of the Magyar tribes. According to legend, the first aszú was made by Laczkó Máté Szepsi in 1630. However, mention of wine made from aszú grapes had already appeared in the Nomenklatura of Fabricius Balázs Sziksai which was completed in 1576.

10. Other sources point to Tokaj being cultivated around Roman times, and that many of the region’s spectacular underground cellars were built during Hungary’s invasion by the Mongols circa 1241.

11. The Ottoman Turks conquered much of what is now Hungary during the 16th Century. The well-defended Tokaj region was never fully occupied but was subject to raids and the threat of invasion throughout this period. Legend has it that at some stage during this time, the Tokaj vineyards were left un-harvested due to the Turkish threat. When the farmers returned the grapes had dried up and shrivelled and the concentration of sugar and acidity was remarked upon - the resulting wine was in the end of surpassing quality and this marked the birth of Tokaji Aszú. However, the actual techniques for Tokaji Aszú production were not refined until the 1630's. The wines for which the region is famous result from skilful application of winemaking techniques developed in Tokaj nearly 400 years ago and passed from generation to generation, despite the trauma of wars, famine and political change.

12. The name Aszú means desiccated in Hungarian - Europe’s most complex language. The actual vinification process for Aszú wines was first developed by Abbot Szepsi Laczkó Máté (1576-1633) in 1631, for Zsuzsanna Lórántffy, who was the consort to Prince György Rákóczi I, Prince of Transylvania from 1630 to 1648. Tokaji Aszú was frequently mentioned in writings from the mid 16th century onwards, indicating that making wine from botrytis-affected grapes soon became common practice. Distributed by enterprising Polish and Jewish traders, Tokaji Aszú soon gained an excellent reputation at several European royal courts.

13. In the first years of the 18th century, the Transylvanian patriot and defender of the region, Prince Ferenc Rákóczi II, (1676 -1735) recognized the unique quality of Aszú wine and used the proceeds from Tokaji wine sales to finance his battle against Habsburg and Austrian domination of Hungary. In 1703, in the hope of cultivating an alliance with France, Rákóczi gave King Louis XIV some Tokaji wine from his Tokaj estates as a gift. This was served at the French Royal court at Versailles, where it became known as Tokay.

14. Delighted with the precious beverage, Louis XV of France offered a glass of Tokaji to Madame de Pompadour, referring to it as "Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum" ("Wine of Kings, King of Wines"). This famous line is used to this day in the marketing of Tokaji wines.

15. Emperor Franz Josef had a tradition of sending Queen Victoria Tokaji Aszú wine, as a gift, every year on her birthday, one bottle for every month she had lived, twelve for each year. On her eighty-first and final birthday in 1900, this totaled an impressive 972 bottles. With the advent of the phylloxera plague in the 1880s (a decade later than in France), viniculture in Tokaj hit rock bottom. Production collapsed, and many vineyard owners went bankrupt. Gradually the vineyards were replanted on grafted rootstock, and there was a revival by the early 1900's, only for sales to again all but disappear with the advent of World War I.

16. Since the collapse of the communist regime in 1990, Tokaji has experienced a remarkable renaissance. First, investors came from France, Spain, Germany and England, but also from Hungary itself: local winemakers bought vineyards in excellent locations. Over time, the premium vineyards have been divided into smaller and smaller parcels, many are now in the hands of local artisanal producers. Today wine aficionados can find excellent Aszú wines from first-class vineyards, produced by dozens of small and medium-sized wineries. A state-owned producer continues to exist and handles approximately 20% of the overall production.

17. Types of Tokaji wine A bottle of Tokaji Aszú 4 Puttonyos, vintage 1990, in a 500 ml bottle of the style that is typical for Tokaji wine. The capsule label with the colours of the Hungarian flag is also characteristic. Dry Wines: These wines, once referred to as common, ordinárium, are now named after their respective grape varieties: Tokaji Furmint, Tokaji Hárslevelű, Tokaji Sárgamuskotály and Tokaji Kövérszőlő. Szamorodni: This type of wine was initially known as főbor (prime wine), but from the 1820s Polish merchants popularised the name samorodny ("the way it was grown" or "made by itself"). What sets Szamorodni apart from ordinary wines is that it is made from bunches of grapes which contain a high proportion of botrytised grapes. Szamorodni is typically higher in alcohol than ordinary wine. Szamorodni often contains up to 100-120 g of residual sugar and thus is termed édes (sweet). However, when the bunches contain less botrytised grapes, the residual sugar content is much lower, resulting in a száraz (dry) wine. Its alcohol content is typically 14%. botrytised Aszú: This is the world-famous wine that is proudly cited in the Hungarian national anthem. It is the sweet, topaz-colored wine that was formerly known throughout the English-speaking world as Tokay. [4] The original meaning of the Hungarian word aszú was "dried", but the term aszú came to be associated with the type of wine made with botrytised (i.e. "nobly" rotten) grapes. The process of making Aszú wine is as follows. [4]

18. The concentration of aszú was traditionally defined by the number of puttony of dough added to a Gönc cask (136 liter barrel) of must. Nowadays the puttony number is based on the content of sugar and sugar-free extract in the mature wine. Aszú ranges from 3 puttonyos to 6 puttonyos, with a further category called Aszú- Eszencia representing wines above 6 puttonyos. Unlike most other wines, alcohol content of aszú typically runs higher than 14%. Annual production of aszú is less than one percent of the region's total output.

19. Eszencia: Also called nectar, this is often described as one of the most exclusive wines in the world, although technically it cannot even be called a wine because its enormous concentration of sugar means that its alcohol level never rises above 5-6 degrees. Eszencia is the juice of aszú berries which runs off naturally from the vats in which they are collected during harvesting. The sugar concentration of eszencia is typically between 500 g and 700 g per litre, although the year 2000 vintage produced eszencia exceeding 900 g per litre. Eszencia is traditionally added to aszú wines, but may be allowed to ferment (a process that takes at least 4 years to complete) and then bottled pure. The resulting wine has a concentration and intensity of flavour that is unequalled, but is so sweet that it can only be drunk in small quantities. Storage of Eszencia is facilitated by the fact that, unlike virtually all other wines, it maintains its quality and drinkability for 200 years or more. Fordítás: (meaning "turning over" in Hungarian), wine made by pouring must on the aszú dough which has already been used to make aszú wine. Máslás: (derived from the word "copy" in Hungarian), wine made by pouring must on the lees of aszú. Other sweet wines: In the past few years reductive sweet wines have begun to appear in Tokaj. These are ready for release in a year to 18 months after harvest. They typically contain 50-180 g/l of residual sugar and a ratio of botrytised berries comparable to Aszú wines. They are usually labelled as késői szüretelésű (late harvest) wines. Innovative producers have also marketed tokaji wine that does not fit the appellation laws of the above categories but is often of high quality and price, and in many ways comparable to aszú. These wines are often labelled as tokaji cuvée. In 1999, Chateau Pajzos became the first winery to produce a Tokaji ice wine.

20. How to enjoy Tokaji wine Tokaj wines are brought to market only after maturation in cask and additional storage time in bottle. So once a bottle is bought, it is generally ready to be consumed. Having said this, all good Tokaji can still be stored for many years; the higher qualities can be cellared for decades, and true essencia will last for two centuries or more: the greatest Tokaji wines are almost immortal. With the arguable exception of the wines of Chateau Chalon (also the result of oxidative winemaking), Tokaji is the longest-lived unfortified wine in existence. For this reason 19th century and even 18th century bottles are keenly sought after by collectors and fetch enormous prices. Tokaji Aszú is best consumed at a temperature of 11 to 14 °C. Warmer temperatures enhance its flavour but make it appear less fresh. A Szamorodni can be enjoyed at slightly cooler temperatures than an Aszú. If the Aszú has been made in the traditional, oxidative style, a tightly sealed bottle can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks after opening without any loss in quality. This way you can easily open several bottles at the same time for parallel tasting! A Tokaji Aszú is an elegant companion to many desserts. As a rule of thumb. make sure that the sweetness of the wine is greater than the sweetness of the dessert. As with Sauternes, Tokaji wines also compliment blue mold cheeses, especially Roquefort.