📍 Tokaj

Tokaj is a wine area in north-eastern Hungary, at the foot of the Zemplén hills, where the Tisza and Bodrog rivers meet. It is part of Hungarian winemaking. A small part of the historic area lies in neighbouring Slovakia. Since 2002 Tokaj has been on UNESCO's list as a historic wine cultural landscape.

The slopes are volcanic, with soils of tuff, rhyolite, loess and clay. In cellars cut into the soft rock, dark mould grows on the walls and keeps humidity up. In autumn, mists over the rivers encourage noble rot (botrytis), which shrivels the berries and sweetens them.

Six grapes are allowed: Furmint (the main one), Hárslevelű, Yellow Muscat (Sárgamuskotály), Zéta, Kövérszőlő and Kabar. Tokaji Aszú is made from dried berries with noble rot, which are added to must or wine, giving a sweet wine with high acidity and aromas of honey, apricot and dried fruit. Sweetness is measured in puttonyos.

Besides sweet wines, Tokaj makes dry wines from Furmint, valued for acidity and minerality. Another type of semi-sweet and sweet wine is Szamorodni. Sweet Tokaj wines are served with foie gras, blue cheese and desserts, while dry Furmints go with fish and poultry.