With 22 wine regions growing hundreds of varietals, the country of Tokaj wines, offers a multitude of great wines to explore.
Wines of
European elites
A brief history of the vineyard
Like many European countries, the history of Hungarian viticulture goes back to the time of the Roman Empire, and more precisely around the 5th century.
In the following centuries, many grape varieties from Italy and France were introduced to the territory.
From the 17th century, Tokaj Aszu wines were very appreciated by the European elites. It was also the favorite wine of Louis XIV who described it as “the wine of kings and the king of wines“.
Today, Hungary produces mainly dry and aromatic white wines, and rather light red wines.
indigenous white varieties
Hungary is famous for its Tokaj, a sweet wine made from late harvests in November and noble rot. It is mainly composed of Furmint and Harslevelu grapes. Tokaj wines age in barrels for several years and up to two centuries for the greatest bottles…
But Hungary also produces a multitude of wines to discover.
Among the indigenous white varieties, after Furmint and Hárslevelu, there is Olaszrizling (a variant of Riesling)…
And concerning red grape varieties, there are Kekfrankos (a variety of Gamay), Kadarka…
The Egri Bikaver or “bull’s blood” is a Hungarian red wine with an intense color and made from the last two varieties. It must be aged in oak barrels for at least one year before being bottled.
140,000 ha
Located mainly in the west and center of the country, there are no less than 22 wine regions, including the Tokajhegyalja region in the north and its legendary Tokaj wine, or the Villany region in the south of the country, where excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-type wines are produced.
Did you know?
On the labels of Tokaj Aszu bottles, you can find numbers from 2 to 6, even 8 for the aszu eszencia. This reflects the number of puttonyos used, which are the baskets used to harvest. Inside, the grapes with the noble rot form a thick and very sweet paste called aszu.
The puttonyos are poured and counted into a 130 liter barrel filled with dry white wine. The higher the number of puttonyos, the sweeter and more liquorish the Tokaj.
Extent of the vineyard
Hungarian vineyards extend over 140,000 hectares, with a production quite equivalent to that of Greece.
