In the autumn of 1956 harvest took place as usual, it started on 22nd October, while in Budapest, the revolution broke out the following day. Aszú berries were still picked in November, when Russian tanks invaded the country and demolished the hopes of a nation.

The Russian controlled communist era is over, and so is the era of mass produced, low quality wines, Hungarian wine renessaince started with the change of the regime in the 90’s.

This year is dedicated to the memory of 1956 and as a respect to the revolution, 150 bottles of Tokaji from the vintage of 1956 will be rebottled. The difficult process started last Wednesday. András Horkay, president of National Board of Wine Experts said that their job was to check every single bottle. „First we open the bottle, check the condition of the cork, smell and taste the wine to decide whether it is faulty or healthy.” Then the wines are filtered, stabilized and rebottled in a special, anniversary bottle and label. The wines undergo laboratory analysis as well to check the origin of the wines.

The whole National Wine Treasure consists of 300 000 bottles, kept in Tolcsva Wine Museum (in Tokaj wine region) and belongs to the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture.

„The rebottling at this size is unique, and a process like this at such a large scale has not been carried on yet” – said Eliza Kiss from the Ministry of Agriculutre responsible for wine industry.

1956 is considered an outstanding vintage of Tokaji Aszú, just like 1947 and 1972. Wine experts had two chances to taste these special vintages in the past few years, once at the airport of Budapest, when Heinemann Brothers opened its store in the renewed SkyCourt. The other occasion took place at VinCE Budapest Wine Show in 2013, where foreign experts could taste this miraculous wines as well.