Grand Tokaj
The company was founded by the Hungarian State in 1948 and has been in her ownership ever since. The winery known as Tokaj Kereskedőház after 1993 has changed it’s name to Grand Tokaj in 2016 to emphasise the company’s all-time key role in the Tokaj Wine Region and to announce her ambitious plan to became a key player in markets not only on a national, but on a global level as well.
Grand Tokaj is the largest winery in the historic Tokaj-hegyalja wine region bearing the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the guardian and protector of our national winemaking tradition. The company is the flagship of wine production in the region being the largest winery – possessing a total of 66 hectares of vineyards and providing for 35% of the regions total. As the integrating force of the region we purchase grapes from over 1200 small producers across some 1050 hectares of land.
Thanks to developments the winery is now able to manufacture products to a higher standard from grapes cultivated both on its own land and procured from outside producers. A storage tank facility of 66,000 hectolitres capacity was opened in 2014 providing the winery the technological conditions necessary to produce wine of an international standard and a bottling plant with an annual capacity of 10 million bottles has begun operation in early 2017. Further developments will be carried out in 2017 and the years following at the company’s site in Tolcsva and at the company’s cellar in Szegi.
Modernisation has also brought significant results at the winery’s vine cultivation branch. Between 2013 and 2015, a survey of cultivating potential and the condition of existing vineyards was carried out, as a result of which a geographic information system (GIS) has been created to support decision-making, permitting grape procurement at the winery to be modelled and planned ahead.
Grand Tokaj’s wines representing the winery’s new spirit are made under the supervision of Károly Áts – winner of the title ’Winemaker of the Year’ in 2012 and famed for his 100 points Essencia – who has been the chief oenologist of the company since 2013. ’I was born in a wine region I believe to be a miracle’- regards Károly Áts, and just as our chief winemaker we are equally committed to this special wine region with its uniqueness and greatness. Our mission is to restore it to it’s former glory.
Wines
Grand Tokaj N°8 2015
Light greenish yellow. Clear nose with fruitiness typical of the vintage, pear, peach, a touch of smokiness and spring flowers. The palate is complex due to the blending of Furmint and Hárslevelű varieties, and as a result of the versatile, layered characteristics of eight wine communes of Tokaj wine region. The nose is followed by harmonious flavours. The flowery-honeyed notes of Hárslevelű are combined with the vitality and body of Furmint, resulting a complex wine.
Grand Tokaj Kővágó Furmint 2015
The refreshing character of the wine is nicely combined with the flavours of Furmint grape, and it is backed by the minerality of Kővágó vineyard in Mád. Due to new oak fermentation and maturation the palate shows some subtle smokiness, the body of Furmint grape along with its vibrant citrus character. Full bodied wine with great length – and some mineral-salty touch in the finish.
Grand Tokaj Szamorodni 2013
Elegant, noble botrytis notes on the nose resulting from barrel ageing with vanilla and citrus tones. Caramel creaminess, citrus freshness, refreshing, featherlight fruitiness on the palate. Vibrant, playful balance of acidity, sugar and alcohol. Great length with intensity in the finish.
Grand Tokaj Tokaji Aszú 5 puttonyos 2013
Stunning complexity on the nose: botrytis from the aszú berries, peach, orange zest, walnut brittle, fig and exotic flowers, with a touch of dill at the end. Extremely clear fruitiness on the palate, orange, birch, pear and apricot notes combined with flavours of white chocolate and vanilla as well. The refined acidity keeps the structure firm, long, yet rounded. The mouth is full of lime and grapefruit and some matured, coffee notes during the prolonged finish. A genuine great wine of Tokaj at the beginning of its development with great potential.
Grand Tokaj Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2013
Fresh, lovely dried apricot, spring flowers with chamomile on the nose with dried orange, tropical fruits and charming rose pepper. „Colourful nose.” Jammy plum and apricot combined with refreshing fruitiness on the palate. Full bodied wine with great complexity and length, with the perfect balance of alcohol and sugar. It fills the mouth with endless juiciness.