A food pairing from a British fine dining restaurant

Three years ago, Zsuzsa Toronyi (Wine Communication / Wines of Hungary UK) organised a Tokaji Aszú campaign in England with several food pairing events. This is a pairing from that event:
Béres Aszú & The five gourds
By Urcino Garcia Hernandez head sommelier, Chef’s Table and Twenty Eight, Chester
DISH The five gourds (a dish that combines five different kinds of squash and pumpkin)
WINE Béres, Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2011
‘Squash has a natural sweetness’, explains Hernandez, ‘and it complements the sweetness in the wine. The wine’s residual sugar also works well with the heat of the togarashi spice and that hint of Asian flavours, while the candied pecans, which we scatter in with the seeds, bring out the notes of dried fig, date and sweet almonds in the wine.’
More about Twenty-Eight
More about Béres Vineyards

The best place to enjoy: Wine, Shine… Bénye festival on 13–16 August

Erdőbénye is a picturesque village in Tokaj wine region, this is where Béres Vineyard is located. It is worth visiting any time of the year, but the highlight is the annual cross-cultural festival, this year with 16 locations, including Béres.
More information here

Sarah Marsh British Master of Wine spent several days in Hungary and tasted many sparkling wines, not only in Hungary, but back in England as well. It was Zsuzsa Toronyi of Wines of Hungary UK / Wine Communication, who worked hard to arrange the expert’s visit and tastings to the sparkling companies, and her efforts were rewarding.
The article on worldoffinewine.com is comprehensive, it has a historical introduction including the legal obstacles in the past, and features not only the key, leading companies, but many small producers as well. She even devoted some sentences to the explanation of our term “pezsgő”.

Tokaj first and foremost

“Across Hungary corks are popping, but Tokaj’s sparkling wines are those that most appeal to me. They are the most consistent, but more significantly they have the strongest sense of place. Many places in the world make attractive bottle fermented wines, but Tokaji Pezsgő is driven by nervy Furmint which becomes savory and austere on volcanic soil. This winning combination produces wines with distinctive regional identity” – this is how Sarah Marsh MW ends her article. She introduces Sauska in detail, as the leading Tokaj sparkling producer, but mentions small batches as well: “Another small artisanal wine I enjoyed in Tokaj is the taut, steely, and linear Kata Zsirai Brut Nature NV.” Marsh also emphasises the uniqueness of Tokaj sparklings made of the other main grape, Hárslevelű.  “You can taste the softer, honeyed style from Béres Winey, where they specialize in Hárslevelu. However, in the hands of sparkling master Zoltán Demeter, Hárslevelű is delicate and fragrant, breezy and saline.”

Balaton – The sparkling lake

March describes Garamvári Vineyard in South Balaton in detail, and she was impressed by difference of the two Furmint sparkling wines of Garamvári (they have a small vineyard in Tokaj as well): “I was keen to compare the two bottle-fermented 2019 Furmints which were produced identically including the dosage. Lellei Furmint (from Balatonboglár) has a gentle palate with light herbal notes and a creamy finish. The Tokaji Furmint was more austere, energetic, straighter, and more focused.”
The wine writer indroduces the sparkling king of Somló, Kreinbacher, and lists seveal smaller producers as well, like Éliás: “There was even a Brut Nature Kéknyelű 2021 from Éliás Winery, which is engagingly sapid and more aromatic than autolytic.”

The rest of the country

Etyek, the wine region near Budapest gets its well-deserved focus: Marsh explaines the new PDO of the region, Etyeki Pezsgő with its regulation. And she mentions other wine regions and producers, like Jackfall from Villány and Schieber from Szekszárd, wine regions in the south of the country.

Read the whole article here

About the World of Fine Wine

“Named Louis Roederer International Wine Publication of the Year three years running (2010, 2011 and 2012), we – The World of Fine Wine – are an award-winning magazine, website and app speaking to an international readership of discerning individuals who each share a passion for wine. We take a sophisticated approach to the assessment of fine wine that is neither dominated by fad or fashion, nor one individual palate, nor the latest over-hyped wines. The publication appeals to a broad spectrum of wine lovers because of the range of subject matter we cover and the quality and depth of the articles written on these academic topics. Working with some of the world’s most respected wine writers, we offer authoritative editorial content that is seeing us become the go-to place for the global fine wine aficionado. We are a quarterly publication with subscribers extending across 30 countries.”

Béres – every single drop is medicine

The winery was founded by the son of the creator of the world famous Béres Drops – hence the slogan. The estate is located in the picturesque village of Erdőbénye, where the very first evidence of grape-growing of Tokaj was found.
On TasteHungary.eu Aszú-lovers can find a 2008 vintage Béres Tokaji Aszú, a true treasure!
“This wine is a blend of Furmint (70 percent) and Hárslevelű (30 percent) from volcanic soil in the Lőcse and Omlás vineyards. Vintage 2008 had an early spring, and enough rain to produce a good amount of botrytis and lots of Aszú berries. Grapes were harvested up until November 26th. The gorgeous dark golden-amber color of this wine is a promising sign of what is to come inside the bottle. This wine was fermented in oak barrels and aged in Hungarian oak barrels for 24 months (with an additional 12 months in the bottle before it was released).“

Available in the EU, while Béres Tokaji Esszencia is available in the US.
More information

Dereszla – affordable and outstanding

Having a good price would not be a merit without high, what is more outstanding quality. Edit Bai chief winemaker is devoted to select the best wines from the many barrels for the Aszú wines, the result is constantly great, for example vintage 2011 Dereszla Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos received 95 points from Wine Spectator. The current vintage available in most places is 2017, it is a blend of Furmint and Hárslevelű.
“A tightly wound and focused sweet wine, with intense acidity harnessing layers of apricot coulis, golden raisin, mango and passion fruit puree. It’s all about the fruit now, with some added notes of spice and chalk lifting the finish. Should develop nicely over time.“

Available in many countries, for example in the UK and even in Spain.
More information

Holdvölgy – the embodiment of Tokaj’s culture

This Tokaji Aszú is the odd one out – this is the only one with a name: Culture. Though Holdvölgy estate gives a name to each of the wines, the range consists of Intuition, Signature, Meditation and others. Holdvölgy is also unique to offer many vintages of the 6 puttonyos Tokaji Aszú on their webshop, 12 different vintages (!), to be precise. They make only 6 puttonyos Aszú wines and age them for 8 years! This is the reason for having released “only” 12 vintages. However, for keen Aszú lovers younger vintages are also available en primeur.
Holdvölgy Culture 2017 is made of Furmint, Hárslevelű and Zéta with a 100% Furmint base wine. “The nose is clean and precise, dominated by fresh cantaloupe and supported by apricot compote, candied lemon peel and a hint of clove. A lively citrus flavor attack on the palate with the cantaloupe returning on the core. The finish is long led by apricot and fig with persistence and fine complexity.“

Available in the UK, in the Netherlands, in France and other countries
(Aszú is on the way to the Dutch webshop!)
More information

Patricius – makes you beautiful

Let me share a personal memory: when I was pregnant with my third child, I happened to participate in a wine dinner in Tokaj with several producers. I refused to drink wine, but Péter Molnár, the estate manager of Patricius and his wife, Sarolta Bárdos (owner and winemaker of Tokaj Nobilis) insisted on having a tiny portion of Tokaji Aszú. “It is full of trace minerals, and, believe us, your baby will be more beautiful!” Certainly, they were joking with the second half of the sentence, but I looked around, at all the beautiful faces around me, and I was convinced. Needless to say, my daughter is a real beauty…
Patricius Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos 2019 is a varietal wine made of 100% Furmint. “Nicest aromas of botrytized berries followed by enormous, high structure and full body. Long, smooth, endless taste and exceptional deepness of peach, apricot and fig character. Full of Tokaj.“

Available in the UK, in the US and many other countries
More information

Sauska – impeccable, and full of life

The wines of Sauska estate – weather they are red wines from Villány, sparkling wines disgorged in Budafok or Aszú wines from Tokaj are simply spotless. When a wine critic wants to find a fault, the only thing they say is that it is “too perfect”. Well, perfection can be boring, but Sauska wines are full of excitement as well. 2019 vintage Sauska Tokaji Aszú 6 puttonyos is a blend of Furmint, Hárslevelű and Sárgamuskotály.
“Beautiful golden color wine with aromas of white nougat, lemongrass pannacotta, candied ginger, and dried mango. It is lusciously sweet with hard-to-believe fresh acidity that beautifully balances the natural sweetness of the wine. Very long aftertaste with ginger-like spiciness. This is the kind of wine that will only get better with age. We expect this wine to have a very long, 30+ year, life ahead.“

Available in the UK, in the US and many other countries
More information

Zsirai – the “One & Only”

The Mád winery led by two sisters, Kata and Petra Zsirai has recently gone through a rebranding: new logo, new labels, new wine names. The One & Only wines are unique, outstanding ones with a serial number, so that they are collectibles. Zsirai Tokaji Aszú No1 2021 is one of the three One & Only wines, it is made of 100% Furmint from Középhegy and Nyulászó vineyards.
The hand picked grapes fermented spontaneously and then aged for 24 months in 4th use 220L barrels.This wine has the highest amount of residual sugar of all we listed with 288.5 g/L! But do not worry, the acidity of 9.14 g/L balances it brilliantly.
“The perfect combination: good grapes, good vintage, good balance. One of the greatest Aszú wines we have ever made. There are no words, let us speak the wine for itself.”

More information

+1 Aszú Glass – to dress your Aszú properly

Riedel created a Furmint glass in 2017, God bless them, and more recently, in 2023 Halimba Crystal, a Hungarian company created a glass dedicated to Tokaji Aszú wines. “A new glass, designed and tested to show Tokaji Aszú at its best, has been ceremonially unveiled today in Andrássy Kúria Hotel’s conference room in Tarcal. The approximately ninety invitees to the special event, mostly local winemakers, were treated to two Aszú wines, served in this elegant, uniquely shaped glass, selected from five finalist designs at a tasting by multiple local growers and wine professionals in August earlier this year. The event was hosted by Tokaj expert and author of the award-winning Tokaj Guide Gergely Ripka who has been the originator of, and driving force behind, the project. The glass is now available for purchase from manufacturer Halimba Crystal and, while few will be able to clink this with an Aszú on 10th December, International Aszú Day, the new glass will certainly adorn many more tables this coming Christmas in Hungary, and then hopefully become an essential part of the glassware range for bars and restaurants the world over.”
From Tokaj Today on 8 December 2023

ASZÚ GETS ITS OWN GLASS ON THE EVE OF INTERNATIONAL ASZÚ DAY

More information

Aszú Day – since 2017

The idea of the International Aszú Day came from Dániel Kézdy, an avid fan and great expert of Tokaj. Mr. Kézdy has published a book on the wine region in 2014 with the title Tokaj – People and Vineyards which is available both in Hungarian and English. He was also the initiator and organizer of Furmint Február an annual event since 2010, and Hárslevelűk Éjszakája since 2014. The two events are designed to highlight these important Hungarian varieties. It was also Mr. Kézdy who came up with the idea of the International Furmint Day to be celebrated on the 1st of February. „You might say I am biased but I am convinced that it would be a hell of a task to refute me, so I’m not afraid to declare that Tokaj Aszú is the greatest sweet wine in the world and it deserves to be put in the limelight worldwide”, says Mr. Kézdy.
He also led an online campaign on social media and maintained a website dedicated to Aszú Day, however the landing page does not funcion any more. Nevertheless, Aszú Day is alive and is on, as long as there are fans of this magic wine.

Tokaji Aszú in a nutshell

The Tokaj wine region is situated in North East Hungary at the foothills of the Zemplén Mountains, along the rivers Bodrog and Tisza. The world’s first delimited wine region since 1737, the regulations were designed to protect local values and they prohibited the import of grapes, must or wine to the region. The soil is of volcanic origin (andesite, liparite, quartz) and this is reflected in the wines which show a certain minerality and tightness. The climate is continental with long and dry autumns. One of the defining features of the wine region is the multitude of microclimates and soils in the various vineyards resulting in wines of great variety and distinct characters.

Thanks to the special microclimate of the wine region the onset of Botrytis cinerea or noble rot responsible for the shrivelling of berries is an almost certain occurrence each year though admittedly with varying degrees of intensity. In autumn the diurnal alternation of morning fog created by the rivers and dry sunny days is conducive to the production of aszú berries.

Botrytis punctures the grape skins thereby assisting the evaporation of liquid matter and by doing so increasing the concentration of sugar, acidity and flavour compounds. However this is not a uniform process so the shrivelled berries have to be picked one by one over a prolonged period. Needless to say this is an extremely labour-intensive process; even experienced pickers can gather only 6-7 kilograms a day and the same vine might have to be revisited 4-5 times in one harvest period.

Once the liquid matter has evaporated the aszú berries are macerated in the fermenting juice or base wine of the same vintage for 24-48 hours with regular stirring for proper extraction. Once the maceration is done the aszú paste is removed, pressed and the resulting must is fermented to arrive at Tokaj Aszú. Post-fermentation residual sugar content must reach at least 120 gramm/liter.

Properly stored Tokaj Aszús can be enjoyed for several decades. A properly stored 20 year old Aszú is still magnificent with slightly transformed flavours, added complexity; it’s easy to see why they are so higly regarded by connoisseurs. However tasting younger Aszús with their more springlike, fresher and brighter profile provides just as much pleasure.

On Tokaj wine styles read our Vocabulary section

The sparkling stars of our cover photo

Béres Tokaji Méthode Traditionnelle Brut 2019

The winery has collected several great acknowledgments recently, like the highest scores for Hungarian wines at Decanter World Wine Award. This bottle fermented is made of 100% Hárslevelű, which is less typical in Tokaj wine region, than sparklings made of Furmint. “Dry, fresh, yet with a very rich palate with hints of apple, pear, peach, citrus, and rhubarb with a strong minerality that lingers in the finish along with grapefruit-like citrusy and tart green apple characteristics.”
More information

Garamvári Lellei Furmint Brut

This family-owned winery was the first use Furmint variety for bottle fermented sparkling wines. Back then it was made of Furmint from Tokaj, and they keep on producing it, but this wine is made of Furmint from the South shore of Lake Balaton. This sparkling wine has been chosen the best traditional method sparkling wine of the latest edition of the Hungarian National Wine Contest. “The base wine come from just opposite the winery from Balatonlelle. The Furmint is an excellent grape variety for sparkling wines. The variety has outstanding acidity in our wine region and our soil has similar characteristics as the soil of Tokaj region. Here the grape has more fruitiness and lighter aromas. It bears a very strong character with refreshing citruses, green apple and creamy, biscuit notes.”
More information

Holdvölgy Hold and Hollo Uppp 2024

The winery makes outstanding quality dry and sweet wines, unforgettable Tokaji Aszú wines as well, while Uppp is the playful face of the estate, an aerated sparkling wine with only 9.7 g/L residual sugar, made of Zéta and Hárslevelű. “The 10th vintage of our sparkling wine, dressed in orange, is explosive with its subtle and dynamic bubbles. The nose is filled with floral notes, citrus, and peach, evoking a vibrant fruit medley. The palate is crispy and flavourful, featuring peach, pomelo, and refreshing pink grapefruit. A lively and charming Hold and Hollo experience.”
More information

Koch Chardonnay Brut, Extra Brut and Brut Nature 2017

The above described three sparkling wines are all made of indigenous grapes, while the sparklings of Csaba Koch are made of Chardonnay. It does not mean that he is not keen on local grapes, on the contrary, he has Kadarka, Irsai, Cserszegi and many other wines made of local grapes, but for the Champagne method sparkling wine he wanted a Champagne variety. He makes three types of sparkling Chardonnay: a brut, an extra brut and a brut nature – this latter one is unfiltered, really exciting and complex! All of them spend one year with the lees in the bottle. The best is to try all of them along each other…
More information