A comprehensive article in Polish Trybuszon magazine

Tomasz Witkowski is not only a great ambassador of Hungarian wines as the manager of 2Bratanki wine shop and online store, but also a talented wine writer. Writing about Tokaj is a tough job, there is a lot to say and there have been several changes in the regulation and the also in the gastronomy scene of Tokaj, but Witkowski has done the job! The article is up-to-date, informative, entertaining and contains funny stories as well – for example, we will get to know about Fülöp, the stork!

The following is the translation of the original article.
See the original article here

TOKAJ – the land of fog, volcanoes, and Furmint

By Tomasz Witkowski

In 2002, one of the most outstanding rock artists, at the peak of his popularity, Peter Gabriel released another solo album, Up. It featured the beautiful, reflective song “More than this.” The chorus includes the lyrics: “More than this, so much more than this, there is something else there.” Why am I bringing this song up here, in this report about Tokaj? Because it comes to mind whenever I think about the stereotypes that exist in our country regarding this extraordinary wine region. The most common is that Tokaj is exclusively a sweet wine. And yet – more than this…

There are places that exist simultaneously in the world of geography and legend. Tokaj smells of history, wet volcanic tuff, autumn fog, and wine aging in underground cellars for hundreds of years. This is a region that has fascinated monarchs, poets, merchants, and travelers for centuries. Louis XIV is said to have described its most famous wine, aszú, as “the wine of kings and the king of wines.”

Today, Tokaj is experiencing a renaissance – not only as a source of legendary sweet treats, but also as one of the most exciting lifestyle destinations in Central Europe. It has become a destination for people seeking something more than just an Instagram photo. It’s a place of extraordinary authenticity – austere, melancholic, full of silence, mists, small vineyards, and unhurried gastronomy. At a time when many wine regions around the world look similar, Tokaj has retained its own personality. This is what makes it so fascinating today.