This trip has been a long time coming for me. With a Hungarian wife (and godmother) I’ve been exposed to the wines of Hungary over the past decade or two and have always liked the wines. Though my interest in other regions relegated Hungary/ Tokaj to mostly back-burner status, I’ve long considered taking a bigger bite out of the regions and wines.
Some Background on the Region:
Tokaj-Hegyalja, or the Tokaj wine region is situated mostly in Northeast Hungary, stretching in to Southwest Slovakia. There are 28 named villages and a little over 11,000 hectares, with about half of the land planted to vines. This pic below was taken as we left the town, on the way to one of the nearest Tokaj villages, Tarcal.
The region suffered through the world wars and the effects of communism, with an emphasis on quantity and output, the region’s reputation and wines were shot. Thankfully, things began to change over time, and Tokaj was granted town status in 1986 and was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2002. As focus on quality and focus on promoting/restoring Tokaj’s potential has gathered momentum, it stands to reason that the wines are only getting better.
Here are some producer and tasting notes from my trip.
Zoltan Demeter
Established in 1993, (first wines in 1996) this is a top flight, small producer managing 7 hectares, with many site specific wines from dry to Aszu. Everything in the cellar is done at home here, as their winemaking facility, labeling and bottling is done 100% at their property, which is a recognized heritage site (home) built in 1790! It was an honor to get a visit here, as the property is immaculate, with great respect for the past and an eye toward the future. It’s rather small but maximizes its space expertly, and gives the impression that the pursuit of quality here is second to none. You may see this producer listed as Demeter Zoltan, which is because it’s Hungarian custom to list the last name first.
2016 Kakas Furmint
Slight sweetness on entry, lemon/lime, mixed apple/pear fruit accented by some chalk and mineral impressions. Finishes soft and graceful. Mix of stainless and used oak.
7.6 g/l rs. 12% abv
2016 Szerelmi Harslevelu
Softer entry, Fuji apple, lychee, with just a hint of citrus, and nice clean minerality and medium acidity. Slightly more up front fruit (as you’d expect with Harslevelu) with good purity of lychee and elderflower flavor.
9.2 g/l rs. 13% abv
2016 Osz-Hegy Yellow Muscat
Nectarine, white flowers, honey on the nose. Leaves a dry impression on the palate, with some lemon/lime fruit, and nice sizzle on the back. Small impression of alcohol. All stainless. Reminds me of a high end Viognier with the sweet nose and dry palate. 9.2 g/l rs. 13.5% abv
2017 Boda Furmint, V.V.
Annette was nice enough to bring out a shiner of this. The old vine concentration was immediately apparent on this, more serious and intense, it made me wake up a bit. Love the complexity and medium + finish on this. Hoping Blue Danube to import some.
2013 Eszter
Apricot, dates, honey aromatics are very pleasing and accessible. Effortless on the palate as well, it delivers brilliant sweetness with good complexity of fruit and acidity.
Perhaps not quite as thought provoking or complex as good Aszu, which is partly due to being raised in stainless steel, and selection. However, this is just a brilliant effort and the one we took home with us.
Blend of Furmint, Harslevelu, Yellow Muscat. Guessing the blend is traditional 70-85% Furmint, 10-25% Harslevelu, 1-5% Muscat.
70-80% boytrisized grapes. Has enough sugar content to be labeled 6 Puttonyos, though doesn’t follow the strict protocol and oak aging, and as a result is much easier to make.
207 g/l rs. 9.5% abv
2010 Aszu 6 Puttonyos
New wood and oak in general comes through on the nose and palate, though remains classy and complex. I got the impression this wine would live 50+ years easily. Not sure why I didn’t bring one home…it’s a regret. The 2010 vintage was so tough they lost 90% of their crop. This wine was limited to 28 cases in 2010.
Majoros Pinceszet
Family winery with a long history, it’s headed by Laszlo Majoros, who was nice enough to host us on a Sunday night. He is a younger man than Demeter, though his passion and energy for the region is infectious. I’ve never seen a winemaker more excited about what he is doing, and the small international successes he is receiving along the way. The winery, and most of the vineyards are located in Tarcal, which is only a few kilometers away from the town of Tokaj, and one of the better Tokaj villages from what I understand.
2017 Furmint Deak
Free run juice, no pressing. Not finished with malo yet but full of energy.
2016 Furmint Deak
Finished wine, moderate lemon, good complexity, mineralite, good moderate finish.
2017 Muscat Blanc
Has a sweet honeysuckle nose, dry, saline palate. Clean and precise. Just like Viognier with the sweet promise of the nose, then going full matador with the dry palate. Doing well in the British market, should work with oysters.
2016 Harslevelu Agyag (deep clay)
On the leaner side, as the 12.5% abv implies. Waxy lemon, mineral, good moderate sustain on the finish with subtle spice. 100% stainless, free run juice, 1.9 g/l RS…just a little riper and some oak might be fun to try. I hear 2017 is just that, though higher yields.
2015 Tokaji Furmint Deak
Also leaner in nature, classic underripe peach, quince, and almond. Neutral oak, very hard to pick up. Good moderate+ sustain on the finish. 12% Abv, 2.7 g/l RS.
2015 Furmint Agyag "Major"
Production is 3 or 4 barrels, 1 is new.
Likes to use the same barrels from oak trees from the zamplani mountain. 1.1 g/l RS
Definitely more puckering and some noticeable oak here, but not too much. Rather nice and solid complexity.
2011 Furmint Deak
More vanilla on the nose, 4 years in oak. Bigger almond impressions, mineralite. More oxidized, accessible style. 11.5 Abv, 1.3 g/l RS.
2013 Birtokbar (50/50 Furmint - Harslevelu)
Have to say Laszlo did a masterful job setting us up for this, having tasted the 100% mono-varieties in a row, and then, by the way, here’s a 50/50 blend from a favorable vintage. Well, it worked. The wine was awesome, the way these two grapes go together is nothing short of Romeo & Juliet (why am I forgetting the term for this?). Anyhow, the wine really encapsulated the Furmint/Harslevelu mix…it was almost as riveting as the 2008 Aszu, which is freaking iconic. These are wines that should’ve sold out many years ago…
Laszlo showed us the entire lineup from dry to sweet, culminating with the 2008 Aszu 6 puttonyos which was iconic. It was the Musigny to the softer 2013 6 Puttonyos Les Amoureuses. Had to take some of each home, but not nearly enough.
Bott Pince
Judit Bott has made quite a name for herself over the last decade or so, establishing her winery in 2005 with her husband. Blue Danube has done well to promote her wines in the states, but I believe it’s her good natured attitude and work ethic that have helped. She showed up to our hotel in her truck, ready to lead us up into the vineyards where they have a small weekend house and tasting room set up among some of their vineyards, and just below the Csontos vineyard that she uses to make some of her wines. In total they hold about 7 hectares.
2017 Tarcal ~70% Furmint/ 30% Harslevelu
Very mineral, mixed semi-sweet apples on the nose. Harslevelu hits on the palate. Very elegant and restrained, alcohol well integrated. Even, medium finish. Tarcal is one of the nearest villages to the town of Tokaj.
2017 Teleki ~70% Furmint/ 30% Harslevelu
Slightly drier, more stone fruit and mineral. Finish carries on a bit longer. Beautiful wine, very restrained but not lacking fruit. Classy wine, with no perceptible alcohol or oak. Only one 300L used barrel of this.
2017 Harslevelu Kulcsar (very volcanic soil)
Very shy nose. However, the palate is much more elegant than I recall from prior experience with Bott Harslevelu, with great minerality and restrained fruit. Nice medium finish. No alcohol perceptible. So good. I’d be buying but not for sale yet. 2 weeks in bottle. ~3 barrels, all used. ~800 bottles produced.
2017 Hatari Harslevelu
A bit more dilute, a little bit less of everything as compared to the Kulcsar, but still nice and elegant with a good moderate finish.
As the wines were just recently bottled, they haven’t been sent out for lab work, so no residual sugar or abv %'s yet.
2016 Exczellenczias Harslevelu/Furmint blend
Giving nice aromas of semi-sweet apples, honeydew. A little more fruit on the palate, slightly higher alcohol perhaps though balance is still good. Nice mineral showing on the finish.
13.5% abv
2016 A Harom Gracia
Collaboration of Bott and two other female winemakers. Medium low acid, easy drinker though meant as more of a fun table wine.
80 g/l rs.
2016 Bott-Rytis
From neighbors Csontos fruit.
Beautiful nose…Apricot, honey, white flowers.
Such a rounded palate, the sweetness doesn’t hit too hard, it caresses. Very luscious, sensual wine. My favorite of the sweet wines, had to take some home. 104 g/l muscat/furmint
2013 Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos
Complex Apricot/honey/petrol nose. Could smell this one for days. Higher viscosity, as the sugar reads on paper, it saturates the palate and is just a bit beyond my tolerance of sweetness.
243 g/l rs. 10% abv
