Assessing the wine scene in Hungary's Tokaj

Wines & Vines, April, 1994 by Carole Taines

Aszu is classified by "puttonyos". A puttonyo is 20 kilograms of Aszu "dough". Three puttonyos Aszu is made by pouring 136 L (36 gal) Gonc cask of base wine over 3 x 20 kilograms, or 60 kilograms, Aszu dough. Aszu is made in 3,4,5 and 6 puttonyos. After pressing the wine is transferred to cask (15 to 30 year old, neutral Hungarian oak) and aged three years plus one year for each puttonyo. Aged Aszu has a high concentration of aldehydes such as hydroxymethylfurfurals, high amino acids and is high in iron. Frequent sensory descriptors used for Aszu are: honey, bread, almonds, and chocolate.

The cellars in Tokaj were built between 1400 and 1600 A. D. Some of them are 30 feet or more underground. They are naturally cool (10-12 C) and covered with a characteristic mold, Clodosporium cell are, which feeds off the alcohol evaporated during aging and keeps the humidity in the range of 85-90%. The mold looks like white or gray cotton candy when alive; if wine is not kept in the cellar, the mold eventually dies, dries out and turns black. Casks are topped monthly but bunged loosely; the wines are not protected from oxygen, since oxidation is one of the "trademarks" of both Szamorodni and Aszu. SO2 use is kept to a minimum.

Tokaj wines are often difficult to clarify and heat stabilize, due to the high protein and iron content. Both bentonite, tannin plus gelatin and complexed compounds specifically to remove iron are used. In the past, the state froze and pasteurized the wine prior to pad filtration, which was followed by membrane filtration on the way to the bottle.

Small quantities of dry wines have been made in Tokaj during the past few years. Previous VOCA volunteers had suggested they make varietal wines in a style to compete with Chardonnay. Most often these have been Furmint or Furmint/Harslevelu blends. These wines have been varietal-labeled, and occasionally have found their way to the U. S. Unfortunately, they are usually so oxidized as to be almost undrinkable.

I was therefore quite astonished to taste the cooperatives' 1992 vintage, which is still in tank and barrel due to lack of bottling facilities. 1992 was not a vintage conducive to Aszu development, and most of the growers' wines are dry and have been relatively protected from oxygen. The wines are reminiscent of white Rhones (a more apt comparison than Chardonnay); they have an intense, flowery perfume on the nose and are rich yet dry on the palate, with substantial body and structure. They are not wines which require new oak to be attractive or stylish. I believe if dry Tokaj wines, just as they are, could be properly finished, bottled and transported to the U. S., there would be a market for them here.

After three weeks of daily visits to the vineyards, cellars and business offices, we held a general meeting to present our recommendations. My major suggestions were as follows:

1. Dedicate vineyard blocks which are unsatisfactory for Aszu development to the making of dry wines, and use cultural practices which will prevent Botrytis and encourage earlier ripening. These practices might include: more open trellising, leaf pulling, shoot thinning and crop thinning.