If you have to rely on public transport in Hungary you’re doomed in certain places, said that I do love train journeys as they have a unique meaning for me. If you ever do Tokay (I’ll use both Tokay and Tokaj yet the later one is the official Hungarian way to write it, Tokay used to be the English way) the whole wine region with a train try to pick Szerencs as your centre. Because here is where the track goes to North or further to East, yet in Mezödombor (to North East along the river Bodrog) is another change but that’s easier to deal with. Most of the trains run trough the town Tokaj (also IC trains tend stop here) if they go to Nyíregyháza. This time the handling was easy as I scheduled only Tokay and two wine cellars in the town for one day only. Yes, it was a rather moderate start, but a positive one. From Tokaj train station you turn left (you’re facing the station) that’s your way to the centre. On your way in (from Budapest) you’ll pass the Kopasz (bold in English) and some great vineyards Mogyorós and the Szarvas, both belong to the town Tarcal the later should have vines from the pre phyloxeria area. And then the Hétszölö vineyards you cannot miss the signs big and bold in the vineyard.

The first mentioning of Tokay goes back to 1067, it has been called Hímesudvar. And there is a Winery called Hímesudvar too which use to belong to János Szapolyai (former Hungarian king) today the Hímesudvar estate is owned by the Várhelyi family. The 3 ha is mainly on loess (gives usually lighter wines) and they also buy further grapes for their production from other people in the region. Furmint is the leading variety not only in Tokay but also at the Hímesudvar estate. The cellar bends along the way where the barrels (mainly Szerednyei and Gönci) lay, this is to maintain temperature and humidity as I was told. It’s really a lovely atmosphere in the cellar but also outside in the garden. The estate also distributes wines from other leading wineries of the region. If you pick the tasting line up of their own wines (and I do recommend this) you should always try the dry Furmint and definitely the aszú wines at the end. A little bit annoying for me was that the new oak was far to present in the finished wines, smoky, caramel and of course you guessed it, vanilla. I hope the winery will loose this occasionally heavy toasty aromas as other then that the wines show strength, good fruit and balance. Happy tasting!

Address: Tokaj (centre) Bem u. 2 (47)352-416, www.himesudvar.hu

Tokaj is probably the wine which can call itself the most imitated wine or at least they try to copy the wording “Tokay” in some form on the labels. All around the world from Japan, Thailand, Australia to Europe the fakers have in some form the wording Tokay (Tocai, etc.) on them regardless that it’s not made in the region or from the permitted grape varieties. Just because it has some kind of sweetness (mostly from one of the Muscatel varieties) they call it Tokay. Now, how convenient is this? If you want to get more information, pop into the Museum of the town Tokaj, there are plenty of examples.

In the middle of the town, really in the centre is the Hétszölö Estate, a wine cellar which was build in the XV. century, a 28 m long, 10 m wide and 5 m high sanctuary which became also the place in 1526 where János Szapolyai became Hungarian king. Today owned by the French insurance company Grand Milllesimes. One of the bigger estates with more then 50 ha mainly in the Hétszölö vineyard (south facing) also loess yet high sunshine impact. Said that I found the wines of the Hétszölö estate rather delicate and medium bodied but this can be due to the shorter aging period as well. There is no doubt that the winery has a great range from white dries (I heard some stories that they also do Pinot Noir, yet never tasted it) to late harvest, forditás and noble aszú wines.
The forditás is (so called turning over) where after the first pressing the juice is drawn off and the aszú paste soaked in fresh must or juice the second time, here the wines have a 90-120 g/litre sugar contain but are also rougher due to the higher amount of tannins.
My personal favourite during my visit was actually the fordítás from the 2000 vintage, a sweet yet rough fellow with good finish. The Winery in the centre of Tokay should be a must visit not only because of the great interior but also of the pleasant wines.

Tokaj Hétszölö
Tokaj (centre) Kossuth tér 15. (47)352-009, www.hetszolo.hu

Tags: tokay

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