Section 3 · Still Wines of the World

Tokaj

Tokaj (pronounced “TOE-kye”) is Hungary’s most famous wine region and one of the oldest designated wine areas in the world. Its legendary sweet wine, Tokaji Aszú, was called “the wine of kings and the king of wines” by Louis XIV of France. For the exam, Tokaj tests your knowledge of how noble rot sweet wines are made, the unique aszú berry process, and the Furmint grape’s remarkable versatility.

Aroma kit focus: dried apricot, marmalade, honey, caramel, orange peel, botrytis/mushroom

Why Tokaj Matters

Tokaj is one of only a handful of places in the world where conditions are naturally ideal for noble rot (botrytis cinerea) to develop reliably year after year. Its sweet wine tradition dates back to at least the 17th century, predating Sauternes by roughly a hundred years, and Tokaji Aszú was one of the most celebrated wines in European courts for centuries.

For the exam, Tokaj is important because:

It illustrates a unique method of making sweet wine (the aszú berry technique)
It uses indigenous grape varieties (Furmint, Hárslevelű) that are not widely found elsewhere
It demonstrates how climate, geography, and winemaking tradition combine to create an unreplicable style
The dry Furmint renaissance shows how a region famous for sweet wines can reinvent itself

Key fact: Tokaj was the first wine region in the world to establish a classified vineyard system, in 1700, 155 years before Bordeaux’s 1855 Classification. The Hungarian government classified the vineyards of Tokaj into first, second, and third class based on soil, aspect, and the likelihood of botrytis development.

Tokaj Wine Region Map

Tap or hover over any area to see its key details. Tokaj sits at the confluence of two rivers in north-eastern Hungary, creating the moisture and mist conditions essential for noble rot.

Climate and Geography

Tokaj sits in north-eastern Hungary, at the foot of the volcanic Zemplén Mountains, where two rivers, the Bodrog and the Tisza, converge. This specific geography is the key to everything:

Moderate continental climate: warm summers that ripen the grapes, followed by long autumns that allow extended hang time on the vine
Autumn mists: the Bodrog and Tisza produce the morning humidity that encourages the development of noble rot (botrytis cinerea) on the thin-skinned grapes. As the day warms, the mist burns off and dry winds from the mountains prevent the botrytis from turning destructive.
Volcanic soils: the vineyards are planted on decomposed volcanic rock (rhyolite, andesite, and tuff) left by ancient volcanic activity. These soils are poor and well-drained, producing low-vigour vines with concentrated fruit. The volcanic origin also contributes to the minerally complexity of the wines.
South-facing slopes: the best sites are the south-facing hillsides of the Zemplén range, which provide excellent sun exposure, while the mountains shelter the vineyards from cold northern winds

Tokaj is a PDO under EU rules (with a PGI alongside it), and the sweet styles, Aszú and Eszencia, are defined in law.

The mist cycle: The interplay of river moisture and mountain air creates a daily cycle during autumn: cool, misty mornings promote botrytis growth; warm, dry afternoons halt it and begin dehydrating the grapes. This alternation is what makes Tokaj’s botrytis so reliable, the same cycle that happens irregularly in Sauternes or the Mosel occurs predictably in Tokaj most years.

Grape Varieties

Furmint

White Tokaj’s signature grape

Furmint is the dominant grape of Tokaj. It is a late-ripening variety with naturally high acidity: a crucial trait for sweet wine, because the acidity prevents the sweetness from becoming cloying.

For sweet wines: Furmint’s thin skin makes it highly susceptible to botrytis. When affected, the berries shrivel and concentrate, developing intense flavours of dried apricot, marmalade, honey, and orange peel.

For dry wines: Furmint produces structured, mineral, medium to full-bodied whites with apple, pear, citrus, and smoky/flinty character. Young, it tastes of apple; with age it moves towards nuts and honey. The naturally high acidity gives dry Furmint a taut, focused palate with excellent ageing potential.

Furmint is increasingly compared to Riesling and Chenin Blanc for its ability to make world-class wines across the entire sweetness spectrum.

Hárslevelű

White Blending partner

Hárslevelű (“Linden Leaf”) is the second most important grape of Tokaj. Also late-ripening, it is more aromatic than Furmint, with floral (lime blossom, acacia), honey, and spicy notes, but has lower acidity. In the Aszú blend, Hárslevelű contributes perfume, roundness, and aromatic complexity, while Furmint provides the acidity backbone.

Sárga Muskotály (Yellow Muscat)

White Minor variety

A permitted but minor grape in Tokaj. It adds grapey, floral aromatic intensity when included in the Aszú blend. Rarely used on its own.

Bottle sizes: dry Tokaj wines come in the normal 75 cL bottle. The sweet wines are traditionally sold in a slim 50 cL bottle, which is one quick visual clue to the style.

Tokaji Aszú: How It’s Made

Tokaji Aszú is one of the most complex sweet wines in the world to produce. The process is unique and is a frequent exam topic:

A Three-Way Harvest

Pickers in Tokaj sort as they go, and one vintage can give several different wines. The fruit goes three ways: (1) individually picked aszú berries, shrivelled by noble rot, destined for Aszú; (2) unaffected bunches, which make the base wine and the dry wines; and (3) partly affected bunches, picked whole, which become Szamorodni (see below).

Step-by-Step Production

Harvesting aszú berries: Botrytis-affected, shrivelled berries (aszú means “dried” or “shrivelled” in Hungarian) are hand-picked individually from the bunches. These berries have been dehydrated by noble rot, concentrating their sugars, acids, and flavours. This is extremely labour-intensive.
Paste or whole berries: Traditionally the aszú berries were crushed into a paste (the aszú dough). Many producers now prefer to keep the berries uncrushed, because crushing can extract bitter flavours.
Maceration: The aszú berries are steeped in base wine, in fermenting must, or in fresh must for 12–60 hours. In other words, the maceration can happen before, during or after the fermentation of the base wine; each producer chooses. During this time the liquid extracts sugar, acidity, flavour and botrytis character from the berries. The more aszú berries used, the sweeter the result.
Pressing: The mixture is then pressed, and the resulting intensely sweet liquid finishes fermenting (if it has not already).
Slow fermentation: Because the sugar concentration is so high, fermentation is slow and partial. The yeast struggles in the high-sugar environment and eventually stops, leaving significant residual sugar.
Ageing: The wine is aged in oak barrels (traditionally in underground cellars carved into volcanic rock) for a minimum of 18 months. The cellars are often coated in a unique black mould (Cladosporium cellare) that thrives in the humid conditions and is believed to contribute to the wine’s complex character.

The result is deep amber in colour, with orange peel, apricot and honey.

The Puttonyos System

Historically, Tokaji Aszú was classified by the number of puttonyos: wooden hods (baskets) of aszú berries added to a barrel (called a gönci) of base wine. More puttonyos meant more sweetness and concentration. Today the number on the label stands for a minimum level of residual sugar:

5 puttonyos = at least 120 g/L residual sugar
6 puttonyos = at least 150 g/L

Modern change (2013): Since 2013 every Tokaji Aszú must have at least 120 g/L residual sugar. Producers may still label a wine 3 or 4 puttonyos, but the old lower minimums for those levels no longer apply; 5 puttonyos means at least 120 g/L and 6 means at least 150 g/L. The puttonyos number itself is now optional on the label. The point of the change was to position Aszú firmly as a premium sweet wine, not a range of sweetness levels.

Tokaji Eszencia

Above Aszú sits Eszencia (“Essencia”), the rarest and most intense sweet wine in the world. Eszencia is made from the free-run juice that drips naturally from the aszú berries under their own weight, without pressing. The sugar concentration is so extreme (a legal minimum of 450 g/L) that fermentation can take years, and the finished wine is usually below 5% alcohol. Eszencia is more syrup than wine, extraordinarily viscous, sweet, and complex, with flavours of dried tropical fruit, caramel, saffron, and tea. It is served by the spoonful rather than by the glass and can age for a century or more.

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Exam Tip: Know the Process

If the exam asks about Tokaji Aszú, focus on the unique production method: hand-selected botrytis berries → macerated (crushed or whole) in base wine, fermenting must or fresh must for 12–60 hours → pressed → slow fermentation → oak ageing in volcanic cellars. The maceration step is what distinguishes Aszú from all other sweet wines. Also note the current minimum of 120 g/L RS.

Other Tokaj Wine Styles

Tokaji Szamorodni

A more accessible sweet (or sometimes dry) wine made from whole bunches that contain a mix of botrytis-affected and unaffected berries. Unlike Aszú, the botrytis berries are not individually selected. “Szamorodni” means “as it comes” in Polish. The wine can be édes (sweet) or száraz (dry), depending on the proportion of botrytis berries in the bunch. Both must spend at least six months in cask. Dry Szamorodni is aged in partly filled casks, where a flor-like film of yeast grows on the wine (similar to fino sherry), giving it a nutty, sherried character. The yeast film plays no part in the sweet style: sweet Szamorodni has traditionally been aged with some oxidation, but the modern trend is towards full casks and a fresher, less oxidative wine.

Dry Furmint

The most exciting recent development in Tokaj. As global demand for sweet wine has declined, a growing number of producers are making dry, still wines from Furmint, with no botrytis involved. They range from simple, unoaked wines for early drinking to concentrated blends matured in new oak. The best are proving to be world-class: mineral, structured, full of personality, with citrus, apple, smoke, and volcanic mineral character. Dry Furmint is being compared to the great dry whites of Burgundy and the Loire for its combination of power, acidity, and terroir expression.

This dry wine renaissance is not just a commercial pivot, it’s revealing that Tokaj’s volcanic terroir can produce outstanding dry wines too, something that centuries of sweet wine focus had obscured.

Late Harvest (Késői Szüretelésű)

A sweet wine made from late-harvested grapes, often with some botrytis. The method is the key difference from Aszú: the botrytised grapes are fermented directly, as in Sauternes or a German TBA, rather than macerated in base wine, and the wine is usually matured for less time. Less intense than Aszú, with lower residual sugar. Good value introduction to Tokaj’s botrytis character.

Historical Significance

Tokaji Aszú has a remarkable history that is worth knowing for context:

17th century origins: The aszú technique is documented from the 1630s, making Tokaj one of the earliest known sweet wine production methods
Royal favourite: Tokaji was the wine of choice at the courts of the Habsburg Empire, the Russian tsars, and the French kings. Louis XIV famously called it “Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum” (“Wine of Kings, King of Wines”)
First classified region: Hungary’s Royal Decree of 1700 classified Tokaj’s vineyards by quality, the first such classification in the world
Communist era decline: Under Communist rule (1948–1989), Tokaj’s vineyards were collectivised, quality plummeted, and the region’s international reputation was nearly destroyed
Post-1989 renaissance: After the fall of Communism, foreign investment (including from Bordeaux families) poured in, restoring quality. Today, Tokaj is once again producing world-class sweet and dry wines.

Tokaji Aszú vs Sauternes: Side by Side

The exam may ask you to compare these two botrytis sweet wines. Here are the key differences:

Factor	Tokaji Aszú	Sauternes
Main grape(s)	Furmint, Hárslevelű	Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc
Climate	Moderate continental	Maritime
Production method	Aszú berries (crushed or whole) macerated in base wine or must, 12–60 hours	Botrytis grapes pressed and fermented directly
Acidity	Very high (Furmint’s hallmark)	High but less piercing
Character	Brighter, more lifted, sometimes oxidative notes	Richer, more unctuous, honeyed
Ageing	Oak barrels in volcanic cellars (min 18 months)	Oak barriques (new and old)
Soil	Volcanic (rhyolite, andesite)	Gravel, clay, limestone
Botrytis reliability	Very reliable (most years)	Less reliable (vintage variation)

What Tokaji Aszú Tastes Like: SAT Notes

SAT Profile, Tokaji Aszú

Appearance

Deep gold to amber (depending on age). Viscous, slow-moving legs.

Nose

Dried apricot, orange marmalade, honey, beeswax, candied citrus peel, saffron, caramel, botrytis (mushroom, wet hay). With age: tea, coffee, tobacco, dried fig.

Palate

Sweet to luscious. Very high acidity (Furmint’s gift, electrifying freshness despite the sugar). Full body. Low to medium alcohol (9–13%). Extraordinarily concentrated flavours. Very long, complex finish with persistent sweetness and acidity interplay.

Quality cues

Balance of sweetness and acidity. Complexity of botrytis aromas. Length. The hallmark of great Aszú is that despite extreme sweetness, it never feels heavy, the acidity keeps it lifted and fresh.

Aroma Kit Integration

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Tokaji Aroma Session (15 min)

Pull these from your kit: dried apricot, honey, marmalade, orange peel, mushroom/botrytis. These are the signature Aszú aromas. The botrytis note (earthy, mushroomy, slightly medicinal) is the “noble rot signature” you should learn to recognise across all botrytis wines (Sauternes, BA/TBA, Tokaji).

Wine drill: If you can source a Tokaji Aszú (usually sold in 500ml or 250ml bottles, ~$25–50 for a good example), taste it alongside a Sauternes. Compare the acidity levels, the weight, and the aromatic complexity. The Tokaji should feel brighter and more lifted; the Sauternes richer and more unctuous.

Stretch option: Try a dry Furmint (~$15–25) to see what the grape tastes like without botrytis or sweetness. Notice the high acidity, mineral character, and smoky notes.

What the Exam Expects You to Know

How Tokaji Aszú is made: aszú berries (crushed or whole) macerated for 12–60 hours before, during or after fermentation of the base wine
How the harvest is sorted three ways (aszú berries, unaffected bunches, partly affected bunches for Szamorodni)
The key grapes: Furmint (high acidity, thin skin, susceptible to botrytis) and Hárslevelű (aromatic, lower acidity)
The geography: rivers (Bodrog, Tisza) creating mists, volcanic soils, south-facing slopes on the Zemplén Mountains
The current minimum residual sugar for Aszú (120 g/L since 2013)
What Eszencia is and why it’s so rare
The dry Furmint renaissance and what it says about Tokaj’s terroir
How Tokaji Aszú compares to Sauternes (higher acidity, oxidative ageing, maceration technique)
Tokaj’s historical significance as the first classified wine region

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Short Answer Strategy

If asked to explain the production of Tokaji Aszú, use this framework: noble rot conditions (rivers, mists, volcanic slopes) → hand-selection of aszú berries → maceration of 12–60 hours in base wine or must → pressing → slow fermentation leaving high RS → oak ageing in volcanic cellars → result: intensely sweet, complex wine with extraordinary acidity balance. Each step in the chain earns marks.

Active Recall Prompts

Close this page and try to answer these from memory:

Describe the step-by-step process for making Tokaji Aszú.
What is the current minimum residual sugar level for Tokaji Aszú, and what do 5 and 6 puttonyos mean today?
How long does Aszú maceration last, and when can it happen?
Name the two main grapes of Tokaj and explain what each contributes to the blend.
Why are conditions in Tokaj so well-suited to noble rot development?
What is Tokaji Eszencia and why is it so rare?
How does Tokaji Aszú differ from Sauternes in production method and style?
What is the “dry Furmint renaissance” and why is it significant?
Why was Tokaj’s 1700 classification historically important?