Liquid gold
Tokaj is making a comeback. This legendary wine, once beloved of the French, Habsburg and Russian courts, was degraded by the collectivisation that followed the communist takeover of Hungary.
Previously, the vineyards had been a patchwork of aristocratic estates and peasant smallholdings, but from the 1940s all vineyards were treated equally and some of the best, being the hardest to cultivate, were simply abandoned. All production was controlled by a vast co-operative, but not even this cynical conglomerate could entirely destroy the powerful character of Tokaj, and the wines exported to the West were usually of acceptable if standardised quality. The Russian market fared less well, being fobbed off with the worst wines.
When, after 1989, privatisation began, the co-op was compelled to shed some of its vineyards and cellars. Western investors rushed to acquire the best sites and began to construct new wineries.
Tokaj is distinctive for many reasons. The harsh, continental climate maintains a vibrant level of acidity in the grapes, which nowadays are either Furmint or Hárslevelü. This gives the wines a completely different character to, say, Sauternes, helping it to age for decades and refreshing the palates of those drinking the wine. In the autumn, the alternation of morning fogs oozing up the slopes from the River Bodrog and afternoon sunshine help provoke noble rot (botrytis).
The method of production is unique. A base wine is made in the usual way, and to it are added botrytised (or aszú) grapes which have been pressed into a paste. This causes the wine to ferment further, but also leaves residual sugar. The more aszú paste that's added, the sweeter and richer the final wine, and this sweetness is indicated on the label by degrees of puttonyos, from three to six (a puttony was a hod to be filled with aszú berries during harvesting). The finished wine is aged for years in small oak casks deposited in labyrinthine, and very humid, tunnels burrowed into the hillside.
The newcomers to Tokaj in the 1990s were unhappy with the quality of the "state farm" wines, made in an oxidative style, with dominant flavours of caramel and dried fruits. They argued that this oxidative character was a consequence of poor vinification and exposure to oxygen during barrel-ageing which, they argued, should be drastically shortened to no more than three years instead of the then-customary six to 15.
The battle of the styles is still raging. Some producers, including the Tokaj Trading Company (the latest incarnation of state farm and still a powerful player), argued that the oxidative style was authentic, and that the newcomers were motivated by commercial considerations and keen to produce a wine closer to Sauternes than Tokaj. The newcomers argued that they were crafting a wine with freshness, elegance and balance, more likely to find international favour. The Hungarian wine authorities, which must certify all aszú wines before they can be bottled and sold, back the oxidative tendency and have denied some wines certification, which has led to growing friction in the region.
Although the state farm wines are perfectly acceptable, the best of the newcomers' wines are brilliant. For the most part, they have retained the classic Tokaj categories, which need some explaining. Wines made by macerating aszú berries are still labelled with three to six puttonyos, though some producers don't bother with three or four. In addition, there are wines made from bunches that contain both healthy and botrytised grapes; these are known as Szamorodni, and can be either lightly sweet or bone-dry. An aszú wine that far exceeds six puttonyos is called Aszú Eszencia, which is not to be confused with the ultra-rare and wildly expensive pure Eszencia, which is the free run gathered from the bottom of the vats in which the aszú grapes rest before being pressed. There are also some innovations, such as "late harvest" wines, which may be as sweet as aszú wines but have received no barrel-ageing.
In Britain, the Royal Tokaji Wine Company has made the most impact. The wines are certainly very good, and considerably sweeter than "traditional" Tokaj. Some of their single-vineyard bottlings are very expensive. Also of very high quality is Disznókö, owned by the French AXA-Millésimes group. Using their own grapes as well as purchased fruit, they make a single blend at each category level, but quality is impeccable. Another modern-style company is Hétszölö, backed by Suntory, which has replanted one of Tokaj's greatest vineyards. The French-backed Châteaux Megyer and Pajzos wines have lacked clear identity, although the Pajzos wines in particular are now of good quality. Oremus, backed by Vega Sicilia from Spain, has large stocks of pre-1990 ex-State Farm wines, but it is now beginning to produce impressive wines of its own. Other firms have set up in recent years, such as Degenfeld, but their wines are not yet available in Britain.
Fanatical
The most fanatical of all Tokaj producers is István Szepsy. Initially associated with Royal Tokaji, he set up on his own a few years ago, and makes tiny quantities of wines of the highest quality. He makes only aszú wines of at least five puttonyos - his yields are so low that he produces only 1,000 bottles from each of his few hectares. But he has joined forces with a US backer, who is financing a large estate and winery called Királyudvár under Szepsy's direction. When the wines come to the market in a few years, it is likely they will encapsulate the Szepsy brilliance, only with higher volumes.
Last year was an excellent year for aszú wines, the best since 1993, which should persuade the new investors to persevere. The economic difficulty is that, although aszú wines fetch good prices, they cannot be produced every year, and the market for dry Tokaj wines is limited and prices are low. No doubt, the wine fanatics who revived this historic wine with such success will continue their work, though some must be wondering how their huge investment in replanting and new wineries will ever be recouped.
Hungarians are avid consumers of foie gras, and the lighter styles of Tokaj, such as sweet Szamorodni or a three-puttonyos, are admirable accompaniments. The richer aszú wines are too overwhelming at the start of a meal, but have sufficient body to handle simple fruit desserts. Being, to varying degrees, oxidative in style, these wines do not need to be consumed at a single sitting, and are well suited to being served by the glass at the end of a meal, when their amazing complexity can be savoured to the full.
Recommended wines
- 1993 Tokaj Trading Company Five Puttonyos
- 1993 Royal Tokaji Five Puttonyos Blue Label (£14.40, Tanners, 01743 234500)
- 1993 István Szepsy Six Puttonyos "Danczka" (£31, Tanners)
- 1993 Oremus Five Puttonyos (£15.30, Morris & Verdin, 020 7357 8866)
- 1993 Disznókö Six Puttonyos (£17.12 excluding VAT, Percy Fox, 01279 633542)
