What is Tokaji?

Tokaji is one of wine history's most fascinating chapters. This Hungarian wine was already legendary in the 1700s — Louis XIV served it at Versailles, the tsars of Russia posted Cossack guards along the supply route, and it was the first wine region in the world to classify its vineyards, in 1730 — over a century before Bordeaux's famous 1855 classification.

The magic of Tokaji Aszú starts with Furmint, a grape with naturally thin skin and sky-high acidity. When autumn fogs roll in from the Bodrog and Tisza rivers, Botrytis cinerea attacks the grapes, creating the same noble rot that makes Sauternes. The botrytised berries (called aszú) are picked individually by hand, then macerated in base wine to create a lusciously sweet wine.

The sweetness scale traditionally used 'puttonyos' (baskets of aszú grapes per barrel). Today, you'll mostly see 5 or 6 puttonyos on labels — the higher the number, the sweeter and more concentrated the wine. But don't think of it as just sweet: great Tokaji Aszú has electric acidity that makes it feel vibrant and alive, never cloying.

Then there's Eszencia — the holy grail. This is pure run-off juice from aszú berries, so concentrated in sugar (450-900 g/l) that it barely ferments, reaching only 1-5% alcohol. It's served by the spoonful and can theoretically age for centuries. A bottle of Eszencia from a top producer is one of the rarest wines on earth.

The most exciting recent development is dry Furmint. Think of it as Hungary's answer to Riesling — racy, mineral, with green apple and flint notes. It's gaining a cult following among sommeliers and represents incredible value. Producers like Szepsy, Royal Tokaji, and Patricius are leading this revival.

Tokaji is still dramatically underpriced for its quality and history. A 5-puttonyos Aszú costs 25-50 euros — a fraction of what comparable Sauternes commands.