Tokay Wine – Liquid Diamond from the Sout-East of Slovakia

The viticultural region of Tokaj is one of the five regions in the world where it is possible to cultivate grapes suitable for the production of natural sweet wines. It is situated in two states, the main part being in Hungary. In Slovakia, it lies in the south-east and comprises seven villages. The main varieties of Tokay wine are Furmint, Lipovina (Linden Leaf ) and Muškát žltý (Yellow Muscat). Tokay wines have to mature at least three years, of which for at least two years they must be stored in a wooden barrel. One of the basic elements of these wines is botrytis cinerea (the „noble rot“) that makes grapes shrivel. In accordance with criteria prescribed by law, there are varying sugar levels yielding from three to six puttonya wines. This level depends on the number of baskets (called puttonyas) of nobly rotten grapes added to136 litres of wine (a so-called gonczký barrel). Thus, four puttonya wine results from four baskets (100 l) being mixed with 136 l of normal grape must or wine.

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Throughout the past, unique wines were popular with such great people of world history as the Tsarina Catherine, the Empress Maria Theresa or the great poet Johan Wolfgang Goethe. In the Tokaj region, grape picking is one of the most beautiful times of the year. It starts at the end of October and ends only in December. We can smell grapes everywhere at that time and for every winemaker’s grapes have a special flavour. If you fancy savouring the wine’s distinctive taste of Tokaj in its cradle, you can visit the company J & J Ostrožovič in Veľká Tŕňa.

More info: www.ostrozovic.sk

By Dodo Mikláš
Photo: Archive J&J Ostrožovič

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