Communism in Tokaji or how to make wine in a swimming pool?
After World War II and the annexation of Hungary to the Soviet bloc, communism also reached Tokaji. In this area, elitist wine production was the opposite of the communist conception that advocated large quantities at low cost, which was supposed to satisfy the proletariat’s will. Only a few winery owners were allowed to continue producing wine independently. Many of the vineyards were uprooted as it was necessary to expand the rows in the vineyard to the vast Soviet mechanical fortifications that replaced the meticulous manual harvest. Planted varieties that could produce many grapes watered the vineyards and grew them so that the vine knelt from a load of clusters. During the communist era, about 20 tons were produced per hectare of vineyards, while today, in the meticulous plots, 2 tons are harvested per hectare. Of course, the quantity came at the expense of the quality, and the wines produced were sparse. All the grapes from the various vineyards were transferred to one central winery owned by the state without regard to their quality differences. They were fermented in huge iron tanks (unlike the stainless-steel tanks used today). The wines produced were iron-flavored “like a knife lick.”
Gergely Somogyi from Barta Winery told me about an event he remembers from the communist period. In 1980, the crop was so large that no containers were left available to ferment the grapes. The party sent a young winemaker on an emergency mission to the nearby town to oust the local swimming pools to carry out the fermentation in them. Open-air fermentation is a process that every sane winemaker today will be shocked to hear. It is contrary to the effort of modern wineries to avoid the oxidation of the wine. At that time, the goal was to sanctify the means, and the goal was to meet the quantitative objectives set by the party.
Although 45 years of communism did not go well with Tokaji, the decline of the Hungarian wine industry began many years earlier, when the phylloxera aphid stuck in 1875 and wiped out the vineyards in Hungary and Europe in general. From a historical perspective, Hungarian wine has not returned to its greatness since. During World War I, Hungary lost two-thirds of its territory, including good vineyards, which are now part of Slovakia, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia. It was followed by an economic crisis between the world wars that ended in a war in which many Tokaji wine experts were killed (see box on Tokaji Jewry) followed by years of communist rule.
Wines from the communist period in Tokaji
In the 1990s, after 45 years of communism, the state sold its vineyards at auction. Most of the good plots were purchased by international conglomerates. In 1994, after most of the horses had fled the stable, the government remembered to close the doors and banned the sale of state lands to foreigners.
When the young wineries wanted to restore the ruins, after decades of communism, which had almost forgotten how Tokaji wines were made in the past, strong arguments erupted about how Tokaji wine should be defined. There were some characteristics to which everyone agreed: it is supposed to be sweet, with botrytis, made mainly of Furmint grape, and its value measured in Puttonyos. Today, after two decades, Tokaji is led by young winemakers who seek the uniqueness of local trout using modern cultivation and production methods.
However, frustratingly, says István Szepsy Jr, Szepsy Winery winemaker, even after 4 decades since the death of communism, some winemakers have not yet internalized that the world is looking for quality. Many of the 400 wineries in Tokaji make low-quality wine, as they aim to produce cheap Aszu wines that can occupy the supermarket shelves in Europe. Tokaji wineries now receive support from the EU relatively quickly, and there is a lot of private money in the world looking for investments. As a result, the number of wineries established in the last decade in Tokaji is 6 times larger than 10 years earlier and as a result, there is an increase in inventories which leads to a drop in prices. The usual aggravation required to improve the quality of wine production requires the voting of most wineries; however, since the weight of the wineries is price-oriented considerable, they manage to lower the quality standards in their favor. Most wineries produce 2.2 liters of wine from a kilo of raisins. Szepsy Winery reduces the quantity to increase the quality and produces only about 1.1 liters of a kilo of raisins. Gergely Somogyi from Barta Winery argues that the source of the wrong approach is habits that have not yet left some of the vineyards and originated during the communist era. He remembers a case in which, in the 1990s, after the fall of communism and the rise of private wineries, one of the well-known winemakers ordered his employees to carry out “green pruning” in the winery’s vineyards (thinning the clusters by pruning, to reduce the quantity and increase quality). The workers objected because they were unwilling to waste such. In their spirit, they were still in the communist era. Coming out of that mindset has not yet ended, even today.
How Hungary created the most expensive wine in the world
No doubt a good wine comes with a price, but $ 40,000 for a bottle of Tokaji Ascensia, sounds excessive. However, Royal Tokaji, a winemaker who recently bottled 20 bottles, each of which was sold at this crazy price, claims that wineries do not profit from the sale of Ascensia wines (a concentrated extract of Tokaji wine) because producing one single teaspoon of it requires a pound of dried grapes comes in a hand-blown bottle, shaped like a decanter, and packed in a black lacquer box, with lighting that illuminates the wine, which glows in a deep hue. At the time, doctors prescribed their patients a prescription for a few drops of Ascensia a day, but if you were lucky enough to afford to buy the wine, you could enjoy a spoon morning and evening. Pope Pius X kept a bottle of Ascensia In his bedroom and lived for many years beyond what was expected of him, for he tasted every day devoutly. If you do the same, you may not start a Pope’s career but enjoy every day of your life…
Ascensia wine by Royal Tokaji
Sauternes vs. Tokaj
Sauternes is considered the noblest dessert wine in the world. Eastern European Tokaji suffers from less good public relations than the French noble wine, however, in blind tasting, it is very successful. Although the two types of wines are made with the help of the botrytis fungus, they are different in taste from each other. While typical Sauternes will be rich and honey, Tokaji will be fruitier and more acidic, with a medium body and mandarin, apricot, honey, ginger, and marzipan flavors. Although Tokaji will often be sweeter and spicier, it will taste fresher due to a higher acidity, which balances it out. While Sauternes is made from 3 grape varieties: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadel (usually in small quantities), Tokaji is made from 6 local grapes, mainly Furmint. Unlike Tokaji, where grapes are selectively harvested from each cluster along several harvests, only clusters with much botrytis will be harvested in Sauternes. In Tokaji, the infected grapes are fermented with dry wine, while in Sauternes, the infected grapes themselves are fermented. Sauternes wines change more as they mature and acquire nutty and complex flavors. Tokaji wines will taste great even when they are young. In terms of market prices, the Sauternes brand is stronger and therefore achieves higher prices than Tokaji.
The wines tasted during the visit in the fall of 2021:
This winery, which is owned by a French bank, which owns some of the leading wineries in the world, is known for its elegant wines produced with modern techniques. Its unique style can be described as a contemporary dessert wine. Do not miss the restaurant Sárga Borház which belongs to the winery and is located next to it. The portion of foie gras I ate in it was stunning.
2015, 6 Puttonyos- The nose resonates with dried fruit and wood resin scents. Complex and powerful. So elegant. I gave a score of 94.
2002, 6 Puttonyos- a complex, compressed, and exotic nose. Flavors of honey, apricot jam, and marmalade. Medium body. Long taste with a hint of spices in the finish. I gave a score of 94. RP 93, WS 94
2011, 6 Puttonyos – Wonderful, so elegant. Honey, apples, orange peels, and peaches. A refined acidity that accompanies the taste from beginning to end. I gave a score of 94. RP 96, WS 95
2005, Ascensia – Wow. In the nose, honey, and sesame. So thick and concentrated that it’s hard to drink more than a teaspoon. The excellent acidity balances the sweetness into elegance. I gave a score of 95. RP 98, WS 94
Ascensia of Disznoko
A winery that has been operating non-stop since 1406. After World War II, it was nationalized and transferred to the hands of a cooperative. After the fall of communism, the winery returned to private hands, which has been cultivating it ever since. The winery’s basement extends for a kilometer and to a depth of 3 floors underground.
2007, 5 Puttonyos – complex and balanced, with aromas of mandarin, medium body, elegant. I gave a score of 93. WS 95
2009, 5 Puttonyos- rich and full. Long finish. I gave a score – of 94.
2016, 5 Puttonyos – I gave a score of -92.
2009, 6 Puttonyos – Powerful. Mandarin scents. Impressive length. I gave a score of – 94.
Tasting at Dereszla Winery
When Anthony Hwang loaded his family in a car and drove from Budapest in a northeasterly direction in 1997, he could hardly imagine where it would lead him. The trip was inspired by Tokaji aszu, which he tasted following a sommelier’s recommendation at a restaurant the night before. Tony felt he had to learn more about it. What Tony liked most about wine were his deep identity and razor-sharp balance. He was thrilled not only by what was in the glass but also by the realization that with investment and adherence to the goal, the region would once again be able to produce some of the most unique and intriguing wines in the world. A few months after the visit, he purchased one of the most beautiful wineries in the whole region – Királyudvar, which means in Hungarian the royal court, perhaps because the winery has supplied its wines to the monarchy for centuries.
Anthony was born in the Philippines, immigrated to the United States at the age of 15, and became a professor at 27. His most respected lecturer at the university was Professor Yuval Neeman, who told him about his acquaintance with Yossi Ginossar (also the author’s name) a famous GSS man, and his appreciation for that person. When I asked to set a wine tasting at the winery, his curiosity ignited, and unusually, he managed the tasting himself. Our tasting conversation sailed far beyond the boundaries of wine and place. I discovered in my interlocutor a fascinating and profound human being. Tony is a successful businessman who spends much of his time on planes between his various properties worldwide, including several wineries he owns.
Because Tony is not of Hungarian descent, the winery operates without historical constraints or the need to adhere to tradition. The winery prefers to choose ways to produce the best product from the given raw materials. Because he is a scientist by profession, every track is tested. He does not act in any way just because tradition has dictated. For example, Cuvée Ilona is his interpretation of Aszu. Produced using a late vintage method in which 75% of the grapes are Aszu raisins and 25% healthy grapes. The wine is aged in old barrels, sometimes even 39 months. He claims chefs love Cuvée Ilona more than Aszu. Another wine of the winery, Cuvée Patrícia, is produced in the same style as Ilona but is made from 100% Muscat grapes. 90% of the winery’s produce is exported.
2013 Cuvée Patrícia- the aroma of raisins and dried apricot, jasmine scent. Very concentrated. Medium body, very compact, yet elegant. Long finish. I gave a score of 94
2008, 6 Puttonyos- Scent of apples. Medium body. Long finish. I gave a score of 95.
István Szepsy is a legend in Tokaji: his family has been producing wine in Tokaji since the 16th century. He was intimately involved in the region’s revival as the first CEO of Royal Tokaji Winery and later launched Kiralyudvar Winery with Anthony Hwang. István had purchased small and unique plots of vineyards – some of which he had planted himself while working for the state in the Mad cooperative. He devotes himself exclusively to his winery, which was commercially launched in 1995. István spends much of his time developing dry wines. “The sweet wine market is not big enough, and there are too many sweet wines produced in a technological world; we can’t compete. Dry wines are not a choice for us; We must create them,” he says. István Jr., the son, now works shoulder to shoulder with his father at the winery. I asked him how winemaking has accompanied him since childhood. He recalls that he celebrated a birthday in the house’s basement with classmates when he was nine. After half an hour, the party stopped for half an hour because the cellar was soaked with CO2 from the fermentation of the wine, and it was impossible to dance. Then, there was no temperature control, and the fermentation was intense and uncontrollable. Junior has always wanted to be a winemaker, even though he graduated with a computer science major. He was 20 years old when he first tasted Furmint dry wine; he was turned on. He believed then that dry wines could skip over Aszu wines. Today, as an adult, he understands dessert wines, besides being a wonderful 500-year-old tradition, still form the spearhead of the winery.
2017 6 Puttonyos Ujhegy- Addictive and deep aromas of apricot resonate in the mouth more and more. Compressed and full-bodied. Reminiscent of the sun wines of Passito di Pantelleria. I gave a score of 93-94
2017 6 Puttonyos- complex and multidimensional. Odors of resin and contact glue. Compressed and full-bodied. An excellent long finish. I gave a score of 95.
2013 6 Puttonyos – Wonderful, but inferior compared to the excellent 2017. Less complex and less powerful. It is still a perfect wine. I gave a score of 93.
Szepsy Pince winery tasting
Royal Tokaji Winery was the first winery established by foreigners in Tokaji after the fall of Communism. His success was an injection of encouragement to the Hungarian government to privatize other state-owned wineries and sell them to other foreign investors, mainly French insurance companies. One of its founders was the famous wine reporter Hugh Johnson who coined the renowned spread over Aszu wines: “a wine that would make angels sing out loud in praise.” The winery decided to focus on single-vineyard wines, each of which has a department with different terroir characteristics. Zoltan Kovacs, the winery’s general manager, grew up in Transylvania (Dracula’s homeland, said to have been a Tokaji wine lover). His father and grandfather were winemakers in this Romanian-controlled region bordering Hungary, a wonderful mix of cultures: Hungarian, German, Austrian, and Bulgarian. The Royal Tokaji wines were some of the tastiest we have tasted in Tokaji, and Zoltan hosted us wonderfully.
2016,5 Puttonyos – A great nose. So dense and complex. The body is lighter than the 6 Puttonyos but elegant and harmonious. I gave a score of 93.
2017, 5 Puttonyos Betsek – so complex! Apricot, pineapple, and passion fruit scents. Still closed. Silky, balanced, and full-bodied. Has an infinite length. I gave a score of 96. WS 96
2016 6, Puttonyos – utterly different from the giant 2017. It’s all about elegance and balance. I gave a score of 95.
2008 Ascensia – Honey, Dates, and dried apricot. Thick and rich yet balanced. It has a 100-year drinking window … I gave it a score of 94, RP 97
Royal Tokaji vineyards
A group of French investors founded Pajzos Winery. The 2006 Pajzos Winery’s aszu won first place in the Winelovers website ranking out of 100 wines tasted. Laurent Comas, whom we met at the beginning of the article. He is originally French but has lived in Hungary for the past 25 years and has run the Pajzos `estate for the past eight years. The hospitality we received was lovely, and he tasted us some of the best aszu wines.
Laurent strives to achieve elegant and balanced wines. He does this both through his work as a vinegrower and as a winemaker. During the communist era, the consumer was accustomed to drinking oxidized wines because the winemaker was unaware of the stages in the process in which the wine was exposed to air. Chateau Pajzos emphasizes antioxidation, so its older wines will also taste fresh.
2011 5, Puttonyos- Amazing complexity in the nose, oily body, good length, dried apricots, orange peels. Wonderful wine. I gave it a score of 94.
2017, 6 Puttonyos – a slightly held back, oily, concentrated, potent nose. Great wine. I gave a score of 95.
2016, 6 Puttonyos – Honey, Ginger, Leather, and Grapefruit. What power and elegance. Round, rich, ripe, oily, concentrated, very powerful, and less focused than the vast 2017. I gave a score of 94.
2013 Ascensia – sweetened almonds, dates, incredibly thick. Very balanced. One of the best Ascensia I’ve ever tasted. I gave a score of 96. WS 94
Pajzos winery tasting
The winery is owned by Attila Domokos, the winemaker, and Izabella Zwack. Their vineyards are in the heart of Tokaji, in the most famous historical vineyards of Mad. Their main goal is to show Hungary and the world the fresh, vibrant, and exciting face of Tokaji, not only of Aszú wines but also of dry wines, while keeping true to the excellent traditions of the wine region and biodynamic means. Bechek vineyard, one of the most respected in Tokaji, produces powerful and masculine wines. St. Thomas, also one of the most respected, gives feminine and broad wines.
Attila has been to Israel twice. As a 22-year-old, he stayed in Israel for two months and worked on a kibbutz for the first time. He took several trips in order to understand and learn the country in-depth and thoroughly. In 2019 he returned to Israel with his wife and children to show them where he enjoyed his youth so much. This was the winter period, so cold in Hungary and so pleasant in Israel. He remembers this trip as one of the fun ones in his life. Attila’s hospitality was charming and warm. Although this article focuses on dessert wines, it should be noted that the dry Furmint from the 2017 vintage was excellent, perhaps the best of the dried ones we tasted.
2011, 6 Puttonyos – Wow! Smells of smoke, tobacco, and oxidation. So complex. Powerful but harmonious and balanced through acidity. Long finish. I gave a score of 96.
With Atila from Dobogó winery
The Öreg Király Dűlő vineyard, which the winery owns, is the highest and steepest of all the vineyards in Tokaji. There is evidence of growing grapes in the vineyard as early as 1285. However, during the Soviet regime, the vineyard was abandoned because the giant Soviet tractors were built for flat areas. The winemakers of the local communes also knew that some of the vineyards on the steep slopes were of the highest quality. Still, in Soviet times, the quality did not matter, but only quantity. This vineyard soil has never encountered chemical fertilizers or spraying. Barta Winery continues this tradition, and the vineyard is organically grown.
2016, 6 Puttonyos Oreg Kiraly Dulo- An amazing wine. Complex, rich, almost oily. A very long finish. I gave a score of 95.
2017, 6 Puttonyos Oreg Kiraly Dulo- Too closed while tasting. Rich and concentrated. Beautiful balance. A very long finish. I gave a score of 92.
With Gergely Somogyi from Barta winery
One of the first to purchase vineyards in the post-Soviet era was the famous Bodegas Vega Sicilia winery from Spain. They purchased the Oremus vineyards, known to be the best in the area, plus a few miles of cellars to age the wine. Oremus is a large and sophisticated winery that uses the world’s leading growing and winemaking methods. In Oremus, I tasted an anomaly: usually, aszu 6 Puttonyos are better than 5 Puttonyos and more expensive. In Oremus, the wines are sweeter and more concentrated than usual, so I sometimes found that 3 or 5 Puttonyos wines were better than 6 Puttonyos.
2013, 3 Puttonyos – Complex, Raisins and dried apricot. Full body, robust, and fills the mouth. I gave a score of 94.
2010, 5 Puttonyos – The nose is still closed and lacks complexity. A richness of flavors develops in the mouth. The finish is amazingly long. I gave a score of 92.
2013, 6 Puttonyos- The nose is opener than the previous one. Raisins, dried apricot. Whole-body and rich in flavors. Almost greasy. There is not enough acidity to support the sweetness. I gave it a score of 93 (less than the 3 Puttonyos of the same vintage).
2016, 3 Puttonyos- complex and rich. Medium body, elegant and balanced. I gave a score of 94.
2016, 5 Puttonyos – Even lighter, with slight complexity. Medium body and balanced. Nice ending. I gave it a score of 93 (again, a score lower than the 3 Puttonyos of the same vintage).
2017, 5 Puttonyos – Wow, what a blockbuster! Still a baby, but what power and delicacy. I gave it a score of 95.
2017, 6 Puttonyos – a huge wine! Such a powerful nose. Apricot, honey, and tropical flavors. Incredibly long extension. I gave it a score of 96.
Ascensia 2010- Probably the best Ascensia I have ever tasted. I felt like jumping into the glass and drowning in this majestic liquid. What elegance. I gave it a score of 96.
Oremus winery cellar
Oremus winery tasting overlooking the vineyards
So, what is the aftertaste following you reading this article? I hope one of wanting more! I have met Tokaji charming people, a rare wine in quality, and some melancholy reflections on communism and the Jewish people, who were a significant part of the human chain of Tokaji wine people and ended their journey tragically. I tasted here some of the beautiful wines made today in the world, fascinating in their quality, at a price you will not meet like it. And I will sign the words of Peter the Great, the Tsar of Russia:
“Until now I haven´t been defeated by anyone or anything, but Tokaji wine defeated me last evening.”
Peter the Great, the Tsar of Russia
