Why go on a wine tour in Tokaj?
To relax. To explore. The tours around here are typically more laid back with a focus on wines, nature and culture. Go on hiking in the Zemplén Mountains, visit one of the local wineries and taste their selection, watch the sun going down in one of the famed Tokaj vineyards! It will soothe you and recharge your batteries. Slow down, relax, indulge yourself in the experience.
To find out which sights to visit and where click HERE. The wineries belonging to our association might also have some insider tips.
Why make an appointment before visiting a winery?
By making an appointment you give wineries the chance to make the necessary preparations to welcome you. Although there are some places in the wine region where you can drop in at any time during opening hours to buy or taste wines, in case you want a guided tasting by a local expert, you wish to see the vineyards or look around the cellars or want some food to accompany the tasting then it is strongly advisable to make an appointment.
To make an appointment click HERE and you will find access to all the members of the Tokaj Renaissance Association.
What’s the point of ageing wines?
There are certain types of wines which you should consume a couple of years after harvest at latest. Light whites and rosés for example belong in this category. According to experts the character of these wines is determined by primary aromas deriving from the fruit and secondary aromas deriving from winemaking technlogy. However there other wines with more body and extract which benefit from cellaring, ageing in bottle enables them to develop complexity and to unfold the added values the wines received during the winemaking process.
With the most outstanding wines after an extended period of ageing you can also experience something called tertiary aromas. For these unique traits to develop wines must be kept and aged under the right conditions. If everything goes to plan these wines offer the most exquisite tasting experience. Besides the great wines of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Piedmont Tokaj is another region whose wines benefit from cellaring.
What makes the wines of Tokaj ageworthy?
There are several factors that contribute to the ageworthiness of a wine. The most important requirement is the right combination of alcohol, sugar and acidity. Tokaj wines are typically well endowed with regards to these parameters. These factors are complemented by some other local characteristics which are also conducive to longevity such as volcanic soils and the lengthy and painstaking methods of winemaking and cellar ageing. This is why most Tokaj wines respond well to ageing, especially dry single vineyard wines, late harvests, szamorodnis and of course aszús.
How to age Tokaj wines?
Storing wines is not without risks. These risk factors are worth taking seriously with any wine that is not destined for immediate consumption and the longer you plan to keep them the more you should be wary of them. The list includes high temperature, exposion to sunlight, unstable conditions. Ideally one should store wines in a place where temperatures are permanent and do not exceed 21˚C and the bottles are shielded from sunshine. A wine fridge, for example, is a good solution, it offers the right conditions both for ageing and for adjusting the right temperature for consumption.