The short version: Tokaji is the wine of Tokaj in northeast Hungary, most famously the sweet golden Aszú made from grapes shrivelled by noble rot. Louis XIV called it “the wine of kings and the king of wines”. Its sweetness is measured in puttonyos, and the region also makes superb dry Furmint. It’s an easy day trip from Budapest.
At a glance
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Aszú | The sweet wine, from botrytised (“noble rot”) grapes |
| Puttonyos | The sweetness scale (traditionally 3-6); higher = sweeter |
| Eszencia | The rarest, most concentrated free-run Aszú nectar |
| Furmint | The main grape – now also making excellent dry white |
| Szamorodni | “As it comes” – a style that can be dry or sweet |
The wine of kings
Tokaj has made wine since the Middle Ages, and its sweet Aszú predates Sauternes as Europe’s great botrytis wine. The magic is Botrytis cinerea, or noble rot: autumn mists off the Bodrog river shrivel the grapes on the vine, concentrating their sugar and acidity. Those aszú berries are hand-picked and added to base wine, and the result is a luscious, honeyed, apricot-and-marmalade wine with bright acidity that lets it age for decades.
Puttonyos, Furmint and how to taste it
Traditional Aszú is labelled in puttonyos – historically 3 to 6, the number of hods of aszú berries added, so the higher the number the sweeter and richer. Rarer still is Eszencia, the syrupy free-run nectar. But Tokaj’s modern story is dry Furmint: crisp, mineral, age-worthy whites from the same grape, brilliant with food. Taste both on a Tokaj wine tour from Budapest, or in the city on a Budapest wine tasting.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tokaji Aszú?
The sweet golden wine of Tokaj, made by adding hand-picked botrytised (“noble rot”) grapes to a base wine. It’s honeyed and apricot-scented with high acidity, and ages for decades.
What does puttonyos mean?
The traditional sweetness measure of Tokaji Aszú – historically 3 to 6 puttonyos. The higher the number, the sweeter and more concentrated the wine.
Is all Tokaji sweet?
No – while Aszú is sweet, Tokaj also makes excellent dry Furmint, a crisp mineral white that is the region’s exciting modern direction.
Taste Tokaji
Book a Tokaj wine tour from Budapest, taste it in the city on a Budapest wine tasting, or plan from the Hungary hub.
