Puttonyos System (Historical)

The Puttonyos system grew out of centuries of botrytized winemaking in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region of northeastern Hungary. The earliest written reference to Aszú wine appears in a 1571 inheritance document, and a 1655 law already required the separate harvesting of botrytized fruit. Vineyard classification began in 1730, making Tokaj one of the world's earliest formally classified wine regions, over 120 years before Bordeaux. A royal decree in 1737 established Tokaj as a closed production district. In 1703, Prince Francis II Rákóczi sent King Louis XIV of France a gift of Tokaji wine; Louis XIV subsequently declared it 'Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum' — Wine of Kings, King of Wines. The puttonyos system formalized this prestige by giving buyers a transparent numerical guide to sweetness and concentration.

• Earliest documented Aszú reference: a 1571 inheritance document referencing the separate handling of botrytized grapes in the Mézes Mály vineyard
• 1730: Tokaj's vineyards classified into first, second, and third class based on soil, sun exposure, and botrytis potential — a world first
• 1703: Francis II Rákóczi gifts Tokaji to Louis XIV, earning the region its enduring royal reputation across European courts
• The puttonyos system survived Ottoman occupation, Habsburg rule, and Soviet collectivization before being officially replaced in 2013

The Tokaj wine region lies in northeastern Hungary at the confluence of the Bodrog and Tisza rivers, at the foothills of the Zemplén Mountains. The region covers approximately 11,149 hectares of classified vineyards, of which around 5,500 are currently planted. Its volcanic soils, rich in iron and lime, sit beneath clay and loess topsoils that produce wines with distinctive mineral tension and structure. The region's continental climate brings cold winters, hot summers, and crucially, misty autumn mornings from the two rivers followed by warm, dry afternoons — ideal conditions for Botrytis cinerea to develop progressively on Furmint and Hárslevelű grapes. This specific microclimate made the puttonyos system not only practical but necessary, as the degree of botrytis varied dramatically year to year.

• Location: Northeastern Hungary, at the confluence of the Bodrog and Tisza rivers, sheltered by the Zemplén Mountains
• Soils: Volcanic subsoil with clay and loess topsoil, high in iron and lime, providing structure and minerality to Aszú wines
• Climate: Autumn mists from two rivers promote Botrytis cinerea, followed by sunny, dry afternoons that desiccate grapes into concentrated Aszú berries
• UNESCO recognition: The Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2002

Six grape varieties are officially approved for Tokaji wine production. Furmint accounts for approximately 60 percent of plantings and is the backbone of Aszú wines, prized for its high natural acidity and susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea. Hárslevelű accounts for a further 30 percent, contributing floral and linden-blossom aromatics. Sárgamuskotály, the local name for Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, adds fragrant notes. The puttonyos scale applied exclusively to Aszú wines, made by macerating botrytized grape paste in base wine or fermenting must. Szamorodni, made from whole bunches with varying proportions of botrytized grapes, and dry varietal wines followed separate classifications entirely.

• Furmint: Approximately 60 percent of plantings; backbone of Aszú blends for its acidity and botrytis susceptibility
• Hárslevelű: Approximately 30 percent of plantings; adds aromatic complexity and linden-blossom character
• Aszú production: Botrytized berries are hand-picked individually, mashed into a paste, and macerated with base wine or must for hours up to two days
• Residual sugar by level: 3p = 60-90g/L; 4p = 90-120g/L; 5p = 120-150g/L; 6p = 150-180g/L; Aszúeszencia (now discontinued) = 180-260g/L

The puttonyos system formed the legal cornerstone of Tokaji Aszú classification for centuries, requiring wines to carry a number from 3 to 6 corresponding to the number of 25-kg Aszú baskets added per 136-liter Gönci barrel. In 2013, Hungary revised its wine laws significantly: the 3 and 4 puttonyos categories were abolished, and all Tokaji Aszú now requires a minimum of 120g/L residual sugar. Producers may still voluntarily label wines as 5 or 6 puttonyos if they meet the relevant sugar thresholds of 120g/L and 150g/L respectively. The Aszúeszencia category — introduced in 1970 and never considered fully traditional — was also discontinued in 2013 to prevent consumer confusion with pure Tokaji Eszencia. Eszencia itself remains, with a minimum of 450g/L residual sugar and alcohol between 1.2 and 8 percent ABV.

• Pre-2013 scale: 3p minimum 60g/L RS, 4p minimum 90g/L, 5p minimum 120g/L, 6p minimum 150g/L
• 2013 reform: 3 and 4 puttonyos categories abolished; all Aszú now requires minimum 120g/L RS and minimum 18 months oak aging
• Aszúeszencia discontinued in 2013 to protect the integrity of pure Tokaji Eszencia and reduce market confusion
• Tokaji Eszencia: minimum 450g/L residual sugar; free-run juice of Aszú berries collected under their own weight; alcohol rarely exceeds 5-6% ABV

The post-communist renaissance of Tokaj began in 1990, when Royal Tokaji Wine Company was founded by wine author Hugh Johnson and a group of investors inspired by the fall of communism. Royal Tokaji focused from the outset on single-vineyard wines from first-growth sites including Mézes Mály, Nyulászó, Szt. Tamás, and Betsek. Oremus, whose cellars in Tolcsva date back centuries, became another pillar of quality revival. The 2013 regulatory changes were embraced by many leading producers as a quality-raising measure, even as they represented the formal end of the puttonyos numbering system. Today, producers across the region — including Royal Tokaji, Oremus, Disznókő, and Szepsy — continue to use the 5 and 6 puttonyos designations voluntarily to signal style and sweetness to consumers.

• Royal Tokaji Wine Company: Founded in 1990 by Hugh Johnson and investors; focuses on first-growth single-vineyard Aszú wines from sites like Mézes Mály and Nyulászó
• Oremus: Owned by the Vega Sicilia group; produces Aszú from historic underground cellars in Tolcsva carved from volcanic rock
• Disznókő: Major estate revived with foreign investment post-1990; cellar network provides ideal constant-temperature aging conditions
• Producers may still label wines 5 or 6 puttonyos post-2013; those carrying puttonyos numbers without the Aszú designation are generally considered entry-level

The Tokaj region was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002 under the name Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape, recognized for its unique viticultural tradition spanning over a thousand years. The region's underground cellars, carved by hand into volcanic rock between the 14th and 16th centuries, maintain constant temperatures of around 10-12 degrees Celsius and humidity of 85-90 percent — conditions ideal for the slow aging of Aszú wines. The World Heritage Wine Museum in Tokaj, opened in 2015 in a restored 18th-century building, provides interactive exhibits on Tokaji history and production. Visitors to the region can tour cellars in villages including Tokaj, Mád, Tarcal, and Tolcsva, tasting both historic-style sweet wines and a new generation of high-quality dry Furmint.

• UNESCO inscription: Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape, 2002, recognized under cultural criteria for its millennium-long viticultural tradition
• Underground cellars: Carved from volcanic rock between 1400 and 1600 AD; maintain 10-12°C and 85-90% humidity ideal for Aszú aging
• World Heritage Wine Museum, Tokaj: Opened 2015; interactive exhibits on the history and production of Tokaji wines including the puttonyos system
• Key villages to visit: Tokaj, Mád, Tarcal, and Tolcsva — each offering cellar tastings, single-vineyard Aszú, and dry Furmint from top producers