Tokaji Aszú

Tokaj lies in Hungary's far northeast, where the Tisza and Bodrog rivers meet. Because the two rivers' waters are slightly different temperatures, most autumn mornings see the region enveloped in fog, followed by sunny and breezy afternoons that suit noble rot. The vineyards sit on the slopes of the Carpathian Mountains, and the Zemplén Forest protects them from northerly winds. The region covers 27 villages. Figures for its vineyard area differ: Decanter's travel guide gives 5,747 ha, while The Drinks Business put the area under vine at 5,400 hectares in 2023. Tokaj has possibly the oldest vineyard classification in the world, produced in 1707-1708, and in 1737 a royal decree defined the region and which villages were permitted to use the name. Louis XIV of France is credited with calling it "Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum" (Wine of Kings, King of Wines).

• Tokaj lies so close to the Slovak border that a small part of the region is actually in Slovakia
• UNESCO listed the Tokaj wine region as a World Heritage Cultural Historic Landscape in 2002
• Milestones: in 1720 all of Hungary's vineyard regions were classified as first, second and third class, with Tokaj listed as first class; in 1737 a royal decree set finite boundaries for which villages can use the name Tokaj
• The deeper subsoil is mostly volcanic tuff, with windblown loess dominating in the south and on Tokaj Hill and a mixture of rock and clay locally called nyirok covering the rest

The six most common native varieties of the post-phylloxera era are Furmint, Hárslevelű, Sárga Muskotály, Kövérszőlő, Zéta and Kabar. Furmint is the most planted, at 69% of plantings, with Hárslevelű at 18%, Sárga Muskotály (Yellow Muscat) at 9% and Zéta, Kövérszőlő and Kabar together at 4%. Furmint ripens late, is high in acidity and very prone to botrytis, and its tight clusters spread botrytis efficiently. When making Tokaji, Furmint is typically supported by Hárslevelű and Muscat to add fruitiness and fragrance.

• Furmint ripens late, maintains high acidity and is very prone to botrytis; DNA profiling identified it as an offspring of Gouais Blanc
• Hárslevelű (its name means 'linden leaf') has looser bunches and relatively thick skins, making it less prone to botrytis in drier years, and it can stand on its own or act as a blending component for dry and sweet wines
• The noble rot fungus punctures microscopic holes through the grape skins, and the resulting evaporation of water shrivels the berries to raisins
• Botrytis is not guaranteed: producers may risk insufficient onset or even no-show of botrytis when the weather is less ideal

Historically, Tokaji Aszú sweetness was measured by the number of puttonyos (baskets of about 25 kilograms) of botrytized Aszú berries added to each 136-liter Gönci barrel. The scale ran from 3 to 6 puttonyos, and more puttonyos meant a sweeter and more complex wine. In 2013 the Tokaj regulations changed, removing the 3 and 4 puttonyos categories. All Aszú must now be the equivalent of at least five puttonyos, measured as 120 g/L of residual sugar, while six puttonyos must reach at least 150 g/L, and producers label their wine to reflect the style it most represents, as long as it also meets the legal minimum. Essencia stands apart, made entirely from the free-run juice of Aszú berries and containing more than 450 g/L residual sugar.

• Pre-2013: 3 puttonyos required at least 60 g/L residual sugar; 4 puttonyos at least 90 g/L; 5 puttonyos at least 120 g/L; 6 puttonyos at least 150 g/L
• The 2013 changes raised the minimum total potential alcohol for Aszú to 19% and required a minimum of 1 kilogram of Aszú berries per 2.2 liters of Aszú wine; all forms of sweetening Aszú have been prohibited since August 2015
• The 2026 revision of the Tokaj specification, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, sets Tokaji aszú at a minimum of 9% actual alcohol, 19% total potential alcohol and 6 g per litre acidity, and keeps hand harvesting mandatory for Aszú
• Aszúeszencia was phased out as of 2012, and the 2026 revision abolished the designation
• Tokaji Essencia is fermented in glass demijohns, and fermentation often takes years to reach just 2 to 5% alcohol

Harvesters hand-pick individual botrytized berries from each vine, returning four or five times. The collected Aszú berries are crushed into a paste and soaked in grape juice, young wine or, most commonly today, fermenting must to extract flavor and sweetness. The mixture is then pressed, and the resulting juice ferments and ages in traditional 136-liter Gönci barrels made from Hungarian oak. Tokaj's cellars were mostly carved into volcanic tuff between the mid-15th and the late 17th century and are covered in a cellar mold whose name varies by source: GuildSomm calls it Cladosporium cellare, and Decanter's travel guide names it Zasmidium cellare.

• A good picker may pick less than 10 kg of Aszú berries per day
• The Aszú paste macerates with fermenting must or an already fermented base wine before pressing
• Minimum ageing for Tokaji Aszú is two years in total with at least 18 months in barrel, though individual producers may choose to age for longer; the 2026 revised rules require at least 18 months in barrel
• Tokaj's underground cellars, mostly carved into volcanic tuff between the mid-15th and the late 17th century, are covered in Cladosporium cellare mold, and their humidity, often near 95%, suits long-term aging

Tokaji Aszú is typically an amber-hued wine bursting with flavours of orange peel, apricots and honey; under the 2026 specification its colour ranges from pale golden yellow to deep amber. The balance between sweetness and vibrant acidity comes from the region's complex volcanic soils, cool nights that help retain acidity, and the native grape varieties. On style, Decanter contributing editor Stephen Brook says most Aszú wines used to be deliberately oxidative, but that today few would argue oxidation is intrinsic to Aszú. Many Tokaji wines, especially Aszú and Eszencia, improve with age, gaining complexity and depth over decades.

• Typical flavours: orange peel, apricots and honey
• Aszú wines have a much higher acidity than Sauternes, and the higher acidity and raciness of Aszú remain a major difference between the two
• High acidity, one of Furmint's characteristics, keeps the wines balanced despite their sweetness
• GuildSomm characterizes quality Aszú today as refreshingly sweet, low in alcohol, oxidative (not oxidized) and balanced

Caroline Gilby MW, writing for Decanter, matches five puttonyos Tokaji, with its interplay of sweetness and refreshing crispness, to pâté and light cheeses and to fruit-based desserts such as apple crumble, poached pears or fruit tart. Six puttonyos wines suit full-flavoured blue cheeses or pâté. For more ambitious chefs she suggests Asian-spiced savoury dishes such as Peking duck with plum sauce or Thai red curry with pumpkin. Apricot tart, blue cheese and foie gras are classic matches for sweet Tokaji, a wine known for its distinctive 50cl bottles.

• Five puttonyos: pâté, light cheeses and fruit-based desserts
• Six puttonyos: full-flavoured blue cheeses or pâté
• Adventurous: Peking duck with plum sauce, caramelized pork, sticky sesame tofu or Thai red curry with pumpkin
• Classic: foie gras or blue cheese

Primary source: https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2024/tokaji-decoded-the-science-behind-hungary-s-iconic-sweet-wines. Secondary sources: https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/tokaji-sweetness-measured-aszu-430218/, https://www.decanter.com/learn/whats-the-difference-between-sauternes-and-tokaji-aszu-ask-decanter-472562/, https://www.decanter.com/wine-travel/europe/tokaj-travel-guide-3787/, https://www.guildsomm.com/public_content/features/articles/b/eric-danch/posts/tokaj-part-one, https://www.guildsomm.com/public_content/features/articles/b/eric-danch/posts/tokaj-part-two, https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2026/03/tokaj-appellation-rules-revised-in-hungary/, https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2023/02/how-is-tokaji-made/. Last verified 2026-10-05