Natural All The Way (6-Pack)

In 1700 Tokaj developed one of the world’s earliest vineyard classification systems, and Tokaj is most famous for being the birthplace of Tokaji Aszú—one of the world’s oldest sweet wines.

Located in northeastern Hungary—which historically has been the crossroads of Central Europe—the region is framed by natural borders: the town of Tokaj in the southwest corner where the Bodrog and the Tisza rivers meet, the Bodrog river to the southeast, and the Zemplén hills to the northwest. The Tokaj region has 5,500 hectares of vineyards and 27 towns and villages. Wines from the different vineyards can all be quite different, and winemakers here love to experiment with single vineyard wines.

On top of its long and fascinating history, the Tokaj region has so much for wine-lover’s to discover. It is rich in a variety of volcanic soils; has a microclimate ideal for bringing on noble rot (botrytis); grows some really interesting indigenous grape varieties; and has a truly enchanting subterranean labyrinth of mould-covered cellars where the wines age. Though Tokaj is best known for its sweet Aszú wines, which are made from botrytized grapes, more than half of the wine it produces is dry.

Six official grape varieties grow in Tokaj. The superstars are the indigenous varieties Furmint and Hárslevelű, with Furmint being the high profile grape that tends to steal the show. Other varieties grown in smaller quantities are Sárga Muskotály, Kövérszölö, Zéta (a crossing of Furmint and Bouvier), and Kabar (a crossing of Hárslevelű and Bouvier). All of these wines are being increasingly made in dry styles, which winemakers are embracing because they are more marketable.

But it’s the sweet wines which make the region so unlike any other. They rely on the development of botrytis, which comes with the right weather conditions. The harvest here is a long, labor-intensive process which starts with the dry wine harvests, and continues with the harvesting of the botrytized grapes, which is done by hand.

In addition to Aszú (which is made with botryized grapes which are selectively harvested by hand, one berry at a time), other styles include late harvest wines, sweet and dry versions of Szamorodni (made with whole clusters of grapes containing a mixture of both botrytized and healthy grapes), Forditás (made from the second pressing after Aszú is made), Máslás (made from the second pressing after Aszú is made), and Eszencia (made from the free-run juice of Aszú berries, so thick and concentrated that it only reaches about four percent alcohol).

The Mátra hills, and the wine region that stretches among them, are about 100 kilometers east of Budapest. Along the highway the region is closer than Eger and Tokaj. But even though Mátra is actually Hungary’s second largest winemaking region—with about 7,500 hectares of vineyards—it’s an under-the-radar region, which many Hungarian wine lover’s haven’t yet explored. It’s also one of the oldest regions, where wine production started way before the Magyars arrived, making it more than 1,000 years old, with an unbroken continuity of wine.

Mátra played an important role in wine production during the Communist era. Large swaths of vineyards were planted here, and the focus in the regional coop was on mass produced table wine. As a result, Mátra accounted for 40 percent of Hungary’s wine export in the 1980s. When the changes happened, the state-owned winery was privatized by a handful of companies which still account for the majority of the region’s production.

In this way, Mátra’s post-Communist wine history is somewhat different from most other Hungarian wine regions. Elsewhere smaller, family-owned businesses took the lead, making small volume, but very high quality, terroir-focused wines. Though large wineries are still dominant, ambitions small producers are starting to make a buzz and are re-thinking and re-branding the region.

Before the phylloxera struck Europe in the 19th century and devastated the wine industry,  Kadarka, Furmint, Góhér, and Purcsin were the region’s signature varieties. When vineyards were replanted in the early 20th century white grapes became more dominant and Kadarka like other old traditional red varieties slowly became insignificant. Today the region’s production is 70 percent white, and the list of grapes grown here is lengthy. Olaszrizling, Irsai Olivér, Hárslevelű, and Szürkebarát are amongst the most important whites, while Kékfrankos, Turán, and Pinot noir are common reds.

Somló is one of Hungary’s emblematic historical wine regions. Its unique, mineral-rich terroir, indigenous varieties and numerous small producers make it one of Hungary’s most exciting white-wine regions. Its wines have long been renowned thanks to their allegedly beneficial properties. They were sold in pharmacies to treat a variety of ailments, and their supposed ability to help conceive a male child gave them the nickname of ‘wedding night wine’.

Situated in northwestern Hungary to the north of the western reaches of Lake Balaton, Somló is one of the country’s smallest wine regions. One of the hill’s secret weapons is the black basalt bedrock which retains the heat of the day and radiates it back like a stove, keeping the vines warm on chillier days. The volcanic buttes are covered by sediment from the former Pannonian Sea (which once covered the area). Sand, gravel, and clay are mixed with basalt, basalt tuff, and calcareous tuff from the bedrock, which has been degraded into debris.

Most vineyard holdings in Somló are tiny, and many are owned by hobby winemakers. But the number of serious winemakers has grown considerably in recent years, and we are beginning to once again see why Somló wines were so famous historically.

Somló’s 507 hectares are dominated by white varieties, most notably Olaszrizling, Furmint, Juhfark, and Hárslevelű. Traditionally terroir had greater significance than the grape varieties, and Somló’s terroir is incredibly strong. The main attributes of a Somló wine are its characteristic salty minerality, high (often piercingly) acidity, and great age-worthiness. They are generally rather austere in their youth and need a few years to open, developing into complex wines with smoky, stony flavors, and sometimes a petrol-like intensity similar to Riesling. The wines are generally aged in large, old oak and often spend time on their lees, lending them a generous, creamy, full body.

The appellation of Sümeg is located within the Balaton-felvidék (Balaton Uplands) wine region approximately 20 km. north of Lake Balaton. Comprising only 11 hectares, this young PDO is the smallest in Hungary as of 2023. While the Castle of Sümeg is one of the main tourist attractions in the area, the steep slopes of the 270-meter-tall Castle Hill are also an excellent site for viticulture. These slopes are mostly marl and limestone, and this soil composition is reflected in the minerality of the area’s wines. Olaszrizling is the most planted varietal closely followed by Furmint, Kékfrankos, and Zweigelt.

The southern Szekszárd region excels in producing some of Hungary’s most elegant and spicy red wines. The region is one of the strongholds of Kékfrankos and Kadarka, and the Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon) are also important. Szekszárd’s wines are generally full bodied yet elegant, with plenty of lively acidity. Along with Eger, it is also the only place in the country that may use the name Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) to describe its full-bodied red blends. It is said to have coined this name before its rival in the north.
The region stretches over the Szekszárd Hills and the northeastern fringes of the Geresdi Hills. It lies between the Mecsek Hills to the west and the Danube and its floodplain to the east. It is characterized by rolling hills, and is crisscrossed by erosional valleys, thus creating a range of distinct microclimates. There are 2,187 hectares of planted vineyards, and the region’s soil is characterized by a thick layer of loess, generally a couple of meters’ thick, but which can reach up to an incredible 30 meters in some places. The areas with terra rossa—iron-rich, red clay subsoil—are the best vineyards for red wine. Loess soils and areas with high loess walls are easily eroded, and so they are often terraced.
Viticulture in the region goes back to Roman times.

The region flourished under the Habsburgs, with many famous cellars, the abbey cellar system, and press houses. Vineyards grew a wide range of varieties. Kadarka took over as the leading variety in the 19th century and is said to have inspired some of Franz Liszt’s music. The variety was celebrated by poet János Garay, who is credited with dubbing the deeply colored local red wine ‘Bikavér’ in a poem.
Szekszárdi Bikavér is a spicy Kékfrankos-led blend, which also includes a touch of Kadarka and up to 40 percent Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. It must contain at least four varieties and be aged in oak for at least one year. It is fruity yet elegant, with silky tannins and a juicy full body. The premium version requires a year of further aging in oak and a further 12 months in bottle. These are harmonious, full-bodied wines with great complexity and freshness.
Kadarka yields a light, gently aromatic, cherry-flavored, spicy wine with a beautiful ruby color, while Szekszárdi Kékfrankos demonstrates a rich, fruity style with plenty of sour cherry, spice and refreshing acidity. Many wineries also boast powerful, and often somewhat alcoholic, Bordeaux blends, Cabernet Francs, Cabernet Sauvignons, and Merlots among their top wines.  The blends often contain a splash of Kékfrankos to add a touch of Szekszárd character.
In 2014 winemakers in Szekszárd introduced a special bottle that may only be used for premium wines, which have passed a tasting panel, in these three flagship styles. The Szekszárd winemakers are a great example of a Hungarian wine region collaborating to develop a common style and vision for the future.