-
Pages
-
Categories
-
Archives
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- November 2023
- May 2023
- January 2023
- October 2022
- July 2022
- May 2022
- February 2022
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
A Second Day in Tokaj, Hungary
Gergely Somogyi is a very knowledgeable guide.
On our second full day in Hungary, we arrived in the Tokaj wine region and met our knowledgeable wine guide an expert on the wines of Tokaj, Gergely Somogyi at Barta Cellars. Gergely guided us through the 400-year-old structure while also explaining the history of winemaking in Hungary beginning at least 1,000 years ago. He noted that the vineyards of Tokaj were classified in 1670. In 1737, the wine region was demarcated and it became the first demarcated wine region in the world. A wall in one of the Barta buildings displayed a large map of the wine region in 1865.
As many of the world’s wine region did, Hungary and the Tokaj wine region has had its ups and downs throughout the centuries. The Hungarian wine industry also saw the loss of vineyards due to phylloxera as did many other wine regions. Over time the wine industry has also suffered due to conquering conquests and political movements. However, today Hungary’s wine industry is burgeoning once again.
It was interesting to discover that the wine region of Tokaj which found its reputation due to sweet white wines is now discovering that white dry wines especially using the Furmint grape are now highly recognized.
Our first Enzó wine of the day at Barta Cellers
After learning about the history of wine in Hungary, we continued with a tour of the Barta winemaking facility and cellars. Owned by Karoly Barta, the winery has 10 hectares of organic vineyards predominantly planted with the Furmint grape. Winemaking includes aging the wines in oak.
We stopped at another room where we had a wine tasting of six Barta wines that ranged from dry to sweet. Our visit to Barta included seeing the large renovated guest house available for rent.
Our next stop of the day was to Elso Mádi, a restaurant where I enjoyed a beef consommé soup that included carrots, potatoes and pasta. Terry had the Cauliflower curry, black Basmati rice and Coriander.
Directly behind the restaurant is Ma’d Wine. Wine tourism is encouraged at Ma’d Wine with wine tastings, occasional vineyard walks and tasting wines in the vineyard. The winery building is quite new and in 2019, a new warehouse is planned. After the winemaker opened the doors our eyes were drawn to the over-sized large and colorful wall paintings. Featured in the paintings were comic goats. Inquiring minds would ask what do goats have to do with a winery. Later we discovered that the owners of the winery also have a goat farm.
Very colorful walls in the winery of Ma’d Wine
We returned to the restaurant to taste four of the Ma’d wines. Soon it was time to leave for Holdvölgy where we discovered the winemaker waiting for us outside. Our attention was quickly drawn to the sight of the tasting room’s living roof. The clear glass front walls of the tasting room highlighted the beautiful gold color of all of the Holdyölgy wines.
Our tour began with a walk down the circular staircase where we entered the large labyrinth cave system. In the rock covered caves, we tasted the first Holdvölgy wine which was dry. We then walked through the “endless” caves filled with wine barrels. Later we returned to the tasting room where we enjoyed a vertical tasting of six Aszú wines which were sweet. The variation between these sweet wines was due in part to the weather for each year. Each wine was a little different.
A vertical tasting of six Enzó wines at Holdvölgy Cellar
Our final stop for day two was Gróf Degenfeld Castle also the home of organic wines beginning in 2017. The winery is located behind the large mansion and also had a large cave system including a cave library of wines.
The cave at Gróf Degenfeld Winery
We stayed over night in the mansion, built in 1872, which offers elegant dinners and cuisine as well as large rooms for guests.
We could not have asked for a better way to spend our first day in Tokaj.