Though Tokaj had a difficult 20th century, today it again ranks as one of the world’s great wine regions. The area now has a handful of large, slick tasting rooms that wouldn’t feel out of place in Napa or Chianti or Mendoza, but the great pleasure of touring this out-of-the-way region is the opportunity to visit some of its charming family-owned wineries.
On a narrow street in the pretty town of Tokaj, this small winery has cellars dating to at least 1743. We toured the facility with its passionate owner, Hajni Pracser, who speaks excellent English. After she led us through the cellars, we ascended to her terrace, where we sampled an array of single-vineyard dry whites and several sweet Aszú wines. The fruity 2011 Zafír Vineyard, the rare Kövérszőlő and the concentrated 2003 6-Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú are not to be missed.
The wine village of Mád has many fine historic buildings, including an ornate synagogue and the noble house and cellars of Barta Pince, built between the 16th and 18th centuries. The home’s mostly unrenovated (and extraordinarily atmospheric) second floor exhibited the original worn floorboards, crumbling plaster and faded wall painting. At a private tasting in the stylish ground-floor dining room, we sampled wines such as a luscious 2011 Furmint, a fruity 2012 Hárslevelű, a rich and woody 2008 Szamorodni (akin to sherry) and a honeyed 2008 6-Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú.
The restaurant’s sommelier led us on a private tour of the 200-year-old cellars dug into the hillside behind the hotel, followed by a tasting of five superb wines. I particularly enjoyed the aromatic and exotic 2012 Furmint and the 1999 6-Puttonyos Tokaji Aszú. Later, at dinner, I tried the 1999 dry Szamorodni, a style of wine not traditionally paired with a main course. But its tart acids cut right through the richness of my Mangalica pork, complementing it perfectly.
I can’t deny the high quality of the wines offered at this winery, which has a spacious tasting room and sunny terrace. But though the Gróf Degenfeld Hotel made an appointment for us, we didn’t receive a tour or, indeed, any sort of information about the wines other than some English descriptions printed on cards (few here spoke English). By all means, stop by and purchase a bottle or two of floral 2011 Nyulászó, creamy 2012 Percze, bright and toasty 2011 Szent Tamás or anything by István Szepsy. But there’s no need to waste time sitting in this impersonal tasting room when there are so many other appealing wineries nearby.
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