Tokaj appellation rules revised in Hungary
Hungary has approved a revision of the production rules governing Tokaj wines, published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The update reshapes categories, alters technical requirements and adjusts vineyard and labelling provisions across the historic region.
The production specification for the Tokaj or Tokaji protected designation of origin has been amended following publication of the revised rules in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The revision introduces a series of regulatory adjustments affecting classification, analytical parameters, vineyard management and labelling requirements across the Tokaj region, according to information published by Terroirs du Monde Education.
The intention is to simplify the structure of the appellation while clarifying a number of technical aspects governing production.
Fewer wine categories
Several little-used categories have been removed from the appellation. The designations Aszúeszencia, Fordítás Sec and Máslás Sec have been abolished, according to the summary of the amendments. Meanwhile, Fordítás and Máslás remain authorised as sweet wines within the Tokaj appellation.
The category Szamorodni has also been reorganised; Previously covering both dry and sweet styles under a single heading, it will now appear as two separate wines: Szamorodni dry and Szamorodni sweet, each with its own analytical requirements.
Analytical definitions clarified
The revised specification also refines the analytical and sensory descriptions of several Tokaj wines. Tokaji aszú, for example, is described as ranging in colour from pale golden yellow to deep amber. The wine must have a minimum of 9% actual alcohol and a minimum total potential alcohol of 19%, a minimum acidity of 6 g per litre and a maximum total sulphur dioxide level of 400 mg per litre.
The changes standardise analytical thresholds across several wine types within the appellation.
Partner Content
Ageing requirements adjusted
Minimum ageing periods have also been revised; Tokaji Aszú must now mature for at least 18 months in barrel. Szamorodni requires a minimum of six months in cask.
For sparkling wines produced under the Tokaj appellation, the rules require at least nine months of bottle ageing, including a minimum of 90 days on lees.
Sparkling wines and mechanical harvesting
The revised rules introduce tighter requirements for sparkling wines. Fermentation in sealed containers that generate carbon dioxide is no longer permitted. Instead, sparkling Tokaj wines must be produced using bottle fermentation followed by bottle ageing. Separate conditions also apply to grapes destined for sparkling wine production.
Several vineyard regulations have been amended; minimum planting density is now set at 4,000 vines per hectare, with a maximum row spacing of 3.1 metres, according to the published amendments.
Mechanical harvesting is now authorised for basic white wines and sparkling wines. It remains prohibited for speciality wines such as Aszú, where the berries must continue to be harvested by hand. The traditional selection of individual botrytised berries for Aszú production, therefore, remains unchanged.
Vineyard register and bottling rules
The official list of vineyard sites within the appellation has also been revised. Changes have been recorded in the municipalities of Erdőhorváti, Sárazsadány, Tolcsva and Tállya.
Bottling requirements have also been tightened; wines including Aszú, Eszencia, Fordítás, Máslás and Szamorodni must now be bottled within the production area.
Related news
Tokaj is ‘not a historical reenactment society’
