Tokaj (Slovakia)
| Wine region | |
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| Official name | Vinohradnícka oblasť Tokaj |
|---|---|
| Country | Slovakia, Hungary |
| Climate region | Continental climate |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 550 mm |
| Soil conditions | rocky with volcanic origin |
| Total area | 908,11 ha |
| Grapes produced | Furmint, Lipovina, Muškát žltý, Zéta |
| Varietals produced | Tokaji |
| No. of wineries | Tokaj Regnum Association |
Tokaj wine region (Slovak: Vinohradnícka oblasť Tokaj) is a wine-growing region located in south-eastern Slovakia and north-eastern Hungary. The two vine-growing areas were once part of greater Tokaj wine region (also Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region or Tokaj-Hegyalja) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Due to the Treaty of Trianon a smaller part (3 villages and about 175 hectares of vineyards) became part of Czechoslovakia (today Slovakia). The majority of the region (around 28 communities and some 5,500 hectares of vineyards) remained part of Hungary. Nowadays, the Slovak part of Tokaj wine region comprises 7 communities and approximately 908 hectares of vineyards. Under current EU legislation, the vintners in the Slovak wine region of Tokaj may use the Tokaj label (or Tokajský/-á/-é which means “of Tokaj” in Slovak).
Vine growing in Tokaj wine region goes back to the Roman times, when the area belonged to the Roman province of Pannonia. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the vine growing tradition was continued by Slavs. It is believed that the name of the village and mountain Tokaj has a Slavic origin. It is derived from the word “Stokaj,” loosely referring to a confluence of two rivers, in this case the rivers Bodrog and Tisa.
Legend says that when Hungarians, led by Álmos and his son Árpád, reached this area, viticulture had already been flourishing. Árpád's valiant knight Turzol was first to climb the summit, and on return he reported to his master that the hillside was covered throughout with tranquil vineyards. Árpád then awarded Turzol not only with the hill, but also the entire area up to the intersection of the Bodrog and Tisza rivers. The village of Turzol was built here (today Tarcal). In 1241, the invasion of Tatars left the area plundered and its vineyards destroyed. King Béla IV of Hungary (1235-1270) decided to bring a new life to the region and colonized it by Latin people.
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