Tokaj wine auction to be held

Posted on 4 April 2013

Big news in Hungary. The Tokaj region has revamped its traditional confrérie, a benevolent association that acts for the worldwide dissemination of the ‘wine of Kings’. And one of the first actions of the renewed Confrérie is to hold a première wine auction on April 27th at the historical castle of Sárospatak.

Now institutional auctions such as the one annually held at the Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy might seem a boring chore for the average wine lover, having little relevance on what we drink, and a bit pompous with all those old robes and necklaces. Tokaj has its robes too (although a more prêt-à-porter style is introduced this year, with golden scarves instead of robes) but the forthcoming auction is looking very exciting. And that’s because local producers are offering some unique wines. Each of the 22 lots is only offered in the quantity of one 135-liter traditional Hungarian barrel – that’s equivalent to 182 bottles of dry wine and 272 of sweet. More importantly, each of these wines is a special cuvée that will only be offered at the auction. So effectively buyers will become the owners of the entire production of a given wine.

Most of the leading Tokaj estates are participating. Legendary vintner István Szepsy is offering a single parcel sub-cru of his Nyulászó dry Furmint from 2012. Tokaj Nobilis have produced only a single barrel of sweet Aszú wine in the 2010 vintage. Disznókő are also śelling a 2010 5-puttonyos Aszú, but it is an extremely rare 100% Hárslevelű grape example – none has ever been released commercially by this estate.

The lots have already been tasted by oenologist Nicolas Godebski whose notes are here. I am privileged to have been invited by the Confrérie to Hungary to taste all these lots and release tasting notes for your benefit. So stay tuned as I travel to Budapest today and will update you soon.

My day trip to Hungary is sponsored by the Tokaj Confrérie.