The Tokaj region stands out particularly for being where the climate and excellent fertile ground ideal for cultivating Tokaj grape varieties meet. It is one of our smallest wine-growing regions; nevertheless, its uniqueness makes it one of the best known.

The level of quality and exception of Tokaj wines is given by several factors which are connected and closely linked. These factors are: natural (geological – soil), geographic, climatic and meteorological, a unique form of storage and long-term ageing.

The Furmint, Lipovina and Yellow Muscatt varieties are capable of noble ageing and the creation of cibéb raisins. In the underground tufaceous cellars, the temperature remains stable all year round. The nature of this region is made up of volcanic soil, including andesite, rhyolite and tuf, which are the basis for heavy clay and clay and aluminous soils rich in minerals.

Rocks found in the soil on the Zemplín hills are mainly acidic. Most of the vineyards unfold across the upper and central parts of the hills on the stony and tufa ground. These types of soil create favourable thermal conditions for the Tokaj grape varieties during the climatic swings at night-time and daytime. Their suitability comes from the fact that during the day they absorb heat from the sunrays, which they then radiate during the night, evening out the thermal differences between various times of day. This makes the grapes ripen quicker and creates favourable conditions for the bouquet and aromatic elements to be found in Tokaj wine.

Macroclimatic and microclimatic factors in the course of the vine's growing cycle are of great importance for the ripening of Tokaj grape varieties. These include the temperature of the air and soil, the sunshine rate and the amount of atmospheric precipitation. The nature of Tokaj wines mainly stems from its specific grape varieties. Three basic varieties are considered as Tokaj and they must be present in a certain proportion in Tokaj wine.

The basic Tokaj grape variety is Furmint, which makes up 65% of the Tokaj wine production; the second Tokaj variety is Lipovina, which makes up 25% of wine, and the further Tokaj grape variety is Yellow Muscat, which represents a proportion of about 10% of the Tokaj wine production.

The three Tokaj grape varieties possess a particular quality, notably that over the course of a long, warm autumn, cibéby raisins are created by the Botrytis cinerea Persoon rot in the case of late harvests, and these are the basis for the production of Tokaj selections.

The traditional production of Tokaj wine is based on many years of gradual oxidation in small (136-250 l) oak casks, in deep tufaceous cellars, at a constant temperature of 10-12°C, an atmospheric humidity of 88-95%, and the effect of the Cladosporium cellare cellar mould.

It is a well-known fact that the production of Tokaj wine is based on oxidising technology, from the moment of the harvest and the grape processing itself. It begins with the over-ripening of the grape, the selection of cibéb raisins, the fermentation of the mashed product and the soaking of the cibéb raisins and continues with the oxidation of the young wine as soon as it is made, and ends with several years of ageing in wooden casks.

The entire recipe for the ageing of Tokaj wine is the secret of cellar masters who protect this secret of how to obtain the highest quality for this royal beverage very dutifully. These secrets are passed down from generation to generation and are the very key to the uniqueness of Tokaj wine.