Before Sauternes there was Tokaji

Most Singapore wine lovers know Tokaji as the golden, honey-rich dessert wine once lauded by Louis XIV. Fewer realise that the same Hungarian region now bottles razor-sharp dry whites that behave more like Chablis than Sauternes. If you’ve ever been puzzled by words like Furmint, Aszú or Puttonyos on a Hungarian label, this guide is for you.

Winter at the Öreg Király Vineyard in Tokaj, Hungary.

First Things First: What is Tokaj?

Tokaj (toe-kye) sits in north-east Hungary, on volcanic foothills cooled by two converging rivers. Morning mists encourage Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), the fungus that shrivels grapes for the world-famous sweet wine. Yet those same Furmint vines can also be harvested early for bone-dry whites that hum with citrus, quince and wet-stone minerality.

Tokaji Aszú: The “Liquid Gold”

• Grape mush, not berries. Rot-shrivelled berries (Aszú) are hand-picked and mashed into a paste, then soaked in a neutral base wine for several hours.

• Puttonyos = sweetness. Historically the winemaker added 3-6 wooden buckets (puttony) of berry paste to a 136 L Gönci barrel. Modern rules equate 5-Puttonyos to ≥120 g/L residual sugar and 6-Puttonyos to ≥150 g/L.

• Flavour profile. Think dried apricot, orange peel, acacia honey and bright, electric acidity that stops the wine from turning cloying. Modern styles feature additional complexity with more fruit profiles on the front-palate.

Singapore pairing tip: The wine’s sweetness and acidity slice through pungent blue cheese, pineapple tarts or a rich durian brûlée.

Dry Tokaj: The Modern Face of Furmint

Since the 2000s, winemakers have realised Furmint’s Riesling-level acidity and volcanic minerality make stunning dry whites. Styles range from sleek, stainless-steel “village” wines to single-parcel bottlings aged in Hungarian oak.

• Grapes: Predominantly Furmint with Hárslevelű for perfumed aromatics.

• Flavour profile: Lime blossom, pear skin, crushed stone, sometimes a smoky edge.

• Serving note: Chill to 8 °C, then let it rise in the glass; the mid-palate fattens and quince or honeycomb notes peek out.

Local pairing idea: Dry Furmint’s searing acidity slices through the coconut-rich broth of a bowl of katong laksa, lifting its prawn and cockles (hum) flavours and keeping the palate refreshed.

Label Decoder Cheat-Sheet

(Image credit: Wines of Hungary / winesofhungary.hu)

Buying Tokaj in Singapore - Three Quick Tips

• Check bottle size. Sweet Aszú often comes in 375ml or sometimes 500 ml, a 750 ml “Tokaji” is likely dry.

• Ask for shipping conditions. Both styles hate heat spikes. Look for importers who insist (us!) on cold-chain freight.

• Age your Aszú, drink your dry. Sweet versions can slumber for multiple decades while dry Furmint shines, in general, within 3-8 years though exceptional examples can evolve further.

So… Dry or Sweet?

• Weeknight hawker hero: Dry Tokaj with Hainanese chicken rice, sambal stingray or... surprise! Your favourite cai png.

• Dinner-party flex: 6-Puttonyos Aszú with foie-gras canapés or Roquefort.

• New Year wow factor: Pour Eszencia (if you can find it) for an unforgettable sugar-rush duel.

Either way, Tokaj delivers electric acidity few dessert wines can match, and volcanic minerality few dry wines can claim. Once you know which bottle is which, the only question is how many bottles you’ll need.

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Check out: Barta Öreg Király Tokaji Aszú 6-Puttonyos 2019