How did the idea for the book first arise?
Well, the idea of the book first came up in 2014: over the years, so much time and experience linked me to the Tokaj Wine Region, that it demanded a written version, not only for my blog. László Alkonyi’s Tokaj Compass was just 5 years old, and I felt it was the right time to update it with the wine region’s new players. But it wasn’t the right time for László as he was involved with building his Tállya estate. So I started with an independent publication that is free and independent, and presents the current colours and shades of the wine region in two languages.
Who do you hope will use the Tokaj Guide?
Since we are talking about a wine region, everything is based on high quality wine. But this wine region is not only about wine, it is not only for wine lovers. The aim of the guide is to have the key words for anyone that then invites them to organize their winter marriage proposal, spring hen party, summer rowing tour, or their autumn wine tour with gastronomic adventures or festivals. Hungary is a small and too diverse a country for us not to want to know the values Tokaj carries with its history, the beauty of the countryside, the conditions of the terroirs and, of course, one of the best wines in the world. I would like the desire to be born in everyone’s heart that, “I want to go here, I want to taste, I want to take pictures!”On the other hand, it is a great pleasure to see the locals await it and use this little book, as it is also a tool for them to give their visitors: with a map, as well as accommodation and restaurant tips, and a mini-lexicon about Tokaj. Last but not least, it is a mirror in the sky, where local characters can see the current picture of the wine region and themselves when they look up.
Any surprises during the writing of the book?
I’ll let you into a secret – you should carefully consider publishing a book. You can expect complete surprises, and you might regret it quickly. It is a surprise in itself that after three years the new edition can be born because I have been focussing all my energy on the Tokaj Wine Region from 1st January only. But it was a good decision, and maybe that might be a surprise. I dived into the Tokaj Guide for the third time because the wine region itself is full of twists and turns: a new interest, another character whose story is worth presenting and who could be a star winery of the future appears practically every month or week.I know well that Tokaj-Hegyalja is not an easy terrain: it presents tough challenges for winemakers, for creative people, and I want to make the most colourful picture possible of the mosaic cubes they carve, which depicts the beauty. But to be more specific regarding surprises, it was already obvious in the spring that there would be two new winery stars in the fresh edition. Based on the quality of wines tasted so far, István Szepsy has received his second star, while the Disznókő has joined Bott Pince and Királyudvar. Zoltán Demeter is still 2 stars.
What are your plans for the future of the book?
I strongly believe that there is a need for an independent guide that always leads the visitor to truly meet the authentic, humble, high-quality Tokaj, to experience, to take home with them in bottles and pass this on to friends. In my more humble moments, I usually say that I hope this publication will still be published in 100 years, and the newer stars will show the outstanding standards to those in Tokaj and those who want to know Tokaj, but that this is represented by a community that thinks together, that shares common values and interests, and that works in this spirit. Someone has to tell their story. I think I would like to be involved with Tokaj until the end of my life. It would be good to see some twenty editions. And I trust that there will be value in it that people trust (there are readers, for example, who send photos of all three editions on the shelf – even though in the year 2014 only 1,500 copies were printed, incredible).
Where can people obtain a copy?
The Tokaj Guide is easy to order on our fb site: https://www.facebook.com/commerce/products/2195027550562855/In addition, a dedicated, limited edition is available, featuring a vineyard map published by Tokaj Foundation and a TokajMagic tasting experience voucher. Two thousand copies are in my care (supported by the Tokaj Wine Region Development Council). And thanks to Scolar Publisher, another two thousand copies will be on well-known and popular platforms of the book market. This national presence is a huge thing for me, thanks to the publisher. After the book launch on 23rd March, I will start a more than two-month presentation tour from Transylvania to Poland on which I would like to personally show how the Tokaj Wine Region can fill a 530-page book. – TokajGuide will be available at these stations. It is worth watching the fb page mentioned above.
What were your first experiences with Tokaj?
It’s hard to recall. If I had to say a wine, I remember a Kereskedőház Aszú: I was maybe 16 years old and we opened it up at Christmas. It had the taste of walnut, the bittersweet atmosphere that everyone at the time connected with Tokaji. The first joint tasting with István Szepsy in 2009 at Bortársaság changed much in me and that was probably what started me towards Tokaj. But I wouldn’t leave László Alkonyi’s basic books out of the story either. I think I was first in Tokaj-Hegyalja for wine in January 2010.
What is it about Tokaj that captivates you?
As you can see, there is no ancient link to my Tokaj attachment, and maybe that’s why the Tokaj is magical. “It inexplicably captivates people who have their heart open.” How many travellers and brilliant personalities from afar are gripped here because of the richness of the wine region’s landscape, history and terroirs: winemakers, professionals, investors, wine writers, and you. Only Tokaj is able to do this (and we are not talking about Napa or Marlborough). I love the people living here and I love Hegyalja with all its flaws and greatness, and its extremes. And now it seems inevitable: Tokaj and I practically need each other.
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Photo: Balázs Szmodits
Can you tell us about any funny times when you’ve been here?
There are a lot. Once on New Year’s Eve in the Sárga Borház where somehow wigs appeared, I was lucky enough to see many of the wine region’s well-known personalities with blond and black long hair in the more advanced part of the evening – but I won’t say any names. It is good to remember the Tarcal Culture Garden period (those who were at the Gálik’s between 2016 and 2017 definitely know what I’m talking about: in their garden a nicely loose community space developed quickly, and we were there almost every weekend: the Zsirais, Kvassingers, Rémusz Dávid, Tomi Vincze, Gergő Somogyi, Ákos Keresztes, but even András Kanczler was there on New Year’s Eve). Then I found myself so stuck in a company car on a vineyard track that Juhász Szabolcs could only pull me out of the mud with a chain (while from the edge of the road Pali Rókusfalvy was recommending me the TokajKalauz publication with its super vineyard map to help visitors), but most recently I watched Rémusz Dávid dig the jammed pick-up out of the snow with his bare hands in January. That guy, he’s amazing.
What are your favourite places, times of year, events in the region?
My favorite place is always different. The Úrágya-roof is one of my favorite photo spots at the moment, but I also like the road between Tokaj and Keresztúr, and the high points of Tarcal.For some reason winter is my favorite: then everything is calm, then you can taste new wine, the winemakers have more time for a long conversation. Somehow I always came to Hegyalja at the beginning of January, without a car initially, by train, bus, hitchhiking. That’s how it started.There are a lot of events now. Bor, Mámor, Bénye is always a great experience. I really like the principle according to which the Tarcal people organize the Witchy Weekend together, together, together, developing the basic ideas that creates a community value. And there is a incredibly cute little initiative in December: Mádi Didergő, where you can actually slaughter pigs and drink pálinka with the local old men and women.
What would you most like to see in Tokaj?
I would like to see the young people stay here (be they winemakers or vine growers, bakers, construction contractors or their employees), to start not only to build their own future, but one for their grandchildren, to form a community that can move together, make joint decisions, precisely so they can to plan together their future, their markets, their own creative environment consistently and effectively. I think this is the only way we can get Tokaj there, where deep in our soul we all see it.
Photo: Balázs Szmodits
