Living the Tokaj dream in Hungarian wine country: Oremus Winery

Our first stop was Oremus Winery, a historic wine producer, located in Tolcsva within the Tokaj  (toe-kye) region of northeast Hungary. Tolcsva once favored by nobles, is home to Oremus, one of the larger wineries in the area, the first Bohemian restaurant in the region, and a wooden onion-dome church. While viewing the vineyards from the patio at Ormeus the village church's uniqueness caught my attention. Given I did not visit the church, based on my limited research the Roman Catholic Church tower was redesigned in a baroque style. The clocktower's pink wooden structure now supports a black onion dome. What I did discover was that this wine area has rich wine history, dating back to the 1600s. In 1993 the Alvarez family, owners of Spain's iconic Vega Sicilia, purchased the Oremus estate and founded Tokaj-Oremus Viñedos y Bodegas. 

 Church, Tolcsva, Hungary © Spaswinefood

The Tokaj Wine Region, which takes its name from the town of Tokaj, was established in 1737. It was the first wine region in the world to create an official vineyard classification.  After 2nd FICB (Federation International of Wine Brotherhoods) Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge's main program was held in Budapest, from May 23-May 26, 2024, off we went to Tokaj for extension program, from May 26-May 28, 2024. Tokaj's Furmint wines are produced in a variety of styles, range from bone dry to extremely sweet. It has taken me some time to develop an understanding of Tokaj's Furmint wines.  Ever since my very first introduction to Tokaj wines I have strived to learn more; so when I visited Tokaj last May it was, for me, a dream come true. I was so excited to visit the Tokaj wine region for the first time. 

Living the Tokaj Dream: Tokaj-Oremus Viñedos y Bodegas 

Upon arrival at Oremus we met up with the winemaker and was introduced to its fabulous wines. While Tokaj is best known for its Tokaji Aszú, a noble sweet wine, it has also received attention for its sparkling and dry white wines.

Welcome to Oremus © Spaswinefood

Our welcoming drink was dry Furmint wine called Mandolás.

Oremus, Mandolás © Spaswinefood

Oremus, Mandolás 2021 © Spaswinefood

Over a glass of Mandolás, outside on the patio, we were introduced to Tokaj's Ormeus winery.

Welcome to Oremus © Spaswinefood

Today's estate includes historic Tokaji vineyards, with each vineyard characterized by different soil and microclimatic conditions. Besides Furmint they also grow smaller amounts of Hárslevelü, Sárga Muskotály, Zéta, Kövérszolo, and Gohér.  After some brief history and overview of its vineyards we went on a tour inside the winery.

Welcome to Oremus © Spaswinefood

Oremus is best known for its sweet wines, which are aged in tunnels that were carved by hand into the typical volcanic tuff rock of the Tokaj hills. There are a number of legends centered on the earliest production of Tokaji Aszú. Winesearcher notes: Legend has it that in 1650, fearing an attack by the Turks, harvest was postponed for two months. Grapes were able to dehydrated on the vine and eventually produced an exceptional, intensely sweet wine.

The winery's 13th Century underground cellars is where its wines are stored and aged. These cellars are a jewel of the Oremus estate. The ancient, kilometers-long system of cellar labyrinths have been protected as a World Heritage Site since 2002. Its cellars were once 10 separate cellars, until they were connected underground to form an almost 4 km labyrinth in the 19th and 20th centuries. During the communist regime, the tunnels were used as the most prestigious aging cellar of the state cooperative. In 1993, the famous Spanish wine company Bodegas Vega-Sicilia bought and revitalised the Oremus estate. 

Before tasting Oremus Tokaji Aszú  we were given a brief overview of how it is produced. The winery utilizes both traditional and contemporary wine production methods. Their late harvest wine is mostly made from overripe grapes whereas the Aszú wine is made from botrytized berries. Tokaj's sweet wines have been categorized as Late Harvest, Szamorodni, and Aszú wines (see overview at end of post). The botrytized dessert wines, the Aszú and Eszencia, require a slow fermentation process and years of aging in small barrels in Oremus' ancient underground cellars before release. Eszencia is the most concentrated essence of its ripest grapes. It is the liquid gold that very slowly oozes from  aszú grapes raisined by botrytis. Oremus also produces a dry Furmint wine called Mandolás.

Intro to Oremus Tokaji Aszú wines  © Spaswinefood

The estate makes a range of the region's famous botrytized Tokaji wines, with sweetness levels, from three to six puttonyos. The vineyards have a continental climate and the nearby confluence of two rivers provides the ideal conditions at harvest that make it possible for grapes to be affected by botrytis.

Amongst the Oremus Tokaji Aszú wines we tasted was a Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2017.

Oremus, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2017

Oremus, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2017 © Spaswinefood

Since 2014, only the five and six puttonyos wines are permitted to use the term, Aszú. It is also important to note that Aszú is not made every year. The winemaker decides, if the quality of harvest allows Aszú production, or not. The Aszú´s stable acidity characterizes this dessert wine, which is one of the slowest maturating and most long-living wines in the world.

As I noted earlier they also produce a single dry Furmint wine called Mandolás.

Oremus, Mandolás  © Spaswinefood

After being introduced to Oremus wines, and touring the winery there was an opportunity to buy some wines. I could not resist picking up a Oremus, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2000 for later.

Oremus, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2000

Oremus, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2000 ©Spaswinefood

My visit to this property reminded me of another Vega Sicilia wine that I was introduced to earlier in Spain.

Vega Sicilia, Pintia, DO Toro 2018 © Spaswinefood

I was an absolute delight to visit Oremus during the 2nd FICB Wine Tasting and Rating Challenge in Hungary, 23-28 May 2024. As a member of the KOV (Knights of the Vine) Tahoe Chapter it was a pleasure for me to attend the 2024 FICB in Hungary. For sure each visit to Hungary, this was my third time visiting Hungarian wine country, has provided me with the most amazing wine adventures. 

Oremus, Tolcsva, Hungary © Spaswinefood

My Oremus visit was part of my living the Tokaj dream in Hungarian wine country. Now, is the time to explore Hungarian Wines! I invite you to join me in my wine adventures in Hungary at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon and at Spaswinefood  on  Twitter and Facebook. 

CHEERS!

Sharon

May 2024

Tokaj, Hungary

© Spaswinefood

Spring Time Vineyard, Tokaj, Hungary © Spaswinefood

Oremus To Go  © Spaswinefood

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While in Tokaj we stayed at Andrassy Manor and Spa.

Notes from an earlier Spaswinefood post on Late Harvest, Szamorodni, and Aszú wines.

Tokaj's Late Harvest, Szamorodni, and Aszú Wines

Tokaj's sweet wines have been categorized as Late Harvest, Szamorodni, and Aszú wines since 2014.

Aszú Wines

Let's begin with what makes Tokaji Aszú wines so special. The Aszú´s acidity characterizes this dessert wine, which is one of the slowest maturating and most long-living wines in the world. The great balance in Tokaj Aszú comes from the natural acidity in the grapes, particularly furmint, the dominant grape variety. Three other grapes are commonly used (harslevelu, muscat blanc à petit grains, zeta, and a few other grapes are also permitted). While the Aszú wines are usually blends, occasionally you’ll find a 100 % Furmint Aszú.

The basis of this wine are hand-picked, dried and noble rotten berries. After selection, the dry berries are processed into an Aszú dough. Aszú wines are made by pressing the grapes shriveled by botrytis into a paste, and then blending that paste with a still wine. The taste and quality of the Aszú mainly depends on the number of hods (puttonyos) filled with dry berries, which are added to a cask of dry base wine. The word puttonyo, or basket, is an old method of gauging the sweetness in the wines. Moderately sweet wines contain three puttonyos of paste, with a sweeter wine containing four, and so on, up to 6 puttonyos. The proportion of aszú berries to dry base wine for a 6 puttonyos Aszú is about 1:1. Before 1945, also 2 puttonyos Aszú was marketed. 

Late Harvest and Szamorodni
It is important to note that since 2014, only the five and six puttonyos wines are permitted to use the term Aszú. Those sweet wines in the three and four category are now labelled Late Harvest, and Szamorodni. In the case of Szamorodni, unlike Aszú wines which are picked by the berry, the grapes are picked in bunches at the end of the harvest, and depending on the sugar level of the grapes are made into dry (Száraz) or sweet (Szamorodni) wines.

Aszú Berries © Spaswinefood

Tokaji Aszú has been described as a noble sweet wine from Tokaji. I am inclined to agree with the claim because Aszú wine has a perfect balance of acidity and sugar levels. The basis of this wine are hand-picked, dried and noble rotten berries. As noted earlier since 2014, only the five and six puttonyos wines are permitted to use the term, Aszú. It is also important to note that Aszú is not made every year. The winemaker decides, if the quality of harvest allows Aszú production, or not. The Aszú´s stable acidity characterizes this dessert wine, which is one of the slowest maturating and most long-living wines in the world.