Tokaji Máslás: Wine Made by Pouring Must Over Aszú Lees

Tokaji wine production has a documented history stretching back to at least the 16th century, with the first written reference to Aszú winemaking recorded in 1571. By the 17th century, Tokaji wines had reached European royal courts, and Prince Francis II Rákóczi famously gifted bottles to King Louis XIV of France in 1703. Categories such as Máslás emerged organically from the practical tradition of extracting maximum value from expensive botrytized material. Winemakers discovered that fresh must poured over the lees left from Aszú production yielded a wine of real complexity. The region survived phylloxera, which reached Tokaj in 1885, and the collectivization era under communist rule after World War II. Since 1990, significant foreign and domestic investment has driven a renaissance of artisanal production across all Tokaji categories including Máslás.

• The first written record of Aszú winemaking in Tokaj dates to 1571, establishing one of Europe's oldest documented botrytized wine traditions
• Vineyard classification in Tokaj began in 1730, with a royal decree establishing a closed production district by 1737 or 1757, among the earliest appellation systems in the world
• Communist collectivization after World War II centralized production and suppressed individual estate expression, nearly extinguishing traditional categories like Máslás
• Post-1990 investment by producers including Royal Tokaji, Oremus, and Disznókő helped restore artisanal production methods and revived lesser-known Tokaji styles

The Tokaji wine region sits in northeastern Hungary at the confluence of the Bodrog and Tisza rivers, within the foothills of the Zemplén Mountains and the Carpathian range. The region's microclimate is shaped by autumn mists rising from the river confluence each morning, followed by warm, breezy afternoons. This cycle promotes the development of Botrytis cinerea on late-harvest grapes while the afternoon sun ensures adequate ripeness. Soils consist of clay and loess over volcanic subsoil, including rhyolite tuff, which provides excellent drainage and mineral character. The region encompasses 28 named villages and 11,149 hectares of classified vineyards, of which approximately 5,500 hectares are currently planted. Its exceptional landscape was recognized when Tokaj was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.

• The Bodrog and Tisza rivers meet at Tokaj; their slightly different water temperatures generate regular autumn morning mists that promote noble rot development
• Soils are primarily clay and loess over volcanic subsoil, including rhyolite tuff rich in silica, contributing to the distinctive mineral character of Tokaji wines
• Vineyards are planted at approximately 135 to 250 metres altitude on south-facing slopes sheltered from northern winds by the Zemplén and Carpathian mountains
• The Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002 in recognition of its millennium-long viticultural tradition

Six grape varieties are officially approved for Tokaji wine production: Furmint, Hárslevelű, Sárgamuskotály (Yellow Muscat), Kabar, Kövérszőlő, and Zéta. Furmint dominates, accounting for around 60% of regional plantings. Its high natural acidity and susceptibility to botrytis make it the structural backbone of Máslás. Hárslevelű, covering a further 30% of plantings, contributes floral aromatics and complementary texture. Sárgamuskotály adds fragrance when included. Máslás carries the hallmark honey, dried apricot, and botrytis complexity of premium Tokaji styles, balanced by the vibrant acidity that Furmint reliably delivers. Most examples contain between 80 and 130 g/L of residual sugar in practice, positioning Máslás as a richly sweet but structured wine with genuine aging potential.

• Furmint accounts for approximately 60% of plantings in Tokaj and provides the primary structural acidity and botrytis character in Máslás
• Hárslevelű represents around 30% of regional plantings and contributes floral notes, body, and aromatic complexity to blended styles
• Sárgamuskotály (Yellow Muscat) is used in smaller quantities and adds fragrant, exotic aromatic intensity to some Máslás productions
• The wine's high residual sugar is balanced by the naturally elevated acidity of Furmint, giving Máslás the structural tension needed for extended cellaring

Tokaji Máslás is produced and regulated under the EU Protected Designation of Origin for Tokaj, which has undergone several revisions. The most recent amendments, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, abolished the dry Máslás Sec style; Máslás now exists exclusively as a sweet wine category. The minimum residual sugar threshold was raised above the previous European-wide floor of 45 g/L. In practice, most Máslás wines carry 80 to 130 g/L of residual sugar. The wine must spend a minimum of six months in oak and cannot be released before 1 January of the second year following the harvest. Wines including Aszú, Eszencia, Fordítás, Máslás, and Szamorodni must be bottled within the production area and released in the standardised Tokaji botrytised wine bottle, most commonly in 500 mL format. The category is distinct from Fordítás, which uses Aszú dough rather than lees, and from Szamorodni, made from whole bunches fermented without berry selection.

• Recent EU-approved revisions to the Tokaj product specification abolished Máslás Sec; Máslás remains authorized only as a sweet wine
• Máslás must spend a minimum of 6 months in oak and has an overall aging requirement of just over one year before release on 1 January of the second year after harvest
• Most Máslás wines carry 80 to 130 g/L of residual sugar in practice, well above the regulatory minimum
• All Máslás must be bottled within the Tokaji production area in the standardised botrytised wine bottle, most commonly the 500 mL format

Oremus, founded in 1993 when the Álvarez family (owners of Vega Sicilia in Spain) purchased the estate in Tolcsva, is among the most prominent producers in the region. The estate farms 115 hectares across 13 vineyard plots and produces Tokaji Aszú, late harvest, and dry Furmint-based wines. Royal Tokaji, founded in 1990 by wine writer Hugh Johnson and a group of investors including local growers led by István Szepsy, is based in Mád and operates over 100 hectares of vineyards, with a focus on single-vineyard Aszú and related styles. Disznókő is a 112-hectare contiguous estate in Mezőzombor, owned by AXA Millésimes since 1992; under winemaker László Mészáros, the estate is recognized as one of the pioneers of the post-communist Tokaji renaissance. István Szepsy, one of Hungary's most acclaimed winemakers and a descendant of the Calvinist preacher credited with the first Aszú, operates his own family estate in Mád. These producers collectively represent the standard of quality across Tokaji's premium sweet wine categories including Máslás.

• Oremus was founded in 1993 by the Álvarez family of Vega Sicilia and farms 115 hectares across 13 vineyard plots in and around Tolcsva
• Royal Tokaji was founded in 1990 by Hugh Johnson and investors including István Szepsy; it owns over 100 hectares of vineyards in Mád
• Disznókő is owned by AXA Millésimes since 1992 and comprises a rare 112-hectare contiguous estate in Mezőzombor, within the Mád subregion
• István Szepsy, widely regarded as one of Hungary's finest winemakers, produces wines from Mád and is a direct descendant of the winemaker credited with creating the first Aszú in 1631

The Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002, in recognition of its more than a thousand years of continuous viticultural tradition. The region encompasses 28 named villages and is centered on the town of Tokaj at the confluence of the Bodrog and Tisza rivers, approximately 220 kilometres northeast of Budapest. A vast network of cellars was carved from volcanic rock between 1400 and 1600 AD; these cellars maintain a constant temperature of approximately 10 to 12 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 85 to 90%, conditions ideal for aging Tokaji wines including Máslás. Visitors can tour cellars at estates including Royal Tokaji in Mád and Disznókő near Mezőzombor. Autumn harvest season from late September through November provides the optimal opportunity to observe botrytis development and the selective harvesting of Aszú berries.

• The Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002, covering 27 to 28 settlements and their surrounding vineyards
• Historic cellars carved from volcanic rock between 1400 and 1600 AD maintain constant temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees Celsius and humidity of 85 to 90%, ideal for aging sweet Tokaji styles
• Jewish merchants played a significant role in the commercialization of Tokaji wines from the 18th century onward, and the region's cultural heritage reflects this diversity
• Autumn harvest from late September through November offers visitors the chance to witness the selective berry-by-berry picking of Aszú grapes that underpins Máslás production