István Szepsy

István Szepsy is perhaps the best-known winemaker in the country, the defining face of the Tokaj wine region, its spiritus rectora, Wine Producer of the Year in 2001 and Winemaker of the Winemakers in 2009. Of the vineyards owned by the family, 52 hectares are currently under cultivation in the best, most renowned vineyards in Mád, Rátka, Tállya and Mezőzombor, among others. Furmint is, of course, of decisive importance on the estate. Their annual production is around 60,000 bottles, about a third of which are Aszú and Szamorodni. Dry wines spend 9 months, Aszú 40 months in oak before bottling. Weathered rhyolite tuff is the dominant bedrock. Wine region:  Toka Winemaker: István Szepsy Soil, rock: weathered rhyolite tuff rich in zeolite and quartz Estate size: 52 ha under cultivation Main vineyards: 6 settlements, in 22 vineyards: Szent Tamás, Úrágya, Urbán, Király, Betsek, Nyúlászó, Birsalmás, Bohomáj, Hasznos, Bányász, Szepsy Main varieties:  74% Furmint, 20% Hárslevelű, 6% Sárgamuskotály Winemaking/technology: fermentation in barrel, dry wines age for 9 months in 400-500-litre Zemplén oak, Aszú 40 months in 225-litre Zemplén oak, grapes are cultivated organically Awards and recognitions: Seigneur du Vin, Producer of the Year 2001, Winemaker of the Winemakers 2009 Annual production: 38,000 dry, 7,000 Aszú, 12,000 Szamorodni