A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Wineries typically… [305933]

WINE TOURISM IN SLOVAKIA.

VINO VDOVJAK

A winery is a [anonimizat] a [anonimizat] a wine company.

Wineries typically employ winemakers to produce various wines from grapes by following the winemaking process. [anonimizat]. The grapes may be from vineyards owned by the winery or may be brought in from other locations.

The villages of the Tokaj wine region in Slovakia are Bara, Čerhov, Černochov, Malá Tŕňa, Slovenské Nové Mesto, Veľká Tŕňa, and Viničky. The development of the village were heavily affected by the invasion of the Turks and Crimean Tatars (1566), [anonimizat]. Therefore they support the development of viticulture and forced local people to establish vineyards and cellars spread.

Tokaj wine cellars (fig.1) are the most beautiful corners of the Slovak part of the Tokaj. We found here 33 [anonimizat] 130 to 140 [anonimizat] 16th century. A steady temperature around 10° C, [anonimizat].

Figure 1. Vino Vdovjak Cellar

THE "DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN" DISPUTE

Only a small part of the Slovak wine region Tokaj was once part of the historic Tokaj wine region of the Kingdom of Hungary. Due to the Treaty of Trianon the majority of the region (around 28 communities and some 4,500 hectares of vineyards) remained part of Hungary and a smaller part (3 communities and about 175 hectares of vineyards) became part of Czechoslovakia (today Slovakia). In 1959 [anonimizat].

[anonimizat], a luxurious commodity with a strong appeal to the international market.

The dispute started in 1964 when, [anonimizat], the market that used to be solely supplied with this commodity by Hungary. The conflict of interests was settled in a [anonimizat]-[anonimizat] ([anonimizat]-exported it). This agreement expired in 1990 after which date the dispute arose again.

The Tokaj wine total volume production in Slovakia cannot compete with that of Hungary. [anonimizat] 20,000 [anonimizat] 10% of the total production on the Hungarian side.

The dispute between the countries over the right of Slovakia to use the name Tokaj that started in 1958 for its wines was resolved in 2004 – the two countries came to an agreement in June 2004 under which wine produced on 565 hectares of land in Slovakia will be able to use the Tokajský/-á/-é label ("of Tokaj" in Slovak), providing that the Slovaks accept the Hungarian quality control regulations.

[anonimizat] (including other forms of spelling) was given Protected Designation of Origin status. Since 2007, only authorized wine producers from the Hungarian Tokaj region can use the Tokaj brand name, while wines produced in the Slovak region will be referred to by the Tokajský/-á/-é label.

The Tokaj vineyard region, with 998 ha, is the smallest of the six vineyard regions of Slovakia. It comprises seven towns in the Trebišov District: Bara, Čerhov, Černochov, Malá Tŕňa, Slovenské Nové Mesto, Veľká Tŕňa, and Viničky. Wine makers of these communities produce similar wines to those of the Hungarian wine region; across the border (although Hungarian winemakers maintain that the Slovak wines are usually produced using different techniques). Since 2005, the same regulations apply in Slovakia as in Hungary, but there are concerns regarding the quality of wines made in the Slovak region.

Figure 2. Map of Tokaj wine Region with both Hungarian and Slovakian parts.

Some of the characteristics which make the Tokaj wine region unique are:

Soil and microclimate: The Tokaj terrain consists of clay or loess soil on volcanic subsoil. The microclimate is determined by the sunny, south-facing slopes and the proximity of the Tisza and Bodrog rivers, and is conducive to the proliferation of Botrytis Cinerea (noble rot) and the subsequent desiccation of the grapes.

Indigenous grape varieties: Furmint and Lipovina have been cultivated in the region for centuries and, together with Yellow Muscat, are the only grape varieties officially permitted for use in the region.

Cellars: A vast system of cellars has been carved out of solid rock. They provide a constant temperature of around 12 °C and high humidity of around 95%, which are ideal for the aging of Tokaji wines.

Appellation system: A royal decree in 1757 established a closed production district in Tokaj, the world's first system of wine appellation. Vineyard classification began in 1730 and was completed by the national censuses of 1765 and 1772.

WINE PRODUCTIONS

Vino Vdovjak vineyards are planted on the southern and south-western steep slopes directly above the village of Veľká Tŕňa. The vineyards are trying to apply an integrated cultivation of the vine; this means that the vineyards are meant not only as a production factor, but primarily as part of the ecosystem. For example, these vineyards are nationwide and have year-round grassy vegetation.

The grapes are the single most important factor in producing good wine. The technologies that are used help to aim for top qualitative and quantitative parameters. Treatments are applied only when needed so as not to affect the grapes health in any way.

Once the harvesting of healthy, quality grapes is over, processing begins with several steps: sorting of the grapes, destemming, crushing of the berries, pressing, must settling and fermentation that takes place spontaneously without the use of enzymatic or other preparations.

The 3 hectares of Vino Vdovjak vineyards are covered up with the following grape varieties: Furmint, Lipovina and Yellow Muscat.

The story of this family micro-winery began in 2007 with the cleaning and renovation of the old Tokaj Cellars in Veľká Tŕňa and the beginning of wine making. The wine vintages of 2007 and 2008 were modern tears but increasingly the family winery focused on production of eminently traditional, clean, without enzymes, cultivates yeasts or filtration intervention in the wine.

Furmint

Furmint is a white dry wine with higher acidity that is typical of the late grape variety. The name Furmint may have been taken from the word "froment" for the wheat-gold colour of the wine it produces.

Lipovina

The wine from this grape variety is characterized by its delicate flavour. Dry styles of Lipovina can be characterised by the aroma notes of linden honey. The name of this white grape variety means 'linden leaf' in all languages and countries where it is grown. Lipovina wines can be very viscous with deep green-gold colour, with consequent various levels of residual sugar.

Yellow muscat

This variety of wine is very rare, each year it produces just over 500 litres of wine. Yellow Muscat is possible to produce reductive way as varietal wine. The wine is then significantly muscat aroma with fresh acid. Yellow Muscat dates back to ancient antiquity and one of the oldest grape varieties. This type of wine is mainly used together with Furmint and Lipovina for the production of Tokaj wines.

WINE TASTING

Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. Modern, professional wine tasters use a constantly evolving specialized terminology which is used to describe the range of perceived flavours, aromas and general characteristics of a wine.

There are five basic steps in tasting wine: color, swirl, smell, taste, and savor. These are also known as the "five S" steps: see, swirl, sniff, sip, savor. During this process, a taster must look for clarity, varietal character, integration, expressiveness, complexity, and connectedness.

The Vino Vdovjak wine company prepare a special and large room for the meeting, where they put on the table a variety of wine bottles from which the clients can choose. They usually make homemade sausages, bacon, baked ribs and brisket, cheese, olives and bread to serve at this kind of meetings.

INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVALS

Tradition and festivals go hand in hand especially in Bratislava, where wine and music are particularly worthy of celebrating. Between September and November, the summer crowds have thinned and the weather turns slightly brisk. The beginning of the wine harvest in the area just northeast of Bratislava, the Small Carpathians region, provides a good reason for organising a number of local wine festivals. They are perfect for families offering many activities for children, and adults alike. The autumn wine tasting festival season kicks off every September in Rača. Rača is home of the iconic Frankovka grape, associated with Empress Maria Theresa. Folk dancing and folk music are always big part of this festival as well as rows of stalls selling street food, area crafts and the local “burčiak”..This young wine, just beginning the process of fermentation, is said to “cleanse the blood.” It is said that one should drink as much of it as one has blood in his or her body.

Vino Vdovjak company was invited at this unique festival of the best wines from around the world. Here people can taste best of the best, get to know new type of wine, as well as the best and most valuable wines.

Tokaj Unplugged

Tokaj Unplugged is an overnight wine tasting festival in historical cellars of Velka Trna, organized by local boutique winemakers. From the things that you can do, we can mention wine tasting deep down in the historical cellars, burning bonfire, roasted bull and tokaj goulash.

Figure 3. Promotional poster for Tokaj Unplugged festival

Open Cellars Festival

Open Cellars festival gives you the chance to visit local winemakers and taste their wines as well as local food specialties in the villages of Malá Tŕňa, Veľká Tŕňa and Viničky. And, as it is always better to drink and not drive, a free shuttle is available for the visitors to ensure the transport between the villages of Slovak Tokaj.

Figure 4 and 5. Wine tasting and Vino Vdovjak varieties of wine

Figure 6 and 7. Inside Vino Vdovjak cellar

Area of Tokaj is geographically closed area in the Bodrog river basin; it is bounded in the north of Slovakia by the Zemplin Mountains (469) and in the South of Hungary is bounded by the confluence of the Tisza and Bodrog. It is a historical and territorial a large part of the Tokaj wine region.

Figure 8. Things to do in Tokaj area of Slovakia

Pull your bike and enjoy the ride along the Tokaj wine region. Each station will offer the opportunity to see and visit unique natural and cultural values, visit the environmentally protected areas and reserves, national monuments, archaeological sites, including the Tokaj wine cellars excavated in tufa rock. Natural beauty of Bodrog river valley, blooming water lilies, hillsides with vineyards and wine cellars, and all the beautiful scenery of Tokaj wine region.

Color: Red
Start: Čerhov
End: Viničky
Distance: 22,5 km
Total uprise: 160 m
Total descent: 230 m

The path takes visitors through the most well-known localities of the Tokaj wine-growing region. It leads mainly along paved roads, except the connection in the direction of Čerhov – Luhyňa is via a field path (3 km) and the connection of the village Borša – Viničky and further in the direction of Zemplín, where it leads along the embankment of the Bodrog River (3.5 km). On the bridge over the Bodrog in the territory of the village Viničky the path connects to another main red path, which continues further to the village of Zemplín. Thereafter, its connection up to the Zemplínská Šírava reservoir (Michalovce District) is being planned.

On this path we recommend that you visit some of the wine cellars, the largest concentration of which is in the villages of Malá Tŕňa and Veľká Tŕňa, even though there are wine-grower’s houses everywhere along the path. The largest attraction is the Observation Tower, from which there is a beautiful view over the entire wine-growing region in Slovakia as well as in Hungary.

Figure 9. Discover the Slovak wine bike path

Good and tasty food in which local people still placed a piece of their heart. In the Tokaj wine region, you can choose from restaurants where real chefs cook or taste local specialties in a traditional family environment. Choose a village where you want to enjoy delicious food, each of them hiding a unique treasure on a plate.

Figure 10. Accommodation in Slovak Tokaj area

Figure 11 and 12. Promotional materials for Tokaj experience

Figure 13. Vino Vdovjak presentation in promotional books

REFERENCES

Tokaj Region Jadinecnost na pohlad aj vchuti, 2015

"Tokaj Wine Road". http://www.sacr.sk/article?id=122&category=7&lang=en. Retrieved 2017-02-17.

"A névért perelnék az uniót a tokaji gazdák" (in Hungarian). Népszabadság. 2008-08-02. http://nol.hu/cikk/502160/. Retrieved 2017-02-21.

http://www.indianwineacademy.com/item_2_210.aspx

"Bitka o víno kráľov, kráľa vín. Slovensko-maďarské spory o značku Tokaj sa ťahajú už 34 rokov" (in Slovak). 2008. http://www.internet.sk/mediakurier/madarsko/17.htm. Retrieved 2017-02-11.

Víno Vdovjak – Gazdovský dvor u capa

http://www.vinovdovjak.sk/

http://www.vinovdovjak.sk/o-vinohradoch

http://www.vinovdovjak.sk/

http://www.vinovdovjak.sk/ubytovanie