Great Tokaj Wine Auction – Confrérie de Tokaj

Great Tokaj Wine Auction – the highlight of Tokaj Spring

Leading producers offer unique barrel lots (136 l) of contemporary Tokaji wines that are not available on the open market. Most are still in the barrel and will be bottled with the special Confrérie de Tokaj auction label within one year of the Auction. The blind tasting prior to the auction is a simultaneously playful and serious. An experience guaranteed to get the senses working to the full.
The venue? The imposing Knights’ Hall of Sárospatak castle on Saturday 25th April 2015.

The wines

Over the past 20, 25 years vintners have been exploring their terroir, to discover again each land, grape variety and style, and how best to present it through wine. The Auction supports this, and provides a wonderful opportunity to follow developments as the majority of lots are single-vineyard wines. A range from dry Furmint and Hárselvelű, through dry and sweet Szamorodni, late harvests to 5 and 6 puttonyos Tokaji Aszú.

The producers

Established wineries and smaller up-and-coming producers, Hungarian and foreign-owned, have offered lots at previous Great Tokaj Wine Auctions. In 2015 wines are from Barta, Béres, Bodnár, Demetervin, Disznókő, Füleky, Kvaszinger, Mádi Borház-Baranyai Béla, Pajzos-Megyer, Samuel Tinon, Szent Benedek, Szent Tamás, Szepsy, Tokaj-Hétszőlő, Tokaj Trading House and Zsirai.

The buyers

Tokaj lovers from around the world – from the USA to China, Paris to Taiwan! An international crowd curious to be part of the rebirth of this historic wine region.
– groups: organised before and at the Auction
– (Michelin-star) restaurants: to source an exclusive wine offered nowhere else
– half the buyers were from outside Hungary in the first two Auctions
– in 2014 company purchases were significant, and Hungarian companies bought with foreign partners

The aim of the Great Tokaj Wine Auction

Tokaji Aszú, the “Wine of Kings and the King of Wines”, has long been among the most sought-after wines on the planet. As writer Hugh Johnson said, iconic wines, such as Tokaji, Champagne and Port, require time, explanation and understanding. This is part of the Confrérie de Tokaj’s mission to promote the wines of this unique volcanic area in northeastern Hungary. Seigneur de Vin, István Szepsy, explained after the 2014 Auction, “The aim is to create premium category based on terroir. This auction offered a great opportunity for the market to react to unique quality offered by a terroir. And I believe something has begun.”

See the Great Tokaj Wine Auction catalogue.