Mád
Mad about Mád? There is good reason to be. Visit and taste wines some of the most established and best winemakers of the Tokaj Wine Region, enjoy wandering around an attractive historic town where stunning buildings are being renovated and built at an incredible pace, and savour culinary masterpieces in some of the best bistros/restaurants in the area. With around one fifth of the total vineyard area – and a great variety of terroir that is being explored by many winemakers with their single-vineyard wines -, Mád is easy to walk around and a great base for your visit.
Now home to Mád Wine Academy, part of the University of Debrecen. The website gives access to English-language GPS-based Mád walking maps with info and directions to explore heritage, vineyards and more around Mád.
Tokaji Borbarátnők Társasága – Tokaji Women and Women have a friendly shop and winetasing bar on the main street in Mád with wines from their members.
Mádi Kör – Mád Circle brings together Mád winemakers for policy changes and event creation including St Vincent Day, St Urban Day, Good Night! Mád, September Furmint tasting.
Highlights
Events and festivals
St Vincent’s Day in January – blessing the vine, both secular and ecclesiastic celebrations
St Urban’s Day in May – both secular and ecclesiastic celebrations
Good Night! Mád in June – a real long summer night – till dawn of concerts at winemakers around the village
Furmint Festival in September – top-notch tasting meets village festival at harvest time
Actually there are many, many more smaller events too, so keep your eye on the calendar so you find out what’s being organised.
Eating, drinking and sleeping
Definitely some of the greatest culinary experiences are to be enjoyed in Mád… And more establishments opening every month! Check if open.
Gusteau – delicious and delightfully presented dishes
Első Mádi Borház – on the edge of town has a great selection of wines and books from around Mád for sale and tasting, as well as good coffee and decent daily menu.
Percze – with all manner of ways to travel and enjoy yourself, plus a fantastic bistro restaurant with great views over the village and the Percze vineyard behind.
Tokaj Women and Wine shop for tastings and info about the member winemakers and their wines.
Botrytis Hotel, which also has tennis courts – unusual in the region.
Mádi Kúria Hotel, impressive building on the main road – that sometimes serves cake.
Things to do
Explore the vineyards using an unusual variety of transport – from Segway to bike, quad to motorised bicycle at Első Mádi Borház and Percze.
Visit the beautifully renovated synagogue and the Rabbi House Museum.
Meet the goats, the “organic clearers”, which are preparing land for planting as vineyards once again, as well as providing the restaurants with Furmint-friendly dishes.
Taste some of the best mature cheeses made locally at Master cheesemaker Sándor Bodnár.
Discover the healing properties of zeolite mined in the area at Geoproduct.
Find out more about Furmint, aszú berries and Aszú wine with stunning visuals in Aszúház.
