Tokaj Wine Glossary
TOKAJ DELIGHTS · A GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF WINE
A wine label brings together origin, grape ripeness and the winemaker’s work. Our glossary will help you understand these differences and choose wine with greater confidence. From cibéby and putne to varietal wines, discover the terms that accompany Slovak Tokaj from vineyard to glass.
Quality wine
A traditional term for wine meeting specified requirements for origin, grapes and final quality. It does not indicate sweetness; look for the sweetness level separately on the label.
Barrique
A small oak barrel, typically 225 litres in the Bordeaux style. The wood and its degree of toasting can influence both the aroma and structure of the wine. The result also depends on the age of the barrel and the length of maturation.
Berry selection
A special-quality wine made from manually selected overripe bunches after unripe and damaged berries have been removed. The term refers to the quality of the grapes used, not to the sweetness of the finished wine itself.
Botrytis cinerea
A fungus that, under suitable conditions, produces noble rot. As affected berries dry out, their components become concentrated. Under unfavourable conditions, however, it can damage the grapes.
Burčiak
Partially fermented grape must. It contains residual sugar and alcohol, and its composition changes rapidly while fermentation is in progress.
Cibéba selection
A special-quality wine made from manually selected overripe berries ennobled by Botrytis cinerea. The name describes the special raw material and the method of grape selection.
Cibéby
Shrivelled grape berries affected by noble rot caused by Botrytis cinerea. This concentrated raw material is the basis of traditional Tokaj selections; its formation depends on the conditions of the vintage.
Cladosporium cellare
The traditional name for the black cellar mould found on the walls of old wine cellars. It forms part of their characteristic environment and is not the noble rot found on grapes.
Must sugar content
The sugar content of grape must. In Slovak winemaking it is also expressed in degrees of Normalised Must Weight (°NM). It should be distinguished from residual sugar, which remains in the wine after fermentation.
Cuvée
A wine created by blending several components, for example grape varieties or separate lots. By adjusting their proportions, the winemaker creates the intended character and balance of the finished wine.
Gönc barrel
A traditional Tokaj barrel with a capacity of approximately 136 litres. Its volume historically served as the basis for the ratio of wine to cibéby when determining puttonyos-style Tokaj selections.
Raisin selection
A special-quality wine made from manually selected overripe berries with a concentrated sugar content. The name points to the ripeness and careful selection of the grapes.
J & J Ostrožovič
The family winery of Jarka and Jaro Ostrožovič in Slovak Tokaj, founded in 1990. Its range combines traditional Tokaj specialities with modern varietal collections.
Kabinet wine
A special-quality wine made from fully ripe grapes. The designation describes the category of grapes used; Kabinet wine can have different levels of residual sugar.
Ice wine
Wine made from grapes harvested and processed while frozen. Part of the water remains as ice, resulting in a more concentrated must.
Must
Juice obtained from grapes before alcoholic fermentation is complete. Yeasts convert its sugars into alcohol; acids and other components also influence the final character of the wine.
Must hydrometer
An instrument used to determine the sugar content of grape must. On the °NM scale, one degree corresponds approximately to one kilogram of sugar in 100 litres of must.
Late harvest
A special-quality wine made from fully ripe grapes with a higher sugar content than Kabinet wine. The name itself does not mean that the finished wine must be sweet.
Oxidative method
A method in which the winemaker deliberately works with controlled oxygen exposure, for example during maturation. It can develop complex notes of mature wine; controlled ageing should be distinguished from undesirable oxidation.
Putňa
A traditional container for harvesting grapes and cibéby. The historical number of putne added to a base quantity of wine gave rise to the names of traditional Tokaj selections.
Reductive method
A winemaking method that limits contact of must and wine with oxygen. It helps preserve fresh fruit and varietal expression. The term refers to oxygen management, not to a grape variety.
Free-run juice
Juice released from grapes without pressing. In Tokaj essence, the term refers to the exceptionally concentrated liquid released by cibéby under their own weight.
Sedimentation
The settling of solid particles in a liquid. During must processing it allows settled particles to be separated from the clearer liquid; it is not itself fermentation.
Straw wine
Wine made from ripe grapes dried before processing on straw, mats or while suspended. Water loss concentrates the must; straw itself is not a flavouring ingredient.
Tokaj essence
A rare Tokaj speciality made from the slowly fermenting free-run juice of selected cibéby. It originates from naturally concentrated berries that release their juice under their own weight.
Tokaj selection essence
A special category of Tokaj wine produced by processing selected cibéby with must or wine. It shares its origin with Tokaj essence, but the production method is different.
Tokaj grape varieties
Traditional Slovak Tokaj wines are based on Furmint, Lipovina and Yellow Muscat. Vinified separately or blended together, they create different expressions of local wines.
Tokaj Samorodné Sweet
The sweet form of Samorodné wine. Cibéby are processed together with the other berries; unlike in selection wines, they are not separated to create a distinct cibéba base.
Tokaj Samorodné Dry
A traditional Tokaj wine made by processing whole bunches together, including the cibéby present in them. The dry version is characterised by a low level of residual sugar.
Tokaj Selection – 3 Putne
A traditional category of sweet Tokaj selection wine. The number three refers to the historical ratio of cibéby to the base quantity of wine or must.
Tokaj Selection – 4 Putne
A Tokaj selection with a higher proportion of cibéby in the historical production ratio than the three-putňa category. When choosing a bottle, compare acidity and residual sugar as well.
Tokaj Selection – 5 Putne
A traditional selection whose name derives from five putne of cibéby. The designation helps identify the category but does not replace the analytical information for the individual wine.
Tokaj Selection – 6 Putne
The highest putňa category among traditional Slovak Tokaj selections. Historically, it represents six putne of cibéby in relation to the base quantity of wine; the individual vintage also shapes the final character.
Tuff cellars
Cellars excavated into volcanic tuff. Their stable conditions are closely associated with the maturation of traditional Tokaj wines and contribute to the character of local wineries.
Wine with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
Wine whose quality and characteristics are linked to a specific geographical environment. The grapes come from the defined area and the wine complies with its approved production specification.
Wine with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
Wine with a legally protected link to a defined geographical area. Its quality, reputation or another characteristic is attributable to that origin, and production must comply with the relevant rules.
Grape selection
A special-quality wine made from carefully selected ripe bunches. The category describes requirements for the quality and sugar content of the grapes used; it does not automatically mean a sweet-tasting wine.
How to read a wine label when choosing wine
Along with the wine’s name, look at the grape variety, origin, vintage and sweetness indication. The special-quality designation mainly describes the grapes used, while details about the finished wine complete the picture of its style. When comparing traditional Tokaj selections, residual sugar and acidity are also useful indicators.
