Szepsy

A Family Written Into Tokaji’s History

The Szepsy name has been tied to Tokaji since the 16th century. It was an ancestor in 1631 who is said to have bottled the first Tokaji Aszú, the sweet wine made from botrytised (noble rot-affected) berries that would go on to be praised by kings and courts across Europe.

Centuries later, István Szepsy Sr. cemented the family’s legacy. He not only created benchmark Aszú wines that set the standard for Tokaji but also played a central role in preserving and documenting the region’s winemaking traditions. With his passion for geology, he painstakingly mapped Tokaj’s volcanic soils to understand their affinity with local varieties like Furmint and Hárslevelű.

Standing Firm Through History

During Hungary’s Communist era, when independent winemaking was discouraged and private ventures banned, István refused to give up. He maintained a small four-hectare vineyard, selling grapes to the state until its collapse in 1990. After independence, he slowly rebuilt the estate, expanding to 52 hectares, 60% of which are today classified as first-class vineyards, the Tokaji equivalent of Grand Cru.

Looking ahead…

Today, István Szepsy Jr. is stepping into the spotlight. While honouring the family’s legacy of legendary sweet wines, he is also spearheading a growing focus on single-varietal dry wines. These wines showcase Tokaji’s terroir in a new light and have quickly found international acclaim.

Together, father and son embody both heritage and innovation, ensuring that Szepsy remains at the heart of Tokaj’s past, present, and future.

What is “Noble Rot”?

One of the defining features of Tokaji Aszú is the presence of noble rot, scientifically known as Botrytis cinerea. While rot is usually the enemy of grape growers, in certain conditions, this unique fungus transforms ordinary grapes into the building blocks of some of the world’s greatest sweet wines.

Noble rot thrives in Tokaj’s special climate, where autumn mornings bring mist from the nearby Bodrog and Tisza rivers, followed by warm, dry afternoons. This cycle allows the fungus to puncture grape skins gently, concentrating sugars, acidity, and flavours while developing complex notes of honey, dried apricot, orange peel, and spice.

The process is painstakingly labour-intensive. Individual botrytised berries are hand-picked one by one. These “aszú berries” are then macerated with base wine or must to create the legendary Tokaji Aszú, once celebrated by Louis XV of France as “the wine of kings and the king of wines.”

For producers like the Szepsy family, who preserve the Aszú method, noble rot is the foundation of Tokaj’s identity, linking terroir, tradition, and meticulous craftsmanship in every bottle.