The First Wine Appellation Was Not In France

Bringing new ideas—including the introduction of biodynamic viticulture and a dry wine—the Hwang family has helped propel this estate and its region into the 21st century. Tokaj was once one of the world’s most prestigious wine regions; its top Aszú and Esszencia dessert wines were among the world’s most coveted and expensive. Yet two world wars devastated Tokaji’s traditional European markets, and the decline continued under Communist rule. But after the Iron Curtain’s fall, a few lone souls struggled to preserve the Tokaji legacy. The most prominent was István Szepsy, whom Tony was determined to meet. Tony was floored by the wines he tasted. He was moved by not only what was in the glass, but by the realization that, with investment and steady purpose, the region could again produce some of the world’s most unique and intriguing wines.