Chateau Grand Bari, Veľká Bara: Tokaj tuff cellars and tastings

A new look at old Tokaj

Bara is one of the seven villages of the Slovak part of the Tokaj wine region, on the southern slopes of the Zemplén Hills. Above its Veľká Bara quarter, on a terraced slope, stands Chateau Grand Bari — a winery built with elements of Italian architecture. The owners meant it as a tribute to the Italian winegrowers who once brought the art of viticulture here. The building is set into the hillside, its courtyard with a fountain embraced in a half-circle by vineyard terraces, and across the valley you can see Šiator hill. Above the courtyard rises a lookout tower with a belfry; its 70 kg bell, cast to order, was named Jozef — after St Joseph and after the winery’s owner.

The winery deliberately breaks the stereotype that Tokaj wines can only be heavy and sweet: it makes dry, light, fresh and mineral wines and is not afraid to experiment, alongside classic Tokaj výber. All wines come only from the estate’s own grapes. Beneath the building lie hundreds of metres of traditional tuff cellars, and the winery has a small Tokaj exhibit whose highlight is a restored wine press from 1873.

Why go

• GOLD (60–90 min). A guided look at the exhibit and the tuff cellars and a tasting of seven wines in the cellar (Vulkano, Lipovina, Tuf, Yellow Muscat, Múza, Royal Cuvée and a 3-putňa Tokaj výber) with snacks — water, bread, a meat and cheese platter, olives.
• PLATINUM (120–180 min). The same plus a walk in the vineyards and nine wines, including Sekt Brut, Alfa and a 5-putňa výber.
• EXCLUSIVE. Eight exclusive wines — Furmint Selection, Sekt Selection and 5- and 6-putňa výber.
• Tasting rooms. A large cellar room for 45, a small one for 10 and another for 8 in the entrance hall; you can even rent your own niche in the cellar to store your wine.

Niche holders have their bottles checked by the winery’s technologist, receive invitations to VIP tastings and can rent a tasting room privately. For companies the winery also runs guided tastings elsewhere — on its own premises, in partner venues or right in the client’s office.

What to taste and buy

Dry Vulkano and Tuf, Lipovina, Yellow Muscat, the cuvées Múza and Royal Cuvée (the winery’s wines have won medals in Modra, Trebišov, Bojnice and Pezinok), sparkling wines and výber of 3–6 putňa. Bottles are sold at the winery shop, online and in the brand shop in Košice (Poštová 10).

Practical information

Address: Veľká Bara 140, 076 32 Bara — in the Tokaj region, not far from Malá and Veľká Tŕňa; easiest by car, parking at the winery. Hours (as of October 2026): shop daily 8:00–22:00, restaurant 11:00–21:00. Tastings should be booked in advance through reception (8:00–20:00): +421 56 333 79 55, [email protected]; prices per person €24.90, €31.90 and €39.90.

Nearby

• Tokaj & CO in Malá Tŕňa — the largest cellar of Slovak Tokaj.
• J&J Ostrožovič Winery in Veľká Tŕňa — candle-lit tasting.
• MEA GRATI near Viničky — a winery amid the vines.

Official website: grandbari.sk

Photos: grandbari.sk.