J&J Ostrožovič Winery, Veľká Tŕňa: Tokaj tasting 13 m underground

Tokaj, the Slovak way

Few people realise that Tokaj is not only a Hungarian wine. A small part of the historic Tokaj wine region lies in Slovakia: seven villages on the southern slopes of the Zemplén Hills, Veľká Tŕňa among them. The same grapes grow here — Furmint, Lipovina (Hárslevelű) and Yellow Muscat — on the same volcanic soils, and the wine matures in cellars carved into soft volcanic tuff. Slovak winemakers say real Tokaj rests on five "P"s: soil (pôda), climate (podnebie), the putňa (a wooden hod for botrytised berries), the cellar (pivnica) and the noble cellar mould (pleseň).

The J&J Ostrožovič winery was founded by Jaroslav and Jaroslava Ostrožovič. Jaroslav grew up in neighbouring Slovenské Nové Mesto; as a schoolboy in the 1980s he was already crushing and pressing grapes under his parents' house, and as a graduation present he asked for a small vineyard instead of a motorbike. After studies in Modra and in Lednice in Moravia, the couple set up their own company in 1990 with, as they put it, nothing but five barrels and an enormous will to work. Today the estate farms about 58 hectares on the best slopes of Slovak Tokaj — Vlčina, Chotár and Makovisko. Makovisko, where a rare white poppy flowers in spring, is home to warmth-loving butterflies such as the southern festoon and the giant peacock moth. The wines collect medals regularly; in 2026 three of them brought gold from the Portugal Wine Trophy.

Why go

• A cellar 13 metres down. A network of corridors has been dug by hand into the tuff under the winery's Tokaj House. The walls are covered with soft grey mould that keeps a Tokaj cellar alive; the temperature stays around 10 °C. The entrance is guarded by a statue of King Béla IV, who invited Italian winegrowers here after the Mongol invasion of 1241.
• Candle-lit tastings. Depending on the option, 6 to 15 samples with cold snacks (bacon, cheese, home-made pâté) and a sommelier's commentary. There are also dedicated tastings of classic Tokaj and of archive wines.
• Accessible to all. A passenger lift goes down into the cellar, so wheelchair users can join too.
• Buy wine. Bottles can be bought on the spot or ordered from the online shop.

What to taste and buy

The estate's calling card is Tokaj výber of 3 to 6 putňa, aged for years in small 136-litre Gönc barrels. Alongside come varietal Furmint, Lipovina and Yellow Muscat, straw wine, ice wine and samorodné, dry or sweet. Lovers of rarities should ask about Tokaj selection essence and archive vintages.

Practical information

Address: Nižná 233, 076 82 Veľká Tŕňa. The village is about 20 km south of Trebišov; from Košice it is a little over an hour by car. The nearest railway station is Čerhov on the Košice – Čierna nad Tisou line, a few kilometres from the village. Parking at the winery.

Tastings run all year, by advance booking only: via the web form, e-mail [email protected] or phone +421 908 996 042 on weekdays 7:00–16:00. Minimum 4 tasters; smaller parties may be added to another group. Prices (as of October 2026): 6 samples €19.60 per person, 10 samples €28.90, 15 samples €45.50, Tokaj tasting (min. 8 adults) €45.70, archive wines €59.90. Children under 15 are not admitted to the cellar. Card or cash. Wine sales: +421 908 996 040.

Nearby

• Farmhouse cellars of Veľká Tŕňa — more than a hundred medieval cellars of small growers behind stone portals, some open to visitors by arrangement.
• Malá Tŕňa (2 km) — the heart of Slovak Tokaj with 15th-century cellars.
• The barrel-shaped lookout tower between Malá Tŕňa and Černochov — views over the vineyards and the Hungarian town of Sátoraljaújhely.
• Tokaj Open Cellars Day — every September (12 September in 2026) the cellars of several villages open for tastings, with a free bus from Čerhov station.

Official website: ostrozovic.sk

Photos: ostrozovic.sk.