Tokaj & CO, Malá Tŕňa: tasting in a 2.5 km historic cellar

Heir to the state Tokaj enterprise

Malá Tŕňa is the heart of the Slovak part of the Tokaj wine region, and its wines have their place in history: the village coat of arms shows a man holding a golden staff and a large golden bunch of grapes. Rows of stone portals line the streets between the houses, with cellars hidden behind them in the tuff rock — and the mightiest of them belongs to Tokaj & CO.

The company’s roots go back to the 1960s, when the state enterprise Tokaj was founded. After it was wound up in 1998, it left behind extensive vineyards, equipment and the historic cellar in Malá Tŕňa, a national cultural monument. All of this was bought by a new company that has operated as Tokaj & CO since 1999 and is today the largest producer of Tokaj wines in Slovakia. It farms about 110 hectares of vineyards around Čerhov, Malá and Veľká Tŕňa and Slovenské Nové Mesto, mostly under integrated production. The grape varieties are set by law and tradition: Furmint, Lipovina and Yellow Muscat. The chief oenologist is Zuzana Čorbová and the chief technologist Milan Kakaš. The winery points out that the first Tokaj výber was made in 1631 and the method has hardly changed since: the best grapes and botrytised berries (cibébas), oak barrels and a medieval tuff cellar.

Why go

• The biggest cellar in Tokaj. According to the winery, the cellar complex, dating back to the 14th century, is 2.5 km long in total. It holds around 1,500 barrels, two tasting rooms and a wine archive. The walls are covered in dark cellar mould, and it stays cool all year, so bring something warm even in summer.
• A tasting with the oenologist. Guests are led through the cellar and poured the wines by the chief oenologist herself, who gladly explains how Tokaj is born and how its categories differ.
• Buy wine. After the tasting you can buy bottles right at the winery — from dry varietals to archive výber wines.

What to taste and buy

The range is wide: dry and semi-sweet Furmint, Lipovina and Yellow Muscat, the branded Svätý Urban and altar wine (omšové víno), dry and sweet Tokaj samorodné, and Tokaj výber of 3, 4, 5 and 6 putňa. Look out for the rare specialities — Tokaj forditáš, made by pouring young wine over the pressed pulp of cibébas a second time, and Tokaj selection essence. Collectors will find archive vintages.

Practical information

Address: Medzipivničná 228/21, 076 82 Malá Tŕňa — on the street that runs along the cellars. The village lies south of Trebišov; the nearest railway station is Čerhov on the Košice – Čierna nad Tisou line, a few kilometres away. A car is the most convenient option.

Booking: a tasting must be arranged in advance by phone +421 905 596 603 (backup +421 918 386 348) or e-mail [email protected]; the time is set to suit the guests. Prices are not published on the website — ask when booking. Tastings are for adults. After the visit the winery asks guests to leave a review.

Nearby

• J&J Ostrožovič Winery in neighbouring Veľká Tŕňa — candle-lit tasting 13 m underground.
• The barrel-shaped lookout tower (12 m) between Malá Tŕňa and Černochov — views over the vineyards and the Hungarian town of Sátoraljaújhely.
• The "Furmanská cesta Tokajom" tourist train — in season (roughly from April) a 28 km ride through the vineyards, boarding in the village.
• Zlatý Strapec Winery in Viničky — family Tokaj since 1992.

Official website: tokaj.sk

Photos: Slavo O., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.