25 of the Top Winemakers In Tokaj

Wineries are the heart and soul of Tokaj – meet some of the region's top winemakers.

Barrels lining the wall of Samuel Tinon's winery in the village of Olaszliszka in the Tokaj wine region. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat

No doubt, the highlight of a Tokaj trip is the winery visits: You get to meet passionate winemakers and taste excellent wines. I included below a list and a short profile of my favorites. This list is by nature subjective, reflecting my own impressions based on multiple visits and tastings. You'll find both sizable wineries and small family operations.

A few things to keep in mind

  • Nearly all wineries require advance booking for a tasting. Also note that not all wineries offer a tasting, or not year-round (details below).

  • If you’re at least somewhat knowledgeable about wines and curious to learn more, convey in your email that you’d love the head winemaker to lead the tasting (with family wineries this is often the default case).

  • A tasting usually costs around €10-15 per person. Hungarian visitors often end up buying several bottles afterward. For foreigners, logistics can complicate things, so consider leaving a generous tip if you don’t end up purchasing.

  • Tastings usually go for an hour, but they can last much longer than that. It’s prudent not to schedule more than two, maximum three, winery visits per day.

  • If you’re driving, or simply don’t feel like getting loaded at midday, use the spittoons provided. By smelling and swooshing the wine around your mouth, you’ll still be able to taste it.

  • Not all winemakers speak flawless English but most are conversational.

  • Many wineries have a labyrinthine system of below-ground wine cellars, some more than 600 years old. Usually a deep flight of stairs lead to a dim, damp, narrow passage lined with wine barrels and coated in a thick layer of mold.

  • Speaking of wine cellars, it’s pretty cold down there even in the summer months, so be sure to bring a sweater with you.

Click here to expand the wine map.

The wineries & winemakers

László Mészáros tasting the just-fermented wines at Disznókő. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat
László Mészáros tasting the just-fermented wines at Disznókő. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat

Disznókő - László Mészáros (Mezőzombor; 100 hectares / 250 acres; [email protected]; +36 47 569 410)

One of the major players, Disznókő was among the first private wineries of Tokaj in post-Communist Hungary. The French AXA Millésimes, which also owns venerable domains in Bordeaux and Burgundy, stands behind this hundred-hectare operation while László Mészáros is at the helm locally.

Disznókő's claim to fame is their fresh, fruity, layered, and deeply expressive 5-puttonyos aszú. Rather than overpowering with syrupy sweetness, these wines show finesse and are meant to be paired with savory, even spicy dishes. The Disznókő szamorodni (labeled "1413") is my perennial go-to sweet wine, delicious and won't break the bank. While sweet wines are Disznókő's focus, the vineyard-selected dry furmint (Inspiration) is nicely textured and minerally. You're also here for the architecture: Hungarian starchitect Dezső Ekler designed the striking winery and tractor garage in 1993. Sárga Borház, also on the premises, is Disznókő's restaurant and you can pile up on bottles at their wine store located behind the restaurant.

Provides wine tasting? Yes, every day of the week with advanced booking ([email protected]).


Zoltán Kovács oversees the operations of Royal Tokaj. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Zoltán Kovács oversees the operations of Royal Tokaj. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Royal Tokaji - Zoltán Kovács (Mád; 107 hectares / 260 acres; +36 47 548 500)

One of the anchor wineries, Royal's origins go back to Hugh Johnson, the legendary wine writer and co-founder, who was an early champion of Tokaj (there's a bronze bust of him within the premises). Royal owns sizable plots on the most prized vineyards – Szent Tamás, Nyulászó, Betsek, Mézes Mály – and bottles single-vineyard aszús from each. Their esszencia wines have been among the world's most expensive but they also put out wallet-friendlier dries and botrytis-kissed sweet wines. Today, the De László family, from England with Hungarian roots, is in charge of the company, which is overseen by Zoltán Kovács.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Róbert Kindl runs the Oremus Winery in Tokaj. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Róbert Kindl runs the Oremus Winery in Tokaj. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Tokaj-Oremus - Róbert Kindl (Tolcsva; 115 hectares / 284 acres; +36 20 251 2240)

Owned by the Spanish wine conglomerate Vega Sicilia, Oremus is one of the great producers of Tokaj. The tastings take place inside a medieval, labyrinthine cellar, featuring both their iconic "Mandolás" dry furmint and the whole range of botrytis-made sweet wines, some of them deeply complex from decades of aging. The beautifully furnished neoclassical guest house and the straw-colored modern winery are both treasures of the local village (Tolcsva). Róbert Kindl has recently taken over the reins from the legendary András Bacsó and the focus is more of the same with an eye on vineyard-specific bottlings too.

Provides wine tasting? Yes, with advanced booking ([email protected]).


Zoltán Demeter, the grand old man of Tokaj. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat
Zoltán Demeter, the grand old man of Tokaj. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat

Zoltán Demeter (Tokaj; 7 hectares / 17 acres; [email protected]; +36 20 806 0000)

A grand old man of Tokaj known for his relentless perfectionism, Zoltán Demeter is one of the colorful characters of the wine region. He cares deeply about preserving Tokaj’s cultural legacy, his foundation created a memorial park for Tokaj’s key figures, reissued historic documents, and launched wine photography competitions. Demeter’s winery is based in a landmark-protected 18th-century building in downtown Tokaj, where soft classical music fills the pristine space of perfectly aligned oak barrels and riddling racks.

In the early aughts, he was among the first in Tokaj to make pezsgő, champagne-style bubbles, which already account for half of the (only) 20,000 bottles he produces annually. This is grower sparkling at its best, all of them vintage and some aged on lees for more than five years. Furmint and hárs, yes, but he also experiments with cabernet franc and muscat blanc a petit grains. His dry furmints tend to be released while still fresh and crisp and fruity; his sweet aszú – only 6-puttonyos – is rich and concentrated.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Szabolcs Juhász is the longtime head-winemaker at Királyudvar. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Szabolcs Juhász is the longtime head-winemaker at Királyudvar. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Királyudvar (Tarcal; 42 hectares / 104 acres; [email protected]; +36 47 380 111)

Anthony Hwang, the American owner of Királyudvar winery, believes that Tokaj's soil is the best in the world, only rivaled by Mosel, and that furmint can stand up to any grape variety globally. Note that this comes from someone who also owns Domaine Huet, the legendary Vouvray winery in the Loire Valley. Királyudvar is one of only two biodynamic producers in Tokaj.

Inspired by its sister location in France, Királyudvar was the first to make pezsgő (sparkling wine) in Tokaj with their 2007 vintage. Their gently bubbly pétillants harvested from the Henye vineyard are still popular in both Hungary and abroad. Under head winemaker Szabolcs Juhász, Királyudvar also makes aged dry ("sec") and off-dry (“demi sec”) furmints that are chiseled but also silky and ripe and round and complex and among my favorites. Their szamorodni-style Patricia Cuvée is made entirely from muscat blanc à petits grains, and the aszú is of the rich, creamy, 6-puttonyos variety.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


István Szepsy Jr. has taken over the reins from his father. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat
István Szepsy Jr. has taken over the reins from his father. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat

Szepsy - István Szepsy Jr. (Mád; 52 hectares / 130 acres; [email protected]; +36 47 348 349)

Perhaps the best-known winemaking family in all of Hungary, for many people Szepsy means the pinnacle of Tokaj. István Szepsy, a brilliant winemaker and a talented businessman, set the direction for the entire wine region in post-Communist Hungary when he made Tokaj’s first dry wines at the turn of the millennium and later by drawing attention to single-vineyard bottlings that highlight the differences across Tokaj's diverse soil types.

Following a recent stroke, Szepsy has retired from the day-to-day operations and currently his son, István Szepsy Jr., the 16th generation in this winemaking family, is overseeing the winery. He is making Burgundy-style dry furmints – using new oak barrels and vineyard-specific bottlings – to demonstrate the furmint's aging potential. Both the 2018 Úrágya and 2017 Szent Tamás show great promise. Szepsy's aszús, which can retail for north of €600, are all-guns-blazing. "Why make a Ferrari with only three cylinders?" as he likes to say.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Gábor Rakaczki is the head winemaker at Sauska's Tokaj winery. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Gábor Rakaczki is the head winemaker at Sauska's Tokaj winery. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Sauska - Gábor Rakaczki (location; 66 hectares / 163 acres; [email protected]; +36 20 535 3000)

Sauska is one of the most ambitious and largest Tokaj wineries currently (and among the few practicing organic viticulture). Sparkling wines account for the majority of the 500,000 bottles annually produced. Sauska believes also in grapes traditionally not associated with Tokaj, for example chardonnay and pinot noir, which are used both for their dries and sparklings along with the furmint. Sauska wines tend to be precise, balanced, and fresh (the aszús aren't too sweet). Their soon-to-be-completed winery building and restaurant – just outside the village of Mád – is a true eye-candy and well worth visiting also for its views and architecture.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Judit Bodó from Bott Pince shown at her family winery's tasting room in Bodrogkeresztúr. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Judit Bodó from Bott Pince shown at her family winery's tasting room in Bodrogkeresztúr. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Bott Pince - Judit Bodó (Bodrogkisfalud; 9 hectares / 22 acres; [email protected]; +3620 240 3855)

For Judit and József Bodó, Tokaj isn’t just about making wine; they feel it behooves them to pass on Tokaj's cultural legacy to the next generation – be it by mentoring other winemakers or organizing a communal harvest for local students so that “the kids learn and appreciate early on what a special place they come from,” said Judit. They don’t try to chase the latest trends; their wines, most of them dry, are beautifully round and ripe and textured and sought out by discerning drinkers in Hungary and abroad. They tend to sell out within weeks of release.

Provides wine tasting? Yes, with advanced booking ([email protected]).


Stephanie Berecz at Kikelet Pince. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Stephanie Berecz at Kikelet Pince. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Kikelet Pince - Stephanie Berecz (Tarcal; 5 hectares / 12 acres; [email protected]; +3630 636 9046) 

Some refer to Stéphanie Berecz as the "Queen of Tokaj." A native of the Loire Valley, she came to Tokaj in 1993 as a college exchange student to help out at French-owned Disznókő winery for a few months. Thirty years hence, she’s still here, now tending her own five-hectare family vineyard with her charming, nature-loving, Hungarian husband, Zsolt Berecz. Many people believe that their crisp and vibrant dry hárslevelűs are among the great wines of Tokaj.

Provides wine tasting? Yes, with advanced booking ([email protected]).


Samuel Tinon outside his wine cellar in Olaszliszka. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat
Samuel Tinon outside his wine cellar in Olaszliszka. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat

Samuel Tinon (Olaszliszka; 5 hectares / 12 acres; [email protected]; +36 47 358 405)

A native of Bordeaux, Samuel Tinon came to Tokaj thirty years ago and fell in love with the region. He worked as a wine consultant before launching his winery in the village of Olaszliszka, where he and his wife, Mathilde, a wine journalist, have lived since 1998. Tinon is an expert of botrytis-based wines, especially the dry szamorodni, a rarely seen dry made with botrytis grapes and aged in open-top oak barrels for up to eight years. He recommends that people crack open a bottle on a Sunday morning or afternoon with a book or while listening to music.

Provides wine tasting? Yes, with advanced booking ([email protected]).


Attila Homonna and his wine press in Erdőbénye. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat
Attila Homonna and his wine press in Erdőbénye. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat

Homonna Vineyard - Attila Homonna (Erdőbénye; 4 hectares / 10 acres; [email protected]; +3620 598 4195)

In the early aughts, Attila Homonna was among the first to redefine what a dry Tokaj meant: elegant, expressive of the soil, and with just a touch of oak. His wines appear in Michelin-starred restaurants anywhere from New York to Tokyo and he's a role model for Hungarian winemakers of the younger generation. Although plugged into the international wine circles, he doesn’t chase contemporary trends – currently he’s focused on going back to Tokaj's roots, putting out botrytis-based sweet wines. Attila splits his time between Tokaj and the Balaton wine region, but do try to meet him.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Bianka Jákób explaining a wine at Holdvölgy winery in Mád. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Bianka Jákób explaining a wine at Holdvölgy winery in Mád. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Höldvölgy - Bianka Jákób (Mád; 27 hectares / 67 acres; [email protected]; +36 70 391 4643)

Built delicately into the hillside of Mád, this modern winery doubles as an architectural treasure. Holdvölgy produces the whole range of Tokaj wines, but head winemaker Bianka Jákób also likes to experiment with kabar, an oft-ignored Tokaj grape variety with an herbal aroma. Holdvölgy’s dries are chiseled but always balanced, with small amounts of residual sugar to keep the acidity in check. The tastings take place inside a 600-year-old, two-kilometer-long underground cellar, one of the longest in Tokaj.

Provides wine tasting? Yes, with advanced booking ([email protected]).


Gergely Makai is in charge of Tokaj-Hétszőlő's operations. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Gergely Makai is in charge of Tokaj-Hétszőlő's operations. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Tokaj-Hétszőlő (Tokaj; 55 hectares / 136 acres; +36 47 352 009)

Tokaj-Hétszőlő is one of the large producers in Tokaj whose main focus is botrytis-based sweet wines rather than dries. Their late harvests, szamorodnis, and aszús express the ethereal elegance of Tokaj’s loess soil compared with the heftier wines coming from the volcanic soils to the north. The sweeping 55-hectare vineyard blanketing the south side of Tokaj Hill is a true eye-candy lined with walking trails. Not far from the vines, in downtown Tokaj, they have a wine store to pile up on bottles with a historic cellar underneath it.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


László Alkonyi outside his wine cellar in Tállya. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat
László Alkonyi outside his wine cellar in Tállya. Photo: Barna Szász for Offbeat

László Alkonyi (Tállya; 1 hectare / 2 acres; [email protected]; +3630 960 6107)

László Alkonyi is a unique character and a great asset to Tokaj. His love affair with the region started when he was the Budapest-based editor of Borbarát, a seminal wine magazine. In 2012, he moved to Tokaj full time and started his own winery. Today, he farms a one-hectare plot on Tökös-máj, one of the prized vineyards in Tokaj. Alkonyi is a treasure trove of information with many opinions about the wine region and its place in the world. Every year, he does several rounds of harvests in search for “perfect” grapes and the results speak for themselves.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Bottles of Barta wines shown with the soil they come from. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Bottles of Barta wines shown with the soil they come from. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Barta Pince - Vivien Ujvári (Mád; 13 hectares / 32 acres; [email protected]; +3630 324 2521)

Sparing no expense, the owner of Barta winery, Károly Barta, replanted with grapevines Öreg Király, one of the original first-class vineyards of Tokaj that had fallen into neglect. It’s perched high up on a steep hillside and the wine tastings actually include a trip up there. The last stretch you’ll have to complete on foot, but the effort is more than worth it: panoramic vistas and an aromatic glass of the salty, minerally wine made from the grapes before you. Apart from the vineyards, Barta has also brought back to life a 17th century Baroque estate, Rákóczi-Aspremont, which currently functions as a hotel.

Provides wine tasting? Yes, with advanced booking ([email protected]).


Attila Domokos is in charge of Dobogó winery. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Attila Domokos is in charge of Dobogó winery. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Dobogó - Attila Domokos (Tokaj; 5 hectares / 12 acres; [email protected]; +36 30 576 9736)

This boutique Tokaj winery belongs to Zwack, the eponymous Hungarian herbal liqueur producer of the same name. Dobogó's plots span across the most prestigious vineyards in Mád (Szent Tamás, Betsek, Úrágya). Minority owner Attila Domokos runs the day-to-day operations of the company, which exports nearly all of the 25,000 bottles produced annually. Both their dries and sweets – late harvest, szamorodni, aszú – are precise and balanced, with unmistakable Tokaj character. Interestingly, Dobogó also makes a small amount of pinot noirs in this white wine region.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Hajnalka Prácser outside her family winery in Tokaj. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Hajnalka Prácser outside her family winery in Tokaj. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Erzsébet Pince - Miklós & Hajnalka Prácser (Tokaj; 10 hectares / 25 acres; [email protected]; +36 06 20 802 0137)

A true family operation helmed by Hajnalka and Miklós Prácser, with their father in charge of the vines, mother of the admin work. Hajnalka's husband, the American-native Ronn Wiegand, a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, lends his refined palate during the blending process. Their vines grow both in the volcanic soils of Mád and in the loess of Tokaj, and it's fascinating to compare the results. Erzsébet's labyrinthine cellar once belonged to Elizabeth Petrovna, the Russian Empress who maintained a dedicated purchasing team in Tokaj in the 18th century (hence the winery's name). Hajnalka also runs the godsend Tokaji Kávépörkölő Manufaktúra, the wine region's one and only new-wave coffee shop, located on Tokaj's main square.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Sarolta Bárdos outside her winery in Bodrogkeresztúr. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Sarolta Bárdos outside her winery in Bodrogkeresztúr. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Tokaj Nobilis - Sarolta Bárdos (Bodrogkeresztúr; 7 hectares / 17 acres; [email protected]; +3620 391 8328)

Winemaking in Sarolta Bárdos's family goes back several generations. A native of Tokaj, she was head winemaker at esteemed Tokaj domains (Degenfeld, Béres) before launching her own winery. She's best known for her dry furmint and hárslevelű from the Barakonyi vineyard as well as her sparkling wines that are sold in places like the Four Seasons Budapest. Together with Stephanie Berecz and Judit Bodó, the three of them also put out a blend under the "Három Grácia" label.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Kata Zsirai shown outside her winery in Mád. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Kata Zsirai shown outside her winery in Mád. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Zsirai Pince - Kata Zsirai (Mád; 16 hectares / 40 acres; [email protected]; +3630 378 5313)

One of the promising winemakers of the next generation, Kata Zsirai has been in charge of this 16 hectare winery since the premature death of her father. With youthful energy, she has been constantly fine tuning the winemaking processes. Her dry furmints are elegant but also textured, expressing the vineyard soil they come from, be it the beguiling Betsek or the intensely steely, salty, and structured Szent Tamás. The Zsirais also have a guest house, located right in the heart of Mád.

Provides wine tasting? Yes, with advanced booking ([email protected]).


Dorka Homoky with the snowy Tállya vineyards as the backdrop. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Dorka Homoky with the snowy Tállya vineyards as the backdrop. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Dorka Homoky (Tállya; 3 hectares / 7 acres; [email protected]; +3647 398 028)

After majoring in philosophy and film in Budapest, Dorka Homoky returned to the family vineyard in Tállya to branch out on her own. Since 2019, she doesn't filter or clarify her wines and uses only a minimum amount of sulfites. Her natural wines and bubbly pet-nats are popular among the hip Budapest crowd and sell out months after release. She has ambitious expansion plans, currently building a new winery in Tállya.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


László Szilágyi shown at his vineyard. Photo: bortarsasag.hu
László Szilágyi shown at his vineyard. Photo: bortarsasag.hu

Gizella Pince - László Szilágyi (Tokaj; 19 hectares / 47 acres; [email protected]; +3620 233 3212)

Gizella is a Tokaj success story: In 2005, László Szilágyi planted his first grapes on a tiny plot; fifteen years hence, he produces more than 30,000 bottles annually and his wines appear in premium wine stores and top restaurants across Hungary. The recipe for success? He keeps an eye on international wine trends, while also making consistently excellent wines that reflect Tokaj’s rich soil.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


Géza Lenkey and his dog shown outside Géza's winery in Mád. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Géza Lenkey and his dog shown outside Géza's winery in Mád. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Lenkey Pince - Géza Lenkey (Mád, 10 hectares / 25 acres; lenkeygeza@lenkeypincészet.hu; +3670 313 2390)

Géza Lenkey is a charismatic winemaker with an independent vision. Years ago, he noticed his dry hárslevelűs became more complex and layered over time while still vigorous, so, defying contemporary trends and financial prudence, he kept them in his cellar before release. But Lenkey isn't totally indifferent to the present day, also putting out fresh and bubbly pét-nats. Advance booking is a must as Géza lives in Budapest part time.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment (lenkeygeza@lenkeypincészet.hu).


Dénes Szarka shown at his winery in Mád. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
Dénes Szarka shown at his winery in Mád. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Dénes Szarka (Mád; 2.5 hectares / 6 acres; [email protected]; +36 20 966 8541)

Dénes Szarka is a rising star of the next generation. He is a man of few words but with a tireless work ethic: apart from tending his own small vineyards, he’s in charge of winemaking at Pelle Pince. Dénes’s 2017 six-puttony aszú was recently chosen as the best in Hungary. Still, his elegant dries and botrytis-made sweet wines offer one of the best price-to-quality in Tokaj. During the warm months, he also provides home-cooked dinners at his scenic winery in Mád upon advance booking.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


A bottle of Szóló's highly popular pet-nat before opening. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
A bottle of Szóló's highly popular pet-nat before opening. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Szóló - Tímea Éless (Tállya; 9 hectares / 22 acres; [email protected]; +3630 968 5340)

The family winery of Tímea and Tamás Éless is pioneering Tokaj’s fledgling natural wine movement. Tímea, who hails from Tokaj, believes in organic, low-intervention winemaking, using only a minimal amount of sulfur dioxide. In line with current trends, they age some of the wines in egg-shaped vats and clay pots. A couple of years ago, Szóló produced Tokaj’s first pét-nat, an easy-to-drink bubbly wine currently experiencing a global renaissance.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).


The historian-winemaker Krisztián Ungváry shown outside his winery in Erdőbénye. Photo: Tas Tóbiás
The historian-winemaker Krisztián Ungváry shown outside his winery in Erdőbénye. Photo: Tas Tóbiás

Vayi - Krisztián Ungváry (Erdőbénye; 2.5 hectares / 6 acres; [email protected]; +36 30 517 3317)

Krisztián Ungváry isn't "just" a Tokaj winemaker, he's also a famous historian in Hungary. Without a background, he became interested in wines and set up shop in the scenic Erdőbénye, nestled in a small valley cradled by dense forests. Since his start in 1997, he has been polishing and improving his wines, which are fruity and balanced and surprisingly affordable (be sure not to miss his pinot noir). As one would expect, he has all the answers about Tokaj's history; tasting with him is a memorable experience.

Provides wine tasting? Only by confirmed appointment ([email protected]).