Royal Tokaji has some of Tokaj’s very best terroirs. There’s a story there: for decades, Tokaj’s choicest plots had been controlled by the communist state — up until 1990, when they went up for sale.... Read More

Royal Tokaji has some of Tokaj’s very best terroirs. There’s a story there: for decades, Tokaj’s choicest plots had been controlled by the communist state — up until 1990, when they went up for sale.

It was then that Hugh Johnson, the great writer and wine critic, seized upon the opportunity to found Royal Tokaji, with the idea of restoring the region to its former glory. As mentioned, very choice plots were acquired, primarily those in the famous village of Mád. winemaking and viticulture reverted back to artisanal practices far removed from the blunt, industrial operations of the communist state.

It’s been a decades-long process, but Royal Tokaji and other like-minded wineries have largely restored prestige to the region.